Displaying items by tag: 2017

19th February 2018

Recording Record Trade Levels in Belfast Harbour for 2017

#BelfastLough - Recording record trade levels, Belfast Harbour reached 23.7 million tonnes passing through the port in 2017.

The port writes The Irish News, handles more than 70 per cent of the north's seaborne trade, has seen a 3 per cent increase in its trade volume on 2016 in spite of the low level of growth in the local economy.

Significant and strategic investments by the port and its customers as well as the relative weakness in sterling on exports are described as key reasons behind the positive figures.

Freight traffic on StenaLine’s Ro-Ro (Roll-on / Roll-off) services continues to grow, reaching a record 514,000 vehicles, with external demand for Northern Ireland’s agri-food produce a key driver for the increase. Linked to this, demand for animal feeds and grains rose by 11 per cent to 2.2 million tonnes.

To read more on other sectors of the port click here.

Published in Belfast Lough

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Afloat Rowing Calendar 2017

Olympic silver medallists Gary O'Donovan and Paul O'Donovan are hoping 2017 will be another great year.

#Rowing: Here is the 2017 Calendar for Irish Rowers. The year ahead is a bumper one. In February, the Fisa Extraordinary Congress in Tokyo will be the focus of intense interest, as a decision will be made on the boats which can compete at the Olympic Games. Lightweight athletes in Ireland and other countries will watch this closely. The international season will be a very long one as the World Championships will be held very late (September/October) in Florida in the United States. The domestic regatta season starts with Neptune Regatta on April 1^st and the high point is the Irish Championships, which run from July 14^th to July 16^th. Queen’s University have decided to abandon plans to hold their regatta, which was scheduled for May 6^th.

Our good wishes to all involved in rowing this year, whether behind the scenes or on the water.

Rowing Fixtures 2017

January

21^st: Irish Indoor Rowing Championships, Limerick.

26^th-28^th: World Coaches Conference, Vancouver, Canada.

February

4^th: European Indoor Rowing Championships, Paris.

9^th-12^th: Fisa Extraordinary Congress, Tokyo.

11^th: Cork Head, Marina.

18^th: Lagan Scullers’ Head, Belfast; New Ross Head, River Barrow.

18^th-19^th: Ireland high performance Assesment, Regional.

25^th: St Michael’s Head, O’Brien’s Bridge, Clare.

March

4^th: Erne Head, Enniskillen, Fermanagh. 11^th: Women’s Eights’ Head of the River, London. 18^th Galway Head; Lagan Head, Belfast.

25^th: Dublin Head; Offaly Head, Tullamore.

25^th: Head of the River, London.

25^th-26^th: Ireland high performance Assessment, National Rowing Centre (NRC), Cork.

26^th: Rowing Ireland agm.

April

1^st: Neptune Regatta, Islandbridge. 2^nd: Commercial Regatta, Islandbridge. 2^nd: The Boat Races, London.

7^th: Irish University Championships, NRC.

8^th-9^th: Skibbereen Regatta, NRC.

15^th: Trinity Regatta, Islandbridge, Dublin.

22^nd: Limerick Regatta, O’Brien’s Bridge, Clare.

23^rd: Irish Schools’ Regatta, O’Brien’s Bridge.

29^th: Portadown Regatta.

29^th (to May 1^st): BUCS Regatta, Nottingham, England.

May

1^st (from April 29^th): BUCS Regatta, Nottingham, England. 5^th-7^th: World Cup Regatta, Belgrade, Serbia.

7^th: Castleconnell Sprint Regatta.

13^th: Lough Rynn Regatta, Leitrim.

13^th-14^th: Fisa Para Rowing Regatta, Gavirate, Italy.

20^th: Lee Regatta, Marina, Cork.

20^th-21^st: European Junior Championships, Krefeld, Germany.

26^th-28^th: European Championships, Racice, Czech Republic.

26^th-28^th: British National Schools’ Regatta, Dorney Lake.

27^th: Dublin Metropolitan Regatta, Blessington; Belfast Sprint Regatta.

June

3^rd-4^th: Carlow Regatta. 3^rd-4^th: (London) Metropolitan Regatta.

10^th-11^th: Ireland high performance Assessment, NRC.

15^th-18^th: World Cup Regatta, Poznan, Poland. 16^th-18^th: Henley Women’s Regatta. 17^th: Athlone Regatta, Coosan Point. 17^th: Marlow Regatta, Dorney Lake. 18^th: Galway Regatta.

