In big seas, strong easterly winds and sunshine, Paul O'Higgins' JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI from the Royal Irish won the first ISORA Viking Marine Coastal Series 2025 race on Saturday morning.
In a strong turnout for the April 5th fixture, the 11-boat race had several new contestants, including last year's Kish race winner, Justin Burke's JPK10.30, Request, a sistership of Alan Hannon's Coquine from Belfast Lough, who is also competing. In a buoyant start to the Dun Laoghaire season, Grzegorz Kalinecki's Ker 32 Hijacker is another new arrival to the Irish Sea offshore fleet.
The start of the first race at the outfall buy end of the line with (from left) Paul O'Higgins' JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI at the pin with Justin Burke's JPK10.30, Request and the big J122 Aurelia with a clear early lead in race one of the ISORA Viking Marine Coastal Series 2025 race on Saturday, April 5th Photo: Afloat
O'Higgins, who started at the pin end, in a start won by Chris Power Smith's bigger J122 Aurelia at the Dun Laoghaire outfall buoy and the pair stayed inshore on a falling tide for the first leg of the 18-mile race, finished in a corrected time of three hours, 20 minutes and 40 seconds.
Second overall on IRC and first in Class Zero – Royal St. George's J122 Aurelia (Chris Power Smith) in the first ISORA Viking Marine Coastal Series 2025 race on Saturday, April 5th Photo: Afloat
Second overall was the line honours winner, Aurelia, but in Power-Simth's estimation, there could have been a different outcome, as the Royal St. George entry had a 'substantial margin' when they reached the Muglins but were unable to hold on to it because of gear failure when a pole out mechanism failed so they could not fly a code 0 for the short leg home. "We snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. We are gutted but live to fight again next weekend", he told Afloat. Aurelia corrected to 3:22:29.
Third was the reigning ISORA title holder, Tom Shanahan's J109, Ruth, at 3:24:45.
Third overall on IRC and Class Two winner - Tom Shanahan's J109, Ruth competing in the first ISORA Viking Marine Coastal Series 2025 race on Saturday, April 5th Photo: Afloat
As Afloat previously reported, the 10 am all-classes start raced from Dun Laoghaire Outfall Buoy to an ISORA virtual mark, then to North Kish, Killiney Outfall, Muglins and a finish back at Dun Laoghaire pierheads.
Winds were as forecast at 15 mph, gusting to 20 with steep waves on Dublin Bay both at the harbour mouth and at the Kish Bank.
