Royal Ulster Yacht Club (RUYC) has announced it will host the inaugural IRC Northern Ireland Championship on July 19–20, 2025 as part of the British IRC circuit.
The new championship has been approved by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in London, which says the new event "underscores their commitment to expanding competitive sailing opportunities and fostering regional participation in premier racing events."
It is the second RORC IRC event to come to Irish waters in two years, with the Royal Irish Yacht Club staging the IRC European Championships on Dublin Bay in September 2024.
The brand new NI event, featuring a mix of challenging courses, will take place just one week after Ireland's biggest regatta, the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, which will be held on the Irish Sea from July 10 to 13.
"This exciting new addition to the GBR IRC Championships will take place in the stunning surroundings of Belfast Lough, a venue long celebrated for its exceptional sailing conditions and rich maritime heritage", say RORC.
Located within easy reach of the West Coast of Scotland, Isle of Man, Strangford Lough, North Wales, and Dublin, Belfast Lough offers ideal conditions for high-calibre yacht racing.
RUYC is well known for organising Bangor Week Regattas, which have evolved into the Bangor Regatta, a popular biennial event run under IRC and YTC handicaps. The addition of the IRC Northern Ireland Championship solidifies Belfast Lough as a premier destination for competitive sailing.
The main racing area, situated in the sheltered yet open waters off Bangor, benefits from light commercial traffic, manageable tidal flows, and a variety of course options, starting from either a Committee Boat or the Club’s Starting Battery.
For coastal races, the stronger tides at the Lough's entrance provide additional navigational challenges, adding variety to the competition.
