BMW Round Ireland Press Release

21st May 2008

BMW ROUND IRELAND YACHT RACE 2008

We are delighted with the number of entries so far.  We have crews coming from France, the UK, America, Russia, The Isle of Man and of course our own Irish entries.   There is also a great deal  of interest in the two handed class with ten entries so far and for the first time we have female sailors taking part in the two handed class. 

Mike Slade’s 100 footer ICAP Leopard 3, winner of the last Fastnet Race in record breaking time will be attempting to break the Round Ireland record this year.    Other notable entries are a new Russian Volvo 70 and Andres Soriano’s IRC 68. 

Many of our regular sailors and past winners are back again.  Cavatina is returning to Wicklow and George Radley will be racing with us again in VSOP.  This year Michael Boyd has entered in the two handed class.  Adrian Lee has a great new boat – a Cookson 50 and our intrepid French sailors Bernard and Laurent Gouy in Inis Mor are back for their fourth Round Ireland with a new Ker 39.  Aodhan Fitzgerald from Galway will return again along with local Arklow man James Tyrrell in Aquelina.

With a wonderful mixed fleet of yachts from 32 feet to 100 feet it looks as if we are in for another very exciting race.  Once again our naval services are sending the LE Eithne to act as our start and committee boat.  Wicklow’s Round Ireland race is one of the great offshore races in the sailing calendar.  The race gets underway on Saturday the 21^st of June so make sure to come down to Wicklow Harbour and join in the festivities and support this great race. 

Dennis Noonan