24^th-25^th: Cork Regatta, NRC.

28^th (to July 2^nd): Henley Royal Regatta.

July

1^st-2^nd (from June 28^th): Henley Royal Regatta. 1^st: Ulster Branch Regatta, Craigavon Lakes, 2^nd: Fermoy Sprint Regatta.

7^th-9^th: World Cup Regatta, Lucerne, Switzerland.

14^th-16^th: Irish Rowing Championships, NRC.

19^th-23^rd: Under-23 World Championships, Plovdiv.

22^nd: Home International Regatta, London Docklands, England.

29^th-30^th: Coupe de la Jeunesse, Hazewinkel, Belgium.

August

2^nd-6^th: World Junior Championships, Trakai, Lithuania. 6^th: Carrick-on-Shannon Sprint Regatta.

18^th-20^th: Irish Coastal Rowing Championships, Ballyshannon, Co Donegal.

26^th: Belfast Summer Sprint Regatta.

September

2^nd-3^rd: European Under-23 Championships, Kruszwica, Poland.

6^th-1oth: World Masters, Bled, Slovenia. 16^th: St Michael’s Masters Regatta, Limerick.

24^th (to October 1^st): World Championships, Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida.

October

1^st (from September 24^th): World Championships, Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida.

7^th Tullamore Time Trial. 7^th-8^th: Ireland high performance Assessment, NRC.

13^th-15^th: World Coastal Rowing Championships, Thonon, France.

21^st-22^nd: Head of the Charles River, Boston.

28^th: Castleconnell Head, Castleconnell.

November

4^th: Neptune Head, Blessington.

11^th: Bann Head, Coleraine. 12^th: Fours Head, London.

18^th: Skibbereen Head, NRC.

25^th: Provinces Indoor Rowing Championships, Limerick.

December

2^nd: Head of the Shannon, Carrick-on-Shannon; Muckross Head, NRC.

16^th-17^th: Ireland high performance Assessments, NRC.

Published in Rowing

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Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

From the Baily lighthouse to Dalkey island, the bay accommodates six separate courses for 21 different classes racing every two years for the Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

In assembling its record-breaking armada, Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta (VDLR) became, at its second staging, not only the country's biggest sailing event, with 3,500 sailors competing, but also one of Ireland's largest participant sporting events.

One of the reasons for this, ironically, is that competitors across Europe have become jaded by well-worn venue claims attempting to replicate Cowes and Cork Week.'Never mind the quality, feel the width' has been a criticism of modern-day regattas where organisers mistakenly focus on being the biggest to be the best. Dun Laoghaire, with its local fleet of 300 boats, never set out to be the biggest. Its priority focussed instead on quality racing even after it got off to a spectacularly wrong start when the event was becalmed for four days at its first attempt.

The idea to rekindle a combined Dublin bay event resurfaced after an absence of almost 40 years, mostly because of the persistence of a passionate race officer Brian Craig who believed that Dun Laoghaire could become the Cowes of the Irish Sea if the town and the local clubs worked together. Although fickle winds conspired against him in 2005, the support of all four Dun Laoghaire waterfront yacht clubs since then (made up of Dun Laoghaire Motor YC, National YC, Royal Irish YC and Royal St GYC), in association with the two racing clubs of Dublin Bay SC and Royal Alfred YC, gave him the momentum to carry on.

There is no doubt that sailors have also responded with their support from all four coasts. Running for four days, the regatta is (after the large mini-marathons) the single most significant participant sports event in the country, requiring the services of 280 volunteers on and off the water, as well as top international race officers and an international jury, to resolve racing disputes representing five countries. A flotilla of 25 boats regularly races from the Royal Dee near Liverpool to Dublin for the Lyver Trophy to coincide with the event. The race also doubles as a RORC qualifying race for the Fastnet.

Sailors from the Ribble, Mersey, the Menai Straits, Anglesey, Cardigan Bay and the Isle of Man have to travel three times the distance to the Solent as they do to Dublin Bay. This, claims Craig, is one of the major selling points of the Irish event and explains the range of entries from marinas as far away as Yorkshire's Whitby YC and the Isle of Wight.

