Howth Yacht Club's Checkmate XX Debuts with an Overall Win in 120-mile ISORA Race

12th June 2022

Afloat.ie Team

Howth Yacht Club First 50 Checkmate XX (Nigel Biggs/Dave Cullen) was the overall winner of ISORA's Race 7 ahead of next week's Round Ireland Race from Wicklow Credit: Afloat

With six days to go to the highlight of the offshore season and the Round Ireland Race, ISORA debutante Checkmate XX emerged as a possible pre-race favourite when she won Saturday's ISORA's 120-mile race 7 off the Dublin and Wicklow coasts.

The Nigel Biggs and Dave Cullen Howth Yacht Club entry was the overall winner by approximately two and half minutes on corrected time, taking line honours and the class zero victory too.

Andrew Hall's J125 Jackknife was second in line honours and IRC Zero. John O'Gorman's Sunfast 3600 Hot Cookie from the National Yacht Club took the IRC 1 gun and was fourth in line honours.

Both Checkmate and Jackknife are entries in the 50-boat Round Ireland fleet.

(Above and below) Andrew Hall's J125 Jackknife from Pwllheli Sailing Club powering along at the Dun Laoghaire Harbour start

(Above and below) Andrew Hall's J125 Jackknife from Pwllheli Sailing Club

The 14-hour race took the fleet from Dun Laoghaire and down the coast to India South (just off Wicklow), and then to M2, the Weather buoy which is halfway to Holyhead, then north-west to Dunany. Then a long 30nm leg south to the finish line outside Howth at Rowen Rocks with the first boats home just after 11 30 pm.

ISORA Race Officers Barry MacNeaney (left) and Larry Power of the National Yacht Club Photo: Afloat

The Under 25 Figaro 3 Luzern team (Ronan Mooney) Photo: Afloat

The race started in strong westerly winds at 0800 with three separate starts for the 14-boat fleet.

Off the line, it was a little too shy for spinnakers but both the J125 Jackknife (Andrew Hall) and the Under 25 Figaro 3 Luzern team (Ronan Mooney) put code zero sails to good use in the gusty offshore conditions.

Barry O'Donovan's First 44.7 Black Magic from Howth Yacht Club Photo: Afloat

Results are provisional and according to the ISORA race tracker.

Chris Power Smith's J/122 Aurelia from the Royal St. George Yacht Club Photo: Afloat

Jac Y Do, a Sunfast 3200i from Pwllheli Sailing Club sailed double-handed by Mark and Jo Thompson in ISORA IRC Class 2 Photo: Afloat

IRC Class 1 competitor Prime Suspect, a Mills 36 customised skippered by Keith Miller Photo: Afloat

Published in ISORA, Howth YC

Published in ISORA

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ISORA

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