Round Ireland Yacht Race

The Round Ireland Yacht Race is Ireland’s premier offshore yacht race and is held every two years by Wicklow Sailing Club in association with the Royal Irish Yacht Club and Royal Ocean Racing Club. The 704 nautical mile race was first held in 1980 and still retains the original course; “leave Ireland and all its islands excluding Rockall to starboard.” [1] The latest edition of the race took place on 18th June 2022.

Round Ireland Yacht Race
First held1980
StartWicklow
FinishWicklow
Websitehttp://roundireland.ie

History

The concept of a race around Ireland began in 1975 with a double-handed race starting and finishing in Bangor organized by Ballyholme Yacht Club with stopovers in Crosshaven and Killybegs. That race only had four entries. In 1980 Michael Jones put forward the idea of a non-stop race and was held in that year from Wicklow Sailing Club. Sixteen pioneers entered that race with Brian Coad’s Raasay of Melfort returning home after six days at sea to win the inaugural race. [2]

Records

The outright Round Ireland race record of 38 h 37 min 7 s is held by MOD-70 trimaran Musandam-Oman Sail and was set in June 2016.

The monohull Round Ireland race record of 50 h 24 min and 9 s is held by George David's Rambler 88 from Newport, RI, USA was also set in the 2016 race.

[3] The previous record (65 h 48 min 47 s) was held by Mike Slade’s ICAP Leopard set in 2008, a race dominated by gale-force winds, the 100 foot super maxi knocked over 10 hours off the previous race record, set in 1998 by Colm Barrington's Jeep Cherokee.

In a close fought race for line honours in the 2016 race, Musandam-Oman Sail finished just minutes before Ned Collier-Wakefield's Concise-10 and Lloyd Thornburg's Phaedo-3. All three boats broke the previous record of 40 h 51 min 57 s also set by Musandam-Oman Sail in 2015 ,[4] which had replaced the long-standing 1993 record of 44 h 42 min 20 s set by Steve Fossett's 60 foot trimaran Lakota. (Both of which were set in scheduled (i.e. non-race) attempts)

Winners
YearWinnerSkipperLine HonoursSkipperTimeStartersFinishers
2020Race cancelled due to COVID-19
2018Baraka GPNiall DowlingBaraka GPNiall Dowling3:23:20:444841
2016Rambler 88George DavidRambler 88George David2:02:24:095037
2014TanitRichard HarrisMonster ProjectDavid Ryan4:04:25:253633
2012Inis MorBernard & Laurent GouyGreen DragonEnda O'Coineen3:17:01:163737
2010Tonnerre de Breskens 3Piet VroonTonnerre de Breskens 3Piet Vroon3:16:03:503736
2008Ireland WestAodhan FitzgeraldICAP LeopardMike Slade2:17:48:474130
2006CavatinaEric LissonKonica Minolta Zara4:04:57:303936
2004Calyx Voice & DataEamon CrosbieO2 Team SpiritDavid Nixon3:04:48:394737
2002CavatinaEric LissonTeam TonicNick Hewson3:11:34:502824
2000ImpGeorge RadleyFenixR Balding5:12:41:102826
1998Jeep CherokeeColm BarringtonJeep CherokeeColm Barrington3:04:23:573827
1996Big EarsMichael BoydBridgestoneMike Slade3:15:58:585555
1994BridgestonePeter WilsonVirgin City JetDix/Power/Barrington3:16:30:335336
1992WhirlpoolColm BarringtonWhirlpoolColm Barrington4:00:43:064633
1990RothmansLaurie SmithRothmansLaurie Smith3:12:56:066135
1988LightningLiam ShanahanMoondusterDenis Doyle4:20:15:465242
1986SpiritR. BurrowsMazda DrumM. O'Leary/T. Power4:03:35:432727
1984MoondusterDenis DoyleMoondusterDenis Doyle4:03:45:251713
1980Raasay of MelfortB. CoadForce Ten-SionA.J. Vernon/J.S. Morris5:15:02:271610

References
  1. "Race Course". Wicklow Sailing Club. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  2. "About The Race". Wicklow Sailing Club. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  3. "Round Ireland Speed Sailing Record Smashed by MOD70 Musandam-Oman Sail". Afloat. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  4. "Yacht breaks 20-year-old Round Ireland sailing record". Irish Times. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
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