Overall, this 20-boat class has a wide range of cruisers studded with a few stand-out racers who can run away with the prize if they come prepared with a decent crew, but it may also be the hardest class to call given this weekend’s wind conditions showing both light and strong winds.
Royal Irish Yacht Club’s Paul O’Higgins sailing Rockabill VI won Saturday’s 12-hour Lyver Trophy Race from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire. The line honours winner in the tough test across the Irish Sea was Andrew & Sam Hall’s J125 Jackknife. The fixture was also Race 12 in the Musto ISORA 2023 Offshore Series.
Two Irish hopes in this month’s prestigious Rolex Fastnet Race from Cowes will compete first this week in a 20-boat Coastal Class at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta (VDLR). Pundits say the pre-event favourite must be the First 50 Checkmate XX, fresh from Sovereign’s Cup victory (three wins from four races sailed).
A week of maritime-related festivity is underway today (Saturday) as Coastival gets going in Dun Laoghaire, with the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta from next Thursday through to Sunday contributing mightily to a peak of dynamic interaction between town entertainment and sea sport through the unique harbour.
At 371 boats and still counting, next week’s Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta (VDLR) 2023 is certainly living up to its pre-event billing as Ireland’s largest sailing event. With visiting entries already sailing into the great granite harbour for the four-day competition starting next Thursday, July 6th, the regatta’s entry system will remain open until Friday at 5 pm to accommodate all-comers.
Saturday’s Lyver Trophy Race Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire Offshore Race marks the arrival of competitors from across the Irish Sea for next week’s big one, the 350-boat Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta.
Over 350 boats will prepare to race across 40 divisions in one week’s time as Ireland’s largest regatta on Dublin Bay gets underway.
In July, a new classic boat/yacht parade is planned for Dun Laoghaire Harbour. This event is being arranged in association with Dun Laoghaire’s Coastival Festival, a week-long series of events and activities that culminates in the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta.
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has launched a digital event brochure for its inaugural Coastival Festival that coincides with Ireland’s largest sailing regatta, the VDLR, from July 6th. The flipbook contains the full programme for the eight-day event.
Following a successful outing for Irish Cape 31 interests at the Vice Admiral’s Cup on the Solent last weekend, there is confirmation this week that the 2023 Irish National Championships will be raced at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta (VDLR) this July.
