BMW Round Ireland Yacht Race 2006 starts from Wicklow Saturday 1st July
Yachts to assemble at Wicklow for inspection not later than 12:00 hrs, Thursday 29th June 2006
BMW Round Ireland Yacht Race 2006 starts from Wicklow Saturday 1st July
Yachts to assemble at Wicklow for inspection not later than 12:00 hrs, Thursday 29th June 2006
The Round Ireland is Ireland's premier offshore yacht race, and the second
longest race in the Royal Ocean Racing Club calendar. The first
race took
place in 1980 with only thirteen boats. Since then, held biannually, the fleet has grown steadily, attracting a record 60 entrants from all over Ireland
and the British Isles in 1992.
There are four classes in IRC in which boats and their crews can compete,
including a Classic Class for the Michael Jones Trophy, classes for
Sigma, ISORA, IRM, a Team Prize. 2004 saw the launch of the "Two-handed
Class" which has introduced a new level of competition for the more extreme
sailor. In the past boats competing have ranged
from an 84-footer former "round the world" maxi, to club boats one third
the size, with all shades in between.
The bigger boats compete for top honours and for the race record, which is
held by Colm Barrington who skippered Jeep Cherokee to victory in 1998 in
a time of 76 hours 23 minutes and 57 seconds, breaking the
previous record
by a
massive eight hours. The 2004 winner was a 32' one off design built in Ireland
for Eamon Crosbie called Calyx Voice and Data ("Voodoo Chile") and is
entered as "Teng Tools" for this race. Two other past winners, Imp (2000) and
Cavatina (2002) are also in the line up, which are both older boats and are
proof positive that sailing skills and good navigation are often far more
important than the latest in boat building technology.
We hope to be able to provide deep water moorings just outside Wicklow harbour for entrants of 3.5m draught and deeper in 2006. Contact Race Office for more details nearer the time. As of the middle of June, there are still a lot of positive enquiries, with a final line up of c.50 boats looking likely - see entry list - 39 (4 late withdrawals) - as of 27/06/06. There are 7 confirmed 2 handed entries but world renowned yachtsman Mike Golding, who was campaigning Ecover, an Imoco Ocean 60, has had to cancel due to essential repairs needed. Konica Minolta Zana at nearly 100' will dwarf most of the other starters and will add enormously to the spectacle at this years start. Entries from New Zealand, Australia, France, the UK and of course Ireland make this a truly International event and it is now a well respected serious challenge on the Yachting calendar.
Keep up to date with the leading yachts in the BMW Round Ireland Yacht Race by calling our hotline on 1540933269 or receive twice daily updates direct to your mobile by subscribing to our exclusive text service by texting BMW253307. This service is sponsored by Phonovation
For all you party animals and bon viveurs - Wicklow Sailing Club is hosting our Round Ireland Festival, from the 28th of June to 1st of July, to make this a very enjoyable shore side experience - music every night, sailors party, fun and games, art exhibition, Wicklows Maritime history and Round Ireland history displays, fireworks and much more. Festival Programme is now in place. Co-sponsors:-
Check out our dedicated BMW Round
Ireland Site here
See Ireland as you've never seen her before!
All enquiries to:- Race Organiser Dennis Noonan.
(N.B. -please include a contact number on all e-mails/correspondence)
Dunmore, Sea Road, Newcastle, Co Wicklow
Tel 00353(0)404 25100 (Race Office)
Download Notice of Race (pdf format)
Entry Forms should be obtained directly from Dennis Noonan
Other useful information
RORC Check List - all late entrants must arrive with this completed.
June 8th is the final Entry Date. 50% late penalty for entries received after June 14th.
For info on ISAF Offshore Special Regulations - see Category 2 Monohulls 2006/7
For info on Ratings & Rating Certificates, RORC Ratings office - info@rorcrating.com
For Crew Lists/Wanted - all enquiries to RORC Crew site www.rorc.org/crew/index.php
For info on Training Courses, please contact the following
Brian Smith, Bluewater Training 021 7332005 bluewatert@eircom.net (Cork)
Ben Pluck, Sea & Safety 01 2955991 seaandshore@eircom.net (Dublin)
Next Sea and Safety course 14/15 June
Ruairi Heggarty - ISAF Sea Survival "ISAF Appendix G" Standard.Stormforce Coaching 087 2396581 www.stormforce.biz
Last Stormforce Sea Survival Course before Round Ireland - in Dublin 17th/18th June - don't delay, book today
Also for further info on course providers, contact the Irish Sailing Association or the Royal Yachting Association .
Read Tim Greenwood's 'Round Ireland Tips for Success'
Check out our dedicated BMW Round Ireland Site here
