Displaying items by tag: Henley Royal Regatta,

1st July 2015

Henley Hopes Short-lived for Lady Elizabeth Crew

#Rowing: Henley Royal Regatta did not yield any early joy for Irish crews this morning. In the Wyfold Cup coxless fours, Lady Elizabeth were beaten by Nottingham Rowing Club ‘A’. The English crew cut across from their station at the start and took a lead which they did not relinquish. Lady Elizabeth tried hard in the warm conditions, but their young opponents held on to their lead and won by two and a half lengths.

Henley Royal Regatta, Day One (Irish interest)

Wyfolds (Fours, Club): Nottingham RC ‘A’ bt Lady Elizabeth BC 7 mins 39 seconds, 2½ l.

Published in Rowing

Tagged under

4th July 2014

British National Crew End Three Castles Run at Henley Regatta

#ROWING: The Irish challenge in the Double Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta was ended this morning as the British national crew of John Collins and Jonathan Walton beat Dave Neale and Eimantas Grigalius of Three Castles. The British, who have been finalists at the European Championships and the World Cup in Aiguebelette, were half a length up by the top of the Island and three lengths up at 500 metres. The winner was never in doubt from that point.

Henley Royal Regatta, Day Three (Selected Results; Irish interest)

Double Sculls Challenge Cup (Men, Open): Leander (J Collins, J Walton) bt Three Castles (D Neale, E Grigalius) 2l, 7 mins 48 secs.

Published in Rowing

Tagged under

30th June 2012

Surprise Exit for Puspure at Semi-Final Stage of Henley Royal Regatta

# ROWING: Sanita Puspure was beaten in the semi-final of the Princess Royal at Henley Royal Regatta this evening. The woman who will represent Ireland in rowing at London 2012 fought out a close duel with Isolda Penney of Canada, who was behind until the middle of the race. The Canadian, in the preferable Berks station, pushed into the lead and held off Puspure to eventually win by two lengths.

Penney’s victory was a surprise, but the 37-year-old, who holds joint US/Canadian citizenship, is a serious competitor. She was third in the US trial held before the Olympic Qualifier in Lucerne this year. The trial was won by Genevra Stone, who went on to finish third at the Qualifier, one place ahead of Puspure.

Kaisa Pajusalu of Estonia, who lost out in that Olympic Qualifier (she finished sixth in the Final) won the other semi-final of the Princess Royal after a good race with Laura Schiavone of Italy.

Henley Royal Regatta, Day Four (Irish interest):

Queen Mother (Quadruple Sculls, Open): Victoria City Rowing Club, Canada bt UCC/London RC (N Kenny, A English, H Pelly, M O’Donovan) 1¾ l, 7:24

Princess Royal (Single Sculls, Women, Open): I Penney (Canada) bt S Puspure (Ireland) 2l, 9:57

K Pajusalu (Estonia) bt L Schiavone (Italy) easily 10:03

Published in Rowing

Tagged under

29th June 2012

Durham University Dash Queen's Hopes at Henley

# ROWING: Queen’s bowed out of Henley Royal Regatta yesterday after a very good race in the Visitors’ Cup with Durham University. The Queen’s four started well, but the bigger Durham crew headed them and won by three lengths.

Henley Royal Regatta, Day Three (Irish interest)

Princess Royal (Single Sculls, Women, Open): S Puspure (Old Collegians) bt P Whittaker (Nottingham) easily, 10.31

The Double Sculls (Open): SH Whelpley and WS Cowles bt A Boreman (Belfast Boat Club) and C Beck (RBAI) easily, 8:45.

Visitors’ Cup (Fours, Intermediate): Durham University bt Queen’s University 3l, 8:03.

Published in Rowing

Tagged under

28th June 2012

Keohane Punches Above Weight But Forced to Concede to Superior Power at Henley

# ROWING: John Keohane slugged it out with the heavier Luke Moon in the Diamond Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta today but finished second, a length off the Tideway Scullers’ man. Keohane was slower off the start, but he drew level in the middle stages and even edged in front. Moon eventually took and held the lead, but he slowed in front of the enclosures and Keohane tightened the final margin.

