Displaying items by tag: Gortmore Bell Race

12th September 2021

Pengy Wins Iniscealtra Sailing Club's Gortmore Bell Race on Lough Derg

The Iniscealtra Sailing Club annual Gortmore Bell race took place on Lough Derg on Saturday 11th September. With a forecast of only 5 to 7 knots, the course was shortened considerably to round Coose mark rather than Gortmore and return home to Mountshannon via Garrykennedy.

The Class 2 boats started 30 mins earlier than class 1 but with the wind shutting down at regular intervals it wasn’t long before class 1 caught up with a becalmed fleet at Hare Island. In class 1, it was ‘Sonic Boom’, an SB20, that led the fleet around Coose mark and managed to extend the lead further on the water to finish over 1hr ahead of the fleet on elapsed time.

The Gortmore Bell and race prizes

The battle for the win on corrected time was firmly within the class 2 fleet with the wind filling into a steady 10 knots for the latter stages. Pengy helmed by Brendan Watson and Ali Baba helmed by Brendan Sheppard managed to keep their boats whispering along at all times through the light and incredibly variable conditions, challenging the class 1 boats all day.

It was Pengy, a Beneteau First skippered by Brendan Watson that won out, in the end, to claim the Gortmore Bell trophy with Maybee sailed by Philip Despard winning Class 1 and Sonic Boom helmed by Andrew Deakin taking line honours.

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Gortmore Bell Race

6th September 2020

Sea Saw Wins Iniscealtra Sailing Club's Gortmore Bell Race

Ken O'Farrell, left, skipper of Sea Saw with Lough Derg's Gortmore Bell and and Dan Donnell, ISC Racing Captain

The Iniscealtra Sailing Club annual Gortmore Bell Race took place on Lough Derg on Saturday, 5th September. With a forecast of 15 to 20 knots westerly and sunshine, it promised to be a good day sailing for the 28-boat fleet.

The class 2 boats started 30 mins earlier than class 1 with ‘Sea Saw, a Halberg Rassey 352 leading on the water in the nice reaching conditions. In class 1, it was ‘Sonic Boom’, an SB20, that led the fleet out and enjoyed the fast reaching conditions to overtake class 2 and reach the turning mark off Gortmore point in just under 1hr 45min.

A 28-boat fleet raced for the Gortmore Bell on Lough Derg

The fleet enjoyed a long forereach south from Gortmore and it was Passet Partout in class 1, a Dufour Classic who made big gains on this leg. As the wind rose from the west it led to a challenging beat from Mountaineer buoy back to Mountshannon, especially for the smaller boats in the fleet.

It was See Saw helmed by Ken O’Farrell in class 2 that won out, in the end, to claim the Gortmore Bell trophy with Passet Partout, sailed by Joe Gilmartin winning Class 1 and Sonic Boom the first home of the SB20 fleet.

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8th September 2019

SB20 'Sonic Boom' Wins Iniscealtra Sailing Club's Gortmore Bell Race

‘Sonic boom’ sailed by Andrew Deakin, Brian McElligott and Colm McElligott were the overall Gortmore Bell winners

The Iniscealtra Sailing Club annual Gortmore Bell race took place on Lough Derg on Saturday 7th September. With very light wind forecast for the day, the usual 30-mile race was shortened to 20 miles, so the race turned at the Coose Bay mark rather than the usual Gortmore.

The class 2 boats started 30 mins earlier than class 1 with ‘Whisper’, a comfort 30, taking the early lead on the water. In class 1, it was ‘Sonic Boom’, an SB20, that led the fleet out. It was these two boats that ended up fighting for the overall win.

‘Sonic Boom’ caught up the 30-minute deficit just before the last turning mark. The northerly wind died out momentarily and was replaced with a Westerly enabling the two class leaders to reach the new breeze first and they stretched out on the rest of the fleet to take first in each class with ‘Sonic boom’, sailed by Andrew Deakin, Brian McElligott and Colm McElligott taking the overall win having gained a further 23 minutes on the shifting upwind leg to the finish.

The wind speed dropped again after the leaders finished, making it a long last leg for the remaining fleet. Second in Class 1 went to ‘Silk’, a First Class 10, with third going to ‘Zombie’, a Platu 25. In Class 2, second place went to ‘Celtic Charisma’, a Kelt 29 and third place went to ‘Serendipity’ a westerly Longbow.

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9th September 2017

LaBamba Claims Gortmore Bell Race on Lough Derg

La Bamba approaches Gortmore. The breeze increased to 30–kts at times for this year's Gortmore Bell Race on Lough Derg

The Gortmore Bell Race, sponsored by Union Chandlery took place this Saturday on Lough Derg with 23 boats taking part across two classes.

This is the lough's longest race in the calendar from Iniscealtra Sailing Club’s base in Mountshannon to the Gortmore mark near Portumna and home via Mountaineer rock buoy near Domineer.

Class 2 got underway first at 10:45 followed 30 min later by class 1 at 11:15 in a NW breeze which was set to increase as the morning went on. 1st around the Gortmore mark and heading for home was Serendipity helmed by Robert Bourke, first around in Class 1 was Jumping Jack Flash helmed by Dominic O’Sullivan. The breeze increased to 30–kts at times which made for exiting reaching conditions for the three SB20’s in the fleet who managed to hold they asymmetric spinny’s from Coose mark to Mountaneer bouy. Line honours was claimed by the SB20 Jumping Jack Flash followed quickly by the rest of the fleet with all boats finished by 16:40pm.

Gortmore Bell Winners 2017 – (from left to right) Sean Collins, Mary and Mike Sadlier of La Bamba
1st Place Overall and in Class 1 was LaBamba helmed by Mary Sadlier and crewed by Mike Sadlier and Sean Collins, 1st Place in Class 2 was Serendipity helmed by Robert Bourke, 1st Place in J24 fleet was Jobs for the Buoys, helmed by Barney Power and 1st place in SB20 fleet was claimed by Jonathan Foley’s Jumping Jack Flash helmed by Dominic O’Sullivan.

Full results attached below for download.

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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.