The Maples Group IRC European Championship brought an exciting close to September’s sailing festivities with four remarkable days of racing on Dublin Bay organised by the Royal Irish YC. Competitors faced a variety of challenging conditions, testing their skills, boats, and crews to the limit.
Day One kicked off with sunshine and steady winds of 12-15 knots. Under the guidance of Race Officer Micheal Tyrell, sailors completed one “Round the Cans” race and one Windward/Leeward race. However, shifting conditions forced the day to be cut short after just two races. By the end of Day One, Beau Geste, Outrajeous, Swuzzlebubble, and Hard on Port were the respective class leaders, and these positions remained largely unchanged throughout the event.
Day Two started off light, with all fleets waiting for the wind to fill in. When it finally did, competitors were treated to two exhilarating races. In contrast, Day Three began with strong winds reaching 35 knots, forcing sailors back ashore under AP. Once the winds settled, the racing resumed with three Windward/Leeward races, leaving sailors exhausted by the end of the day. The final day, Sunday, saw two more “Round the Cans” races across Dublin Bay, setting the stage for dramatic closing performances.
In Class 0, after seven bullets Karl Kwok’s TP 52 Beau Geste from Hong Kong continued to set the pace in race 8, recording another line honours victory with an elapsed time of 1:10:13. However, her high rating meant that the win went to Checkmate XX (Nigel Biggs & David Cullen, HYC), which finished two minutes ahead of the TP 52 on corrected time. Mojito (J/112e) also finished ahead of Beau Geste, taking second by just 30 seconds. In the final race, Beau Geste returned to form with a bullet, securing the overall Class 0 title. Checkmate XX placed second overall but were winners of the new prize for best Corinthian; with Valentina (J/112e) third.
In Class 1, Outrajeous from Howth Yacht Club dominated the competition, securing both the Class 1 title and the overall IRC European Championship. Outrajeous finished with an impressive score of just 10 points, ahead of Joker 2 (27 points) and Final Call II (32 points).
Class 2 saw a tight battle between half-tonners 2 Farr and Swuzzlebubble. 2 Farr’s consistent performance, with five wins and three second-place finishes, left her with 11 points, narrowly edging out Swuzzlebubble with 12 points. Jeneral Lee took third on 24 points after a week of intense competition between the top boats.
In Class 3, the rivalry between Wicklow and Wexford was fierce, with Hard on Port (J/24 from Bray) emerging victorious over Courtown’s Snoopy (Quarter Tonner). Hard on Port claimed the overall Class 3 title, with Snoopy taking second and Insider coming in third.
The event was expertly organized and executed by the Royal Irish Yacht Club under the leadership of Mark McGibney. Many thanks to the club for creating such a welcoming atmosphere for competitors and for delivering a week of smooth and thrilling racing.
Royal Irish Yacht Club IRC Europeans website
IRC European Champion 2024: John & Suzie Murphy’s J/109 "Outrajeous". Image: Shona Gibson