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Rockabill VI Moves Top in New ICRA Boat of the Year Standings

16th September 2025
“Rockabill
Rockabill VI edges ahead of Swuzzlebubble in IRC, while ValenTina keeps first in ECHO as ICRA releases the September 15 Boat of the Year tables, with more scoring events left this season Credit: Afloat

The Irish Cruiser Racer Association (ICRA) has issued the latest Boat of the Year standings, dated September 15, showing fresh movement in both IRC and ECHO divisions.

Paul O'Higgins' JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI of the Royal Irish Yacht Club has overtaken Royal Cork Half Tonner Swuzzlebubble (James and Dave Dwyer) at the top of IRC with 10.5 points, gaining ground since the last update on August 18.

O'Higgins' rise to the top follows his 2025 win of the country's biggest club series, the Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) Thursday series in late August.

Swuzzlebubble slips to second on 9.25, while Royal Cork Quarter Tonner Diamond (Colman Garvey and Kieran Kelleher) holds steady in third on 8.25. Johnny and Suzie Murphy's J109 Outrajeous of Howth Yacht Club and clubmate Nigel Biggs' recently dismasted First 50 Checkmate XX remain tied for fourth.

Defending ICRA Boat of the Year champion lies second in the standings Photo: Bob BatemanDefending ICRA Boat of the Year champion lies second in the standings Photo: Bob Bateman

Further down, the Royal St. George First 8 Allig8r (a syndicate of six friends, Paddy Ryan, Mark Hennessy, Peter Levins, Colm O'Buachalla, Conor Twomey and Brendan Foley) and Royal Cork Quarter Tonner Anchor Challenge (Conor Phelan) enter the IRC table in joint 11th, while positions tighten from ninth to sixteenth.

In ECHO, Johnny Treanor's J112e ValenTina from the National Yacht Club retains first place on 5.5 points. The Corby 37 Impetuous (GBR) (Miller Crompton Hodges) and Tony O'Brien's Schull Harbour J109 Tighey Boy share second on 5, with David Greene's Malahide Yacht Club Elan 333 White Pearl climbing to fourth on 5. J109 Riders on the Storm rises to fifth, pushing J122 Jellybaby (now under new ownership in Howth) into joint sixth with J109 Artful DodJer of Kinsale.

In the ECHO ICRA Boat of the Year, Johnny Treanor's J112e ValenTina from the National Yacht Club retains first place on 5.5 points Photo: Afloat In the ECHO ICRA Boat of the Year, Johnny Treanor's J112e ValenTina from the National Yacht Club retains first place on 5.5 points Photo: Afloat

As the season reaches a finale, there are still scoring opportunities available from Howth Yacht Club and Royal Cork Yacht Club’s Autumn League.

In IRC, three contenders can win with Rockabill leading from Swuzzlebubble and Diamond.

ECHO is a closer battle between Valentina, Tighey Boy and White Pearl, but several boats can secure victory here.

West Cork J109 Tighey Boy is in the running for the ECHO ICRA Boat of the Year title Photo: AfloatWest Cork J109 Tighey Boy is in the running for the ECHO ICRA Boat of the Year title Photo: Afloat

2025 ICRA Boat of the Year Standings Summary (as of September 15th).

ICRA Boat of the Year Standings Summary (September 15th).

Published in ICRA
Published in ICRA
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The Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) Information

The creation of the Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) began in a very low key way in the autumn of 2002 with an exploratory meeting between Denis Kiely, Jim Donegan and Fintan Cairns in the Granville Hotel in Waterford, and the first conference was held in February 2003 in Kilkenny.

While numbers of cruiser-racers were large, their specific locations were widespread, but there was simply no denying the numerical strength and majority power of the Cork-Dublin axis. To get what was then a very novel concept up and running, this strength of numbers had to be acknowledged, and the first National Championship in 2003 reflected this, as it was staged in Howth.

ICRA was run by a dedicated group of volunteers each of whom brought their special talents to the organisation. Jim Donegan, the elder statesman, was so much more interested in the wellbeing of the new organisation than in personal advancement that he insisted on Fintan Cairns being the first Commodore, while the distinguished Cork sailor was more than content to be Vice Commodore.

ICRA National Championships

Initially, the highlight of the ICRA season was the National Championship, which is essentially self-limiting, as it is restricted to boats which have or would be eligible for an IRC Rating. Boats not actually rated but eligible were catered for by ICRA’s ace number-cruncher Denis Kiely, who took Ireland’s long-established native rating system ECHO to new heights, thereby providing for extra entries which brought fleet numbers at most annual national championships to comfortably above the hundred mark, particularly at the height of the boom years. 

ICRA Boat of the Year (Winners 2004-2019)

YEARBOATSKIPPERCLUBBOAT MODEL
2019 Rockabill VI Paul O'Higgins Royal Irish Yacht Club JPK1080
2017-2018 Checkmate XV Dave Cullen Howth Yacht Club Half Tonner
2016 Joker II John Maybury Royal Irish Yacht Club J109
2015 WOW George Sisk Royal Irish Yacht Club Farr 42
2014 Antix
Catapult
Quokka		 Anthony O'Leary
Mark Glimcher
Michael Boyd & Niall Dowling		   Ker 39
Ker 40+
Gand Soleil 43
2013 Full Irish David Kennefick Royal Cork Yacht Club Figaro 2
2012 NUI Galway Cathal Clarke & Matin Breen NUI & Galway Bay Sailing Club Reflex 38
2011 Storm Pat Kelly Howth Yacht Club & Rush Sailing Club J109
2010 Antix
Mariner's Cove
Roxy 6		 Anthony O'Leary
Dave Dwyer
Andrew Creigton		 Royal Cork Yacht Club Ker 39
Mills 37
Corby 36
2009 Kinetic Richard Colwell & Tom Murphy Howth Yacht Club Corby 25
2008 Mariner's Cove
Rosie		 Dave Dwyer
Roy Dickinson		 Royal Cork Yacht Club
Howth Yacht Club		 Mills 37
Corby 36
2007 Jump Juice Conor Phelan Royal Cork Yacht Club Ker 37
2006 Chieftain Jer O'Rourke RWYC Cookson 50
2005 Antix Anthony O'Leary Royal Cork Yacht Club Corby 36
2004 Voodoo Chile Eamonn Crosbie

 

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