Bandit, Tribal and Chinook Lead After WIORA Day Three on Clew Bay

20th June 2025

Afloat.ie Team

An IRC start on day three of WIORA 2025 on Clew Bay

It was a glorious day on Clew Bay for day three of WIORA and day one 1 of the Ruffian 23 National Championships on Friday (June 20).

Race Officer Scorie Walls set a windward leeward course with 4 rounds for classes 1 and 2, and 3 rounds for class 3 (white sails) and the Ruffians, in a 12 kt SE breeze.

The wind dropped on the 3rd round of the Ruffian race, and the RO shortened the race at the weather mark on round 3.

The sea breeze kicked in during race 2, resulting in a massive wind shift, and the Race Officer abandoned the race for all classes.

The SW wind increased to 15-18 kts and, having adjusted the course, the RO went straight into the starting sequence.

The class 1 starters got off cleanly. There were 4 individual recalls in the class 2/3 start, and the Ruffians had a general recall. Once again the Race Officer went to a U flag start for the Ruffians, and 4 offending boats were recorded as UFD.

Siamsa, helmed by Robbie Keys from Skerries Sailing Club, having won the first Ruffian race, also won the second race.

The WIORA race programme consisted of two races for classes 1, 2, and 3, while the Ruffians had a third race scheduled.

The Race Officer set an Olympic course and announced another U flag start, and this time there was one offending boat that was recorded as UFD.

Stephen Penny’s Hot Orange from Carrickfergus Sailing Club won this race and was hotly pursued by Joan Molloy’s Golden Girl from Mayo Sailing Club.

Overall, Ann Kirwan leads 18 boats with a five-point margin.

Tribal Takes Class One Lead

Rachel Burke's Farr 31 Tribal has moved into the overall lead in a seven-boat Class One from Galway Bay Sailing Club's GK34 Ibaraki, skippered by John Collins. Lying third is Raymond McGibney's Tommiray.

Galway Bay Sailing Club's GK34 Ibaraki, skippered by John Collins

Chinook On Top in Class Two

The perfect scoreline of Cormac Murphy's Chinook was broken today in seven-boat Class Two IRC, but the Tralee Bay Sailing Club entry still leads overall. Shane McGibney's Smile lies second with Fusion in third.

The competitors attended the daily prize-giving in the clubhouse, where MSC Commodore Pat Aylward handed out the daily prizes.

The Clew Bay Hotel in Westport is the venue for Friday evening's social get-together.

Race Results

You may need to scroll vertically and horizontally within the box to view the full results

Published in WIORA, Ruffian 23

Published in WIORA

Tagged under

WIORA

About The Author

Afloat.ie Team

Email The Author

Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.

Have you got a story for our reporters? Email us here.

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven't put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full-time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.