Despite placing fourth and a strong final challenge from Welsh yachts in Saturday's end-of-season ISORA cross-channel race, Paul O'Higgins's Rockabill VI of Dun Laoghaire maintained her overall advantage and was crowned 2023 ISORA champion by a 3.1 points difference.

In the 20-hour James Eadie Cup race light air climax, Pwllheli sailors were to the fore and saw Andrew & Sam Hall's J125 Jackknife from Pwllheli Sailing Club (PSC) take the gun. Clubmate Cris Miles in the J111 Jezebel GBR was second, with the defending champions Peter Dunlop & Victoria Cox, also from PSC, third in their J109 Mojito.

After a 19-race Musto-sponsored offshore season where her best five scores counted, O'Higgins's JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI is back on top of the Irish offshore scene, and her Dun Laoghaire Harbour crew will lift the Wolf's Head Trophy at ISORA's annual prizegiving in November. 

Finishing second overall is Class One winner Mojito, with Jackknife third.

Mark and Jo Thompson's Sunfast 3200i Jac Y Do Sunfast 3200i, also of PSC, was the class Two winner.

The RIYC champion returns to inshore waters next Friday for the ICRA National Championships at Howth, where Rockabill VI competes in Class Zero according to class bands just released by organisers.

The last ISORA cross-channel race of 2023 takes place this Saturday (September 2nd), and there are early indications of a 12-boat turnout for the Irish offshore season's closing fixture.

The 60-mile James C Eadie Cup Race from Pwllheli in North Wales to Dun Laoghaire Harbour follows an intense weekend of ISORA racing at Strangford Lough in mid-August, where the stage was set for an exciting end-of-season climax to decide the overall Wolf's Head Trophy.

Clear overall winners have emerged for Class 1 and 2, but there will be a fight in Class Zero.

As Afloat previously reported, overall leader Rockabill VI's (Paul O'Higgins of the Royal Irish) absence at the Strangford weekend means her overall lead has been eroded.

Defending ISORA champion Mojito (Vicky Cox and Peter Dunlop, Pwllheli SC) is lying second in the hunt for the 2023 Wolf's Head Trophy

The Northern Ireland race winners were the defending ISORA champion Mojito (Vicky Cox and Peter Dunlop, Pwllheli SC) and Jackknife (Andrew Hall, Pwllheli SC) and are now snapping at Rockabill VI's heels.

The J125 Jackknife (Andrew Hall, Pwllheli SC) is lying third overall in ISORA's offshore points table Photo: Afloat

The JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI is on 526.1 points and has an eight-point advantage over the J109 Mojito on 518.0, with the J125 Jackknife on 488.4.

The 2023 ISORA James Eadie race from Pwllheli in North Wales to Dun Laoghaire Harbour has a 14 boat entry for this Saturday, (September 2nd)

A poor weather forecast has postponed Friday's (August 18) ISORA Night Race from Dun Laoghaire Harbour. 

The race will now be sailed on Friday, September 22, at 7 pm.

As Afloat reported earlier, the Night Race is the Final Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Fixture of 2023.

A five-hour race was planned, but ESE winds gusting to 40 knots with heavy rain are due on Dulin Bay this evening.

Ironically, the postponement may play into ISORA's hands in terms of numbers as some regular competitors, such as Leslie Parnell's Frist 34.7 Black Velvet, is yet to return to Dublin after competing at Calves Week Regatta in West Cork earlier in August.

A course beginning and ending off Dun Laoghaire Harbour will round out the 2023 ISORA Viking Marine Coastal Series this Friday (August 18th).

The series' last race of six off Dublin Bay will start at 19.55hrs on Friday, August 18th, with the same course for all classes.

The aim is to provide a four to five-hour race. The course will be published at midday on Friday.

Download the Sailing Instructions below.

Friday's fixture follows last weekend's intense ISORA racing at Strangford Lough, which set the stage for an exciting end-of-season offshore climax to decide the Wolf's Head Trophy on September 2nd.

The entries for the ISORA 2023 ISORA Viking Marine Coastal Series Night Race 

Following an intense weekend of ISORA racing at Strangford Lough, the stage is set for an exciting end-of-season offshore climax to decide the Wolf's Head Trophy.

Clear overall winners are emerging for Class 1 and 2, but there will be a fight in Class Zero in ISORA's last fixture, the John Eadie Race from Pwllheli to Dun Laoghaire on September 2nd. 

Overall leader Rockabill VI's absence at the weekend (Paul O'Higgins of the Royal Irish) means her overall lead has been eroded. Race winners Mojito (Vicky Cox and Peter Dunlop, Pwllheli SC) and Jackknife Andrew Hall, Pwllheli SC) at Strangford are now snapping at Rockabill VI's heels.

"Quoile Yacht Club provided an excellent host port"

The JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI is on 526.1 points and has an eight-point advantage over the J109 Mojito on 518.0, with the J125 Jackknife on 488.4.

Quoile Yacht Club provided an excellent host port for Strangford's two races. "It was a great opportunity for the ISORA fleet to experience a new and enthusiastic experience in Strangford Lough", ISORA's Peter Ryan told Afloat.  "ISORA will be regularly visiting Quoile YC in the future, " he added. 

Race 15 on Sunday started at 06.30 under the YB tracker and finished in the mid-Irish Sea close to the M2 buoy. YB tracker monitored the start to ensure no boat crossed the start line until the start time of 06.30.

ISORA Results are below

A small but potent ISORA fleet is racing to a Strangford Lough finish this Saturday morning, and ISORA's overall Wolf's Head Trophy for 2023 is at stake.

