Sailing ICRA Cruiser NationalsA new chapter in Irish Sailing gets under way today with the first national championship for keelboat racing yachts. Having previously been split in various fleets based around the coast, 99 crews have gathered at Howth Yacht Club for the Saab ICRA Cruiser Nationals representing the very best of amateur racing crews in the country.
The event is organised by the host club under the auspices of the recently-formed Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA). Formed to co-ordinate the disparate fleets with this event as its highlight, the new organisation has been welcomed by dozens of the keenest owners and crews.
A raft of new additions to the national fleet will see several notable entries in action this weekend. Action, that is if the wind picks up throughout the three days - the forecast is for relative calm.
Crucially, two new boats will be absent from the line-up as their build programmes have not been completed in time for the championship: Roy Dickson's replacement for Cracklin' Rosie and Colm Barrington's Flying Glove.
Meanwhile, Gloves Off will be racing this weekend as a hot favourite for Class Zero under the burgee of the Royal Cork Yacht Club for her new owners, Kieran Twomey/Jim O'Mahony.
The south coast visitors will, however, face a tough challenge from the Jason Kerr 32-footer Voodoo Chile, built in Bray for Eamon Crosbie of the National YC 12 months ago. This crew have already cleaned up this season at the Red Funnel Easter Regatta on The Solent, a primer event they won overall.
With 15 boats in Class Zero, this will be one of the biggest turnouts of national big boats in 10 years or more.
With 22 boats in Class Two, Anthony O'Leary's Antix and Barry Rose's Obsession are tipped as front-runners. They can expect challenges from locals such as Jim Hyland's Maxim and Andrew Knowles's Shindig.
By far the largest class is Division Three, which is likely to produce the overall winner.
The ICRA event follows a similar format to Kinsale's Sovereign's Week, the venue for the 2005 championship, where a top boat in one class has its points adjusted depending on the turnout in that fleet. Therefore, should one boat emerge completely dominant across the seven-race series in Division Three, it will score higher than a similarly dominant boat in Class One, where fewer boats mean reduced competition.
Racing will be provided on both IRC and ECHO handicaps and a feature of the event will be the programme of seven races in three days - weather permitting.
"We have a varied programme of racing to test crews at all levels," said committee chairman Anthony Gore-Grimes. "Our social and catering programme is very much geared towards the needs of racing crews."
CLUBS REPRESENTED: Arklow Sailing Club; Ballyholme Yacht Club; Clontarf Yacht & Boat Club; Dún Laoghaire Marina; Dún Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club; Galway Bay Sailing Club; Holyhead Sailing Club (UK); Howth Boating Club; Howth Yacht Club; Kinsale Yacht Club; Malahide Yacht Club; National Yacht Club; Royal Cork Yacht Club; Royal Irish Yacht Club; Royal St George Yacht Club; Rush Sailing Club; Schull Harbour Sailing Club; Skerries Sailing Club; Sligo Yacht Club; Waterford Harbour Sailing Club; Western Yacht Club.
