All four reigning IRC cruiser-racer national champions are among a fleet of nearly 50 boats already entered to defend their national titles at the 2024 Unio-sponsored ICRA National Championships at the Royal Irish Yacht Club on Dublin Bay in less than a month.

Ten boats are currently entered in Class Zero, 13 in Class One, 17 in Class Two and six in Class Three. Two boats are currently entered in the non-spinnaker class.

The Brian Jones skippered Royal Cork J122 Jelly Baby ICRA Class Zero IRC Champion 2023, currently competing at Cowes Week on the Solent, will compete at the Royal Irish and be part of a ten-boat Zero fleet, that will include at least two Cape 31s as per July's Cork Week class breaks.

ICRA Class Zero IRC Champion 2023 - The Brian Jones skippered J122 Jelly Baby from Royal Cork Yacht Club competing at the 2024 Cwes Week Regatta where she led after day one. Jelly Baby had a narrow one-point win over John Treanor's ValenTina from the National Yacht Club at the 2023 ICRA Nationals. That result reversed under the ECHO Performance handicap result Photo: Paul Wyeth

Likewise, Class One champions John and Suzie Murphy's Outrajeous Howth – and overall 2023 ICRA champion – are also confirmed in a currently 13-boat competition that features no less than nine J109s and 2023's strong runner-up, John Minnis's A35 Final Call II from Royal Ulster Yacht Club.

Despite the challenging weather conditions, the 2023 monday.com ICRA National Championships at Howth saw four races with all podium results delivered by John and Suzie Murphy's Outrajeous to crown the local boat as the overall event winner. In Class 1, Murphy's Howth team was also crowned IRC champion in their ten-boat division Photo: Afloat

Although not yet appearing on the competitor list (see below), the IRC Two Champion, David and James Dwyer's dominant Swuzzlebubble from Royal Cork, ICRA's Boat of the Year 2023, will defend their title on the Bay, it was confirmed to Afloat.

ICRA Class Two IRC Champion 2023 - James Dwyer's Half-Tonner Swuzzlebubble from Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Afloat 

Martin Mahon and Joanne Hall's Quarter Tonner Snoopy from Courtown Sailing Club are entered to defend their IRC Three crown in a season that saw the Irish champions contest the Quarter Ton Cup on the Solent and finish ninth.

ICRA Class Three IRC Champion 2023 - Martin Mahon and Joanne Hall's Quarter Tonner Snoopy from Courtown Sailing Club Photo: Afloat

Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) Commodore Denis Byrne says he is "counting down the days" to the three-day championships, which will run from 30 August to 1 September.

"It will be the first of three major events in Ireland, all hosted by the RIYC", Byrne told Afloat.

As Afloat previously reported, the Dun Laoghaire club will host the J Cup the following week and the prestigious IRC European Championships the week after that.

"Titles will be up for grabs in both IRC and ECHO in each class, and an overall winner will be crowned at the end of the event", Byrne says.

The Notice of Race for the ICRA National Championships has been published, and the Entry Form is now available – both can be accessed by clicking here.

There is a generous discount for Under-25 fully crewed entries, Byrne says.

It will definitely be worth putting this in your calendar as promises to be the highlight of this year’s racing calendar for all levels of ability.

The current entry list (at July 31st) released by organisers is below