ORC Ireland has pointed to results from this month's Calves Week in Schull as evidence of growing interest in the rating system among Irish cruiser-racers, after 80% of IRC entries across five classes also raced under ORC.
The four-day West Cork regatta provided a direct comparison between the two rating systems, with the same boats racing the same courses in conditions ranging from four to 18 knots.
John Kelly of ORC Ireland, who competed aboard Rockabill VI during Calves Week and also computed the regatta's ORC results, says the comparison showed generally tighter corrected-time margins and, in several classes, changes in finishing order compared with IRC.
Class 0 Margins Tighten Under ORC
Closing the gap – The Calves Week Class Zero fleet off Schull, where John Kelly’s analysis showed tighter corrected-time margins under ORC, including a 1m 33s gap between the top two in Race 4 compared with 10m 41s under IRC. Photo: Bob Bateman
Kelly highlighted Class 0, where 87% of competitors had ORC certificates and the same four boats occupied the leading overall positions under the two systems, although in a different order.
One of the clearest comparisons came in Race 4. The first two boats were separated by 1 minute 33 seconds on ORC corrected time, compared with 10 minutes 41 seconds under IRC.
Kelly said this was an example of smaller and slower boats remaining competitive against larger and faster designs under ORC.
In Class 1, 75% of competitors were ORC-rated and the same proportion of the fleet comprised J/109s. Here, unlike Class 0, the leading four boats finished in the same overall order under IRC and ORC.
Kelly nevertheless pointed to corrected-time differences between the leading J/109 and a Beneteau Oceanis 40, which he said were on occasions around 40 seconds.
Rating role – ORC Ireland's John Kelly trims the mainsail aboard Rockabill VI during Calves Week 2026, where he also computed the regatta's ORC results. Paul O'Higgins is at the helm. Photo: Bob Bateman
Different Orders in Classes 2 and 3
In Class 2, 77% of the competitors held ORC certificates, although the IRC overall winner — a modified Half Tonner — did not.
A standard J/70 won the class under ORC, with another modified Half Tonner taking second. The leading four boats finished in a different overall order under the two rating systems, with Kelly again reporting tighter corrected-time margins under ORC.
Only 40% of Class 3 had ORC certificates. A standard Sun Fast 32 won the ORC division, while the leading four boats again appeared in a different order from the IRC standings.
Kelly's analysis also recorded ORC participation among the White Sail fleet, although take-up there was lower, with some competitors reported to have missed the regatta deadline for obtaining a certificate.
'Not a Shortcut to Winning'
Kelly said one of the conclusions from Schull was that using ORC did not simply provide another route to a prize.
"ORC scoring is not a shortcut to winning," he said, adding that the best-prepared, equipped and sailed boats continued to feature prominently.
He said the frequent differences between the IRC and ORC top threes demonstrated how the two systems can produce different corrected-time outcomes from the same racing.
Kelly also pointed to the additional data available through ORC scoring, including Leg Distance Weighting. This allows differing leg lengths, angles and wind information to be weighted when calculating race data.
According to Kelly, the addition of ORC scoring had no impact on the workload of the Calves Week race officer or race committee.
He also reported considerable interest from competitors in comparing their results under the two systems, with sailors without ORC certificates expressing interest in obtaining one.
ORC Scoring Planned at Greystones
Further use of ORC is planned on the East Coast later this month at the Taste of Greystones Regatta on 29 and 30 August.
As Afloat reported earlier, The BJ Marine sponsored Greystones event will retain Standard ECHO as its principal handicap system, while boats with ORC certificates can also be included in separate ORC results. Organisers say the additional scoring will help build further data around the system.
Read all Afloat's Calves Week 2026 stories here