No other regatta in the Irish Sea area can claim to have such a reach. Dublin Bay Weeks such as this petered out in the 1960s, and it has taken almost four decades for the waterfront clubs to come together to produce a spectacle on and off the water to rival Cowes."The fact that we are getting such numbers means it is inevitable that it is compared with Cowes," said Craig. However, there the comparison ends."We're doing our own thing here. Dun Laoghaire is unique, and we are making an extraordinary effort to welcome visitors from abroad," he added. The busiest shipping lane in the country – across the bay to Dublin port – closes temporarily to facilitate the regatta and the placing of six separate courses each day.

A fleet total of this size represents something of an unknown quantity on the bay as it is more than double the size of any other regatta ever held there.

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta FAQs

What is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Ireland's biggest sailing event. It is held every second Summer at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay.

When is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is held every two years, typically in the first weekend of July.

Where is Dun Laoghaire Regatta held?

As its name suggests, the event is based at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Racing is held on Dublin Bay over as many as six different courses with a coastal route that extends out into the Irish Sea. Ashore, the festivities are held across the town but mostly in the four organising yacht clubs.

How big is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is the largest sailing regatta in Ireland and on the Irish Sea and the second largest in the British Isles. It has a fleet of 500 competing boats and up to 3,000 sailors. Scotland's biggest regatta on the Clyde is less than half the size of the Dun Laoghaire event. After the Dublin city marathon, the regatta is one of the most significant single participant sporting events in the country in terms of Irish sporting events.

How old is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The modern Dublin Bay Regatta began in 2005, but it owes its roots to earlier combined Dublin Bay Regattas of the 1960s.

How many boats compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 500 boats regularly compete.

How many yacht clubs are represented at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 70 different yacht clubs are represented.

Where do the yachts come from to compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Channel Islands, Isle of Man, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland countrywide, and Dublin clubs.

How many boats are visiting boats at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Nearly half the sailors, over 1,000, travel to participate from outside of Dun Laoghaire and from overseas to race and socialise in Dun Laoghaire.

What type of yachts race in Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

21 different classes are competing at Dun Laoghaire Regatta. As well as four IRC Divisions from 50-footers down to 20-foot day boats and White Sails, there are also extensive one-design keelboat and dinghy fleets to include all the fleets that regularly race on the Bay such as Beneteau 31.7s, Ruffian 23s, Sigma 33s as well as Flying Fifteens, Laser SB20s plus some visiting fleets such as the RS Elites from Belfast Lough to name by one.

What famous sailors race in Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Some sailing household names are regular competitors at the biennial Dun Laoghaire event including Dun Laoghaire Olympic silver medalist, Annalise Murphy. International sailing stars are competing too such as Mike McIntyre, a British Olympic Gold medalist and a raft of World and European class champions.

How much does it cost to enter Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

There are different entry fees for different size boats. A 40-foot yacht will pay up to €550, but a 14-foot dinghy such as Laser will pay €95. Full entry fee details are contained in the Regatta Notice of Race document.

Where can spectators view Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Spectators can see the boats racing on six courses from any vantage point on the southern shore of Dublin Bay. As well as from the Harbour walls itself, it is also possible to see the boats from Sandycove, Dalkey and Killiney, especially when the boats compete over inshore coastal courses or have in-harbour finishes.

How does Dun Laoghaire regatta compare to international regattas?

Very favourably. It is often compared to Cowes, Britain's biggest regatta on the Isle of Wight that has 1,000 entries. However, sailors based in the north of England have to travel three times the distance to get to Cowes as they do to Dun Laoghaire.

Why is Dun Laoghaire Regatta so unique?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is unique because of its compact site offering four different yacht clubs within the harbour and the race tracks' proximity, just a five-minute sail from shore. International sailors also speak of its international travel connections and being so close to Dublin city. The regatta also prides itself on balancing excellent competition with good fun ashore.

Who organises Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Organising Authority (OA) of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Dublin Bay Regattas Ltd, a not-for-profit company, beneficially owned by Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC), National Yacht Club (NYC), Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) and Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC).

What does Dun Laoghaire Regatta contribute to the local economy?

The Irish Marine Federation launched a case study on the 2009 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta's socio-economic significance. Over four days, the study (carried out by Irish Sea Marine Leisure Knowledge Network) found the event was worth nearly €3million to the local economy over the four days of the event. Typically the Royal Marine Hotel and Haddington Hotel and other local providers are fully booked for the event.