A 23 boat fleet – with possibly more to come as entries are still open this week – is mustering at Dun Laoghaire Harbour for the second cross channel ISORA race of the season this Saturday.
Starting at 8 am, the Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead via M2 buoy race is approximately 60-miles long and will feature form boat, Paul O'Higgins' JPK 10.80, Rockabill VI from the Royal Irish Yacht Club.
The Dun Laoghaire yacht – which has won all its ISORA fixtures this season – had just 52 seconds over Welsh rival J109 Mojito in the first Cross channel a fortnight ago, as Afloat reported here
Mojito co-skippers Peter Dunlop and Vicky Cox are also entered on Saturday so another tight race across the Irish Sea is in prospect.
In total, 11 Class Zero boats, four Class One and eight Class Two boats are entered.
Currently, weather forecasts predict light variable winds for Saturday.
The race also sees the return of Chris Power Smith's J122 Aurelia to the ISORA line. The Royal St. George entry was last weekend's line honours winner of Kinsale's inaugural 260-mile Inishtearaght Race.
This Saturday's race to Holyhead is the first ISORA race of the season for the Royal St. George J/122 Aurelia that competed with distinction on the south coast last weekend Photo: Bob Bateman
Joe Conway's Sigma 33 Elandra from the RIYC is racing to Holyhead Photo: Afloat
With just three weeks to go to the Round Ireland Race start, the Musto ISORA offshore fixture has added meaning as a warm-up for the 700-miler.
Speaking to Afloat about the buoyant entry, ISORA boss Peter Ryan of the National Yacht Club said: "If they turn up there are some interesting groups of boats in all classes, so plenty of mini races within the race"
That's certainly the case with three J109s, three Sunfast 3600s, two Sunfast 3200, two Sigma 38s and two Sigma 33s placing an emphasis on class results as well as overall honours.
ISORA Race Six 2022 Entry List
