ORC Ireland Webinar Signals Growing Club Racing Interest

3rd February 2026

Afloat.ie Team

ORC Ireland hosted a national webinar outlining how the ORC rating system can be integrated into Irish club racing, with strong interest reported from sailors and clubs nationwide.

ORC Ireland hosts a national webinar outlining how the ORC rating system can be integrated into Irish club racing, with strong interest reported from sailors and clubs nationwide. Credit: Afloat

ORC Ireland has reported strong engagement following a national webinar on January 27, highlighting growing interest in the rating system among Irish sailing clubs.

The online session attracted sailors and officials from across the country and examined how different boats perform in varied conditions under handicap racing.

Presenters outlined why single-number handicap systems can struggle to reflect wind and design differences, and how ORC’s transparent methodology addresses these challenges.

Practical guidance was given on using ORC in everyday club racing, including tools for competitors and procedures for race officers and results teams.

The webinar also addressed common misconceptions and explained how to obtain an ORC Club Certificate and associated costs.

Despite minor technical issues, ORC Ireland said the session was successful, with several clubs now considering introducing ORC Club racing this season.

“Interest from clubs is a very positive sign for the year ahead,” said ORC Ireland convenor Fintan Cairns of Dublin Bay.

ORC Ireland confirmed the webinar will be repeated for those unable to attend or affected by technical problems.

The organisation also announced it now has four accredited ORC measurers, following a workshop led by the ORC Chief Measurer and Technical Representative.

In addition, ORC Ireland has established its own authorised Rating Office, enabling it to issue ORC certificates directly.

Published in ORC

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ORC Ireland

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About the ORC Handicap System and Its Use in Ireland

The ORC (Offshore Racing Congress) handicap system is a measurement-based rating rule used to create fair competition between sailing yachts of different designs. Rather than relying on performance data alone, ORC ratings are calculated from detailed measurements of each yacht’s hull shape, rig, sails and stability. These measurements generate a Velocity Prediction Program (VPP) model, which estimates how fast the boat should sail in various wind strengths and angles. Race results are then corrected using one of several scoring options, such as Time-on-Time or Time-on-Distance, aiming to reward crew performance rather than inherent design advantages.

In recent years, there has been exploration in Ireland toward broader adoption of the ORC system, particularly ORC International (ORCi) and ORC Club certificates.

Clubs on both east and south coasts have explored ORC as an alternative or complement to the IRC rating rule, which has traditionally dominated Irish handicap racing. In 2025, events such as the D2D Race and Calves Week trialled ORC scoring or dual-scoring with IRC to ease the transition.

The move is driven by a desire for transparency, international alignment and access to the robust technical framework that ORC offers. Some Irish sailors are asking for consistency with European events where ORC is already well established.