Biggs' Checkmate XX Dominates Coastal Class in Final Race of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

13th July 2025

WM Nixon

Nigel Biggs Checkmate XX sails to victory in the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Coastal Class, securing first place with a final score of 3 points and showcasing an impressive performance throughout the biennial races Credit: Bob Bateman

You'd have thought that, with the varied selection of 24 boats large and small in the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Coastal Class, somebody might have dented Nigel Biggs' straight run with the First 50 Checkmate XX (Howth YC). Not so.

Paul O'Higgins' JPK 1080 Rockabill VI RIYC Photo: Bob Bateman

In this final race, even the Hall family's higher-rated Lombard 46 Pata Negra from Pwllheli could do no better than just over a minute astern on the water, and she corrected back to 6th while Checkmate stayed serenely on first every which way, giving her a final tally of 3 points to the 11 of Paul O'Higgins' JPK 1080 Rockabill VI RIYC (4,2,5, (14), and the 13 of Peter Dunlop & Vicky Cox's J/112e Mojito PSC )(7),7,3,3 from Pwllheli.

The start of Sunday's final 17-mile coastal race of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2025 with the overall winner Checkmate XX powering through the fleet Photo: Afloat

Ryan's Tsunami is ECHO Champion

It's only with the final race that the continuously modifying ECHO system produces a really meaningful race, so it's ironic that what is the "Most Improved Sailor Award" in this class goes to noted old salt Peter Ryan of ISORA, whose First 40.7 Tsunami notched 2,(9), 3,2. Johnny Treanor's J112e ValenTina, Tom Shanahan's J/109 Ruth and Declan Hayes' Indecision finished on 12, with tie-breakers putting them in that order.

Peter Ryan's First 40.7 Tsunami is Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Coastal Class ECHO champion Photo: Bob Bateman

Race Results

You may need to scroll vertically and horizontally within the box to view the full results

Published in DL Regatta: Coastal, Howth YC

Published in DL Regatta: Coastal

Tagged under

Coastal

About The Author

WM Nixon

Email The Author

William M Nixon has been writing about sailing in Ireland for many years in print and online, and his work has appeared internationally in magazines and books. His own experience ranges from club sailing to international offshore events, and he has cruised extensively under sail, often in his own boats which have ranged in size from an 11ft dinghy to a 35ft cruiser-racer. He has also been involved in the administration of several sailing organisations.

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven't put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full-time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.

You might also want to read...

Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2025 Coastal Class

Pre-event favourites in the Coastal A division must be the First 50 Checkmate XX, fresh from its victory in the Sovereign's Cup.

J109 Ruth, the reigning ISORA champ, is the Coastal B division favourite.

Four races and one discard will be held for the coastal division under International Race Officer Con Murphy.

The course will be decided on race day and communicated to each skipper via a dedicated Offshore WhatsApp group at least one hour prior to the start.

The finish will be between the Pier Ends at the Dun Laoghaire Harbour entrance. The finishing time will be taken from the Yellowbrick tracker system.

The class will be the first to start on Thursday, with the new Bay Race. Coastal starts at 1055 on Saturday and 0955 on Sunday.

The courses will use DBSC Marks, Volvo Yellow inflatable Top Hat and Shipping Navigation Marks.

Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2025 Coastal Class A Entries

GBR 9470 Banshee Corby 33 1.032 / 1.087 Charlie FRIZE Clyde Cruising Club

IRL 35950 Aurelia J122 / 1.000 Chris Patanne POWER SMITH RSGYC

IRL 13500 D-Tox X-35 David O BRIEN Neill MASTERSON NYC

IRL 5880 Pillaban 1.020 / 1.002 David TOWNEND Paul RODIN, Pablo CELIS RIYC

GBR 9740R SloopjohnT Swan 40 1.026 Iain THOMSON Clyde cruising club

GBR 7536R Hot Cookie Sunfast 3600 1.032 / 1.035 John O'GORMAN Alan DWYER NYC

IRL 3721 ValenTina J112eGP 1.048 / 1.102 Johnny TREANOR RIYC

GBR 34R Xaviera X4 Jonathan ANDERSON

IRL 66 Checkmate XX First 50 Nigel BIGGS HYC

IRL 10800 Rockabill VI JPK 10.8 1.050 / 1.121 Paul O'HIGGINS Conor O'HIGGINS, Philip CONNOR, James GUNN, John KELLY RIYC

IRL 4007 Tsunami First 40.7 1.049 / 1.050 Peter RYAN National Yacht Club

GBR 4822R Mojito J/122E 1.087 Peter Victoria DUNLOP COX Pwllheli SC

GBR 1030X Coquine JPK1030 1.022 Ronan MOONEY RIYC

GBR 704R Game Changer Beneteau 40.7 1.036 / 1.091 Shaun DOUGLAS RUYC

Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2025 Coastal Class B Entries

IRL 9898 Indecision J109 1.003 / 0.945 Declan HAYES Dan BIRCH, Bryan DOHERTY, Philip DUFFY, Patrick HALPENNY, Paul BURKE, Matt KENNEDY, Diane HANRAHAN, Louisa HAYES RIYC

IRL 811 RAPTOR Mills 30 CR 1.005 Fintan CAIRNS Denis HEWITT, Paul BRADLEY, Paul MOLLOY, Darius KRYZEVICIUS, Kate QUINN, Paddy BOYD, Barry ROSE, Ronan MOONEY RIYC

IRL 1129 Jump The Gun J109 1.002 / 0.975 John M KELLY RIYC

GBR 4933R Darling xx Xp 33 1.003 Nigel INGRAM Mathew INGRAM, Harry INGRAM, Mark CLOWES, Mark THOMPSON, Stephen WILLIAMS Pwllheli

GBR 9496T Bojangles J109 0.997 Paul HAMPSON

IRL 1367 Boomerang Beneteau 36.7 0.997 / 0.995 Paul KIRWAN Schull Harbour Sailing Club

IRL 44444 Magic Touch First 34.7 0.974 / 0.980 Steve HAYES GSC

IRL 1383 Ruth J109 1.007 Tom SHANAHAN NYC

GBR 2093R AndromedA Archambault A35 William PARTINGTON Pwllheli SC / South Caernarvonshire YC