Henley Royal Regatta, Day Two (Irish interest)

Diamond Sculls (Single Sculls, Open): R Lopez (El Salvador) bt C Williamson (Queen’s University) easily, 9:00; L Moon (Tideway Scullers’ School) bt J Keohane (Lee Valley) 1l, 9:30

Visitors’ Cup (Fours, Intermediate): Queen’s University bt Nottingham University B easily, 8:14; Durham University bt Oxford University and Isis BC 4 ¼ l, 7:55

Wyfold Cup (Fours, Club): Rob Roy bt Cork BC 4¼ l, 7:53

Published in Rowing

Tagged under

28th June 2012

Rob Roy End Cork's Run at Henley Royal Regatta

# ROWING: The Cork Boat Club four of John Paul Collins, Stephen Carroll, Colm Dowling and Shane Mac Eoin put in a good challenge in the second round of the Wyfold Cup but could not overcome Rob Roy from Cambridge at Henley Royal Regatta. The English crew led by half a length at the quarter mile and held off Cork’s pushes to extend their lead.

Colin Williamson of Queen’s University lost to El Salvador’s Roberto Lopez in the Diamond Sculls. Lopez powered away from Williamson early on and did not yield up the advantage.

Henley Royal Regatta, Day Two (Irish interest)

Wyfold Cup (Fours, Club): Rob Roy bt Cork BC 4¼ l, 7:53

Diamond Sculls (Single Sculls, Open): R Lopez (El Salvador) bt C Williamson (Queen’s University) easily, 9:00

Published in Rowing

Tagged under

27th June 2012

Trinity Eight Beaten Despite Good Start at Henley Royal Regatta

# ROWING: Ireland’s only eight competing at Henley Royal Regatta bowed out of the Temple Cup today. Trinity led the University of Michigan at the Barrier and Fawley (roughly halfway). A push by Trinity was ineffective, but the Americans staged their own which took them into the lead. They took control and won by one and a quarter lengths.

Henley Royal Regatta, Day One (Irish interest)

Temple Cup (Eights, Student): University of Michigan (USA) bt Trinity 1 ¼ l, 7:12

Prince Albert Cup (Coxed Fours, Student): Imperial College bt Queen’s University 1¾ l, 8:07

Wyfold Cup (Fours, Club): Cork BC bt Cardiff City 1l, 7:52; Rob Roy bt Henley B 4l, 7:56

Published in Rowing

Tagged under

27th June 2012

Cork Boat Club Win First Battle at Henley Royal Regatta

# ROWING: Cork Boat Club gave Ireland its first race win at Henley 2012, when they came through their first round test against Cardiff City in the Wyfold for club fours. The Cork crew eked out a lead early on, but Cardiff mounted a challenge right to the end when the pressure told and their steering faltered. Cork won by a length.

Imperial Boat Club, who were seeded, ousted Queen’s University in the Prince Albert for student coxed fours.

Henley Royal Regatta, Day One (Irish interest)

Temple Cup (Eights, Student): Brown University (USA) bt Dartmouth 2½ l, 6:57;

Prince Albert Cup (Coxed Fours, Student): Imperial College bt Queen’s University 1¾ l, 8:07

Wyfold Cup (Fours, Club): Cork BC bt Cardiff City 1l, 7:52; Rob Roy bt Henley B 4l, 7:56

Published in Rowing

Tagged under

22nd June 2012

Queen's Sculler Through but UCD Women's Eight Miss Cut at Henley Qualifiers

# ROWING: In the qualifying races for Henley Royal Regatta this evening, UCD's senior women's eight was well outside the mark to qualify for the Remenham Cup, but Colin Williamson of Queen's University did enough to make his way into the draw for the Diamond Sculls for single sculls.

Published in Rowing

Tagged under

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.