Saturday's Lyver Trophy Race Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire Offshore Race marks the arrival of competitors from across the Irish Sea for next week's big one, the 350-boat Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta.
With a declared entry of 18 boats, the weekend fleet includes the reigning ISORA champion, the J109 Mojito from Pwllheli Sailing Club in North Wales.
The race starts at 9 am, and early forecasts indicate strong westerly winds for a windward leg across the Irish Sea, with the final course to be confirmed on Friday.
In collaboration with Irish Sea clubs, the race is organised by Liverpool Yacht Club & Royal Dee Yacht Club with the assistance of the National Yacht Club and the Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association (ISORA).
The race counts as race 12 of the 2023 Musto ISORA Offshore Race series and the Royal Dee Offshore Championship Series.
As ISORA's Peter Ryan explains, "The race is also the first of five races in the Royal Dee Offshore Championship series, with the four coastal races in next week's VDLR".
The race is a qualifying race for August's Fastnet Race. Winners will be eligible for RORC medallions.
"As well as the Lyver Trophy, the winner will be presented with an ISORA trophy. The prizegiving is to take place at the ISORA dinner in November, Ryan told Afloat.
"Separate entries are not required for the Championship series. As there will be no discards, the boats that compete in all five races are the only boats that can win. The winner of the series will receive a trophy at the VDLR prizegiving. RDYC prizes will be presented to 2nd and 3rd place in the series", he says.
"There are no day prizes in the VDLR, but as part of the RDYC offshore series, there will be day-class prizes for boats in the VDLR coastal class. These will be presented every evening in the NYC, " Ryan adds.