The race got underway following a postponement due to poor weather conditions on Friday evening.

On the water, the Welsh J125 Jackknife, skippered by Andrew Hall, is heading for line honours and an overall win of the six-boat race, but Pwllheli club mate and defending champion, Mojito (Vicky Cox and Peter Dunlop) are chasing hard. At 0915 on Saturday morning, Jackknife had 25 miles to go to reach the Quoile Yacht Club finish line.

ISORA Wolf's Head Trophy defending champions - The J109 Mojito of Vicky Cox and Peter Dunlop from North Wales Photo: Afloat

The Holyhead to Strangford fixture was postponed from 7.30 pm on Friday evening to 05.00 am Saturday morning.

The race is from Holyhead Sailing Club to Quoile Yacht Club in Strangford Lough.

The start (above) and finish lines (below) for the ISORA Race 14

After entering the Lough by the Narrows between Portaferry and Strangford village, the fleet will stop over at the nearby Quoile Yacht Club at the southwestern end of the Lough.

A return race on Sunday, starting at 06.30 am, from Strangford to a line ranging from the M2 westwards to Ireland.

As Afloat reported earlier, this marks a new adventure for ISORA, who have spent the season so far competing in coastal and cross-channel fixtures between Dun Laoghaire and Pwllheli. The Northern Ireland-based weekend offers a fresh challenge for participants but there is some disappointment that an entry of 20 was whittled down to six at start time, with some absences also unavoidable due to a date clash with Calves Week in West Cork.

Two Northern Ireland boats are entered into the ISORA race from Holyhead to Strangford Lough, which starts on Friday at 19.30 hrs.

Ross Boyd’s Elan 40 Evenstar from Royal Ulster Yacht Club (RUYC) on Belfast Lough, Quoile YC on Strangford Lough, and Alan Hannon’s JP10.8 Coquine from RUYC.

Northern Ireland skipper Ross Boyd Photo: via Facebook

The Friday 11th night race will finish at the Fairway Buoy and restart at the same location on the Sunday morning of the 13th. After entering the Lough by the Narrows between Portaferry and Strangford village, the fleet will stop over at the nearby Quoile Yacht Club at the southwestern end of the Lough.

"It's the start of opportunities to increase linking offshore sailing across all the regions of the Irish Sea"

Ross was part of the crew on Rob Rendall’s Grand Soleil 44 Race, Samatom with a credible 16 th  out of 100 in IRC Class 1 in what proved to be a very windy and challenging Fastnet race. Ross said that he is delighted to participate in this ISORA race and added that he hopes this will be the start of opportunities to increase linking offshore sailing across all the regions of the Irish Sea.

Quoile Yacht Club is preparing to host the ISORA racers on Strangford Lough Photo: Courtesy QYC

This weekend, the Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association (ISORA) will be holding its 14th race from Holyhead in North Wales to Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland.

Up to 14 boats are expected to participate in the event, which is organised by the National Yacht Club, Holyhead Sailing Club, Quoile Yacht Club and ISORA. However, some absences are anticipated due to competitors participating in this week's Calves Week in West Cork.

Sailing Instructions for the latest in the Musto ISORA Offshore Series 2023 have been issued, with a start time of 19.30 hours on Friday, August 11th. It has been noted that a time limit will be applied to ensure that boats can enter Strangford Lough with the tide. 

The entries for ISORA Race 14 from Holyhead in North Wales to Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland

Race 15 will begin at 06.30 on Sunday, August 13th, at the same finish line as Race 14. The finish may be a gate close to the M2 weather buoy in the mid-Irish Sea. 

As Afloat reported earlier, this marks a new adventure for ISORA, who have spent the season so far competing in coastal and cross-channel fixtures between Dun Laoghaire and Pwllheli. The Northern Ireland-based weekend offers a fresh challenge for participants.

The Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association (ISORA) is set to embark on a new adventure on August 11th as it heads to Strangford Lough for a Northern Ireland-based weekend. After a season of coastal and cross-channel fixtures between Dun Laoghaire and Pwllheli, ISORA has partnered with the Royal Ulster Yacht Club on Belfast Lough to host a Holyhead, North Wales to the Strangford Lough race. 

The race will commence on August 11th at 7.30 pm with an evening start, followed by a Strangford to a mid-Irish Sea finish starting at 0630 am on Sunday, August 13th. Sailing Instructions are expected to be published shortly for the fixed course races.

ISORA has been providing challenging and competitive offshore racing for over 50 years, and this new venture in 2023 promises to be yet another exciting chapter in its history. With the stunning backdrop of Strangford Lough and the competition set to be renewed after July's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, this is not one to be missed, say organisers. 

Leslie Parnell's First 34.7 Black Velvet of the Royal Irish Yacht Club was the overall IRC winner of Saturday's shortened ISORA Viking Marine Coastal Race from Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Second on IRC was sistership, the Greystones Harbour-based Magic Touch skippered by Steve Hayes.

A six-boat fleet set out on a 26-mile course in very light winds at 10 am, but a flood tide meant it took three hours even to reach Muglins Rock on Dublin Bay's southern tip.  

As a result, Race Organiser Peter Ryan shortened the race to finish at the Bray Outfall buoy in Killiney Bay. 

After five hours of racing, five boats finished within seven minutes of each other. One retired. It was, at least, a result on a day that otherwise saw no racing on the Bay due to the light winds.

The line honours winner was John O'Gorman's Hot Cookie. Third on IRC was Howth's J109 Indian, skippered by Simon Knowles.

ISORA's last Irish coastal in 2023 is the night race on the 18th of August which will decide the winner of the Vincent Farrell Trophy.