Dún Laoghaire Corby 33 Rockabill might be a pundit's favourite in tonight's Dún Laoghaire to Dingle race, but with such a variable forecast and varied fleet-winning, predictions for this coastal course are going to be hard to make.
What is certain, however, is the need for light air boat speed as this biennial 320-mile route looks set to be a marathon for the 23-boat fleet assembled this morning at the National Yacht Club.
The Corby will be skippered offshore by noted team racer Marty O’Leary and a crew of dinghy sailors, all of whom are under 25 years of age.
Tonight’s race benefits from having other O’Learys racing too. Fayher and son Anthony and Peter race the Ker 39 Antix. The former Commododre’s Cup winner uses the race as a feeder for next weekend’s ICRA Nationals in Fenit, Co Kerry. The Anthony O’Leary-skippered yacht first tasted offshore sailing a fortnight ago finishing seventh from a fleet of 120 in RORC’s 230-mile Myth of Malham race.
The 2011 Dún Laoghaire-Dingle winner Martin Breen’s Reflex 38 is back, this time in the sponsored colours of Discover Ireland. A large proportion of Dún Laoghaire’s ISORA crews are also heading west including a potent J109 trio, Joker II, Jedi and newcomer Ruth.
Liam Shanahan’s Ruth was the best Irish performer at what was admittedly a poor turnout for May’s Scottish Series but the offshore debutante also picked up the Lynx MetMast Trophy in the race from Pwllheli to Wicklow last weekend.
There are four entries in the two-handed division. The race celebrates its 10th anniversary today with a scheduled start off the National Yacht Club line, Dún Laoghaire at 4pm, viewable from the East Pier.
Abroad, after an exhausting first leg of the French La Solitude du Figaro race that ended on Wednesday, Cork rookie David Rookie is lamenting what might have been after a slip he says cost him dearly. The Royal Cork debutante finished 33 from 41 starters in the tough professional circuit. The 22-year-old starts the second leg of the single-handed race from Porto to Gijon (452 nautical miles) tomorrow.
In Spain, Damian Foxall is preparing for a stern test when he sets off from on Sunday to stake his claim on the first ever La Route des Princes crown. Foxall is part of the elite crew on Oman Sail’s MOD70 Oman Air-Musandam
Annalise Murphy is back in Weymouth tomorrow and aiming to make it three out of three in the Eurosaf Champions Sailing Cup series after already taking gold in Italy and Holland.
Murphy is joined by four of her London 2012 Olympic team-mates competing at the Sail for Gold Regatta.
