The forecast for a rapid Irish Sea crossing proved accurate on Saturday as the leading boats in ISORA’s opening offshore race of the 2026 season blasted from Dún Laoghaire to Holyhead in little more than five hours.
The standout performance came from Pata Negra, the Lombard 46 skippered by Sam Hall and Andrew Hall, which secured overall victory after correcting out in 6 hours 17 minutes and 35 seconds.
The Pwllheli Sailing Club entry, that is the current ISORA Champion, averaged more than 10 knots across the 55-mile course and also topped IRC Class Zero.
Second overall was Cristina, sailed by John Treanor. The NMD 43 posted the fastest elapsed time of the fleet at 5 hours 24 minutes and 50 seconds and averaged 10.159 knots, but corrected to finish just under 11 minutes behind Pata Negra.
Third overall went to ReQuest of the National Yacht Club, sailed by Nathan and Justin Burke. The JPK 10.30 led IRC Class One after correcting to 6 hours 30 minutes and 57 seconds.
Pre-race predictions of fast passages proved well founded. ISORA Chairman Peter Ryan had suggested beforehand that the leading boats could complete the crossing in around five hours in the strong northerly airflow.
IRC Class Zero – Pata Negra Prevails In Big Boat Duel
The leading ISORA offshore fleet charges east from Dublin Bay to the Kish Light in strong northerly winds during Saturday’s fast-reaching crossing to Holyhead. Photo: Afloat
IRC Zero produced the expected battle among the larger offshore boats.
Pata Negra claimed class honours ahead of Cristina, while El Syd, sailed by Frank Whelan, took third after correcting to 6 hours 36 minutes and 38 seconds.
Aurelia from the Royal St George Yacht Club finished fourth in class, while Holyhead SC’s Farr X2 Lightning rounded out the division.
IRC Class One – ReQuest Leads Tight Mid-Fleet Battle
ReQuest – IRC Class One Winner NJD Burke’s JPK 10.30 ReQuest from the National Yacht Club on its way to IRC Class One honours in ISORA’s opening offshore race of the 2026 season. Photo: Afloat
ReQuest headed a competitive Class One fleet from Loinnir, sailed by John Malone, with the two boats separated by just over seven minutes on corrected time.
Third in class went to Razorbill under Ulric Kenny.
Further back, Pwllheli SC’s Finally finished fourth ahead of Paradox and Pillaban.
IRC Class Two – Darling XX Edges Indian By Seconds
Darling XX – IRC Class Two Winner Nigel Ingram’s Darling XX from CHPSC heads east across the Irish Sea en route to a narrow IRC Class Two victory by only 16 seconds on corrected time. Photo: Afloat
IRC Class Two saw a close finish between the leading pair, with Darling XX from CHPSC taking the class win by only 16 seconds on corrected time from Indian of Howth Yacht Club.
Third place in the division was affected by retirements and non-finishers, with both White Lotus and Katanca recording DNFs.
The Shanahan family’s defending ISORA champion Ruth was listed as DTP.
Race trackers showed the front of the fleet maintaining high reaching speeds throughout much of the crossing in the strong northerly conditions, with several boats expected to make rapid return passages back to Dublin Bay on Saturday evening.
