Sailing/News Round-up: Wicklow Sailing Club received a major boost yesterday with the official confirmation that BMW Group Ireland is to back the 704-mile Round Ireland Race, raising the prospect of an improved international profile for the offshore event.
The sponsorship follows the German car manufacturer's support for Larry Ellison's Oracle America's Cup challenge. The Irish organisers see the development as marking a return to the time when the race was in its heyday. The Round Ireland Race starts from Wicklow on Saturday, June 26th.
Even without the new sponsor entries for this year's event have already exceeded expectations. Whereas, typically, a team would leave their application for the race until after Easter, or even the month of the race, race director Denis Noonan said yesterday 10 boats had already entered, and there were serious enquiries, including a Dutch entry.
A division for two-handed entries is to be included and four crews have indicated likely participation, with "strong interest" from another four.
One of the first entries is understood to be Howth-based David Nixon and Jim Barden, who have chartered the 60-footer Tyco and a strong professional crew that includes Joe English, top ocean-navigator Steve Hayles, Tom McWilliam and Guy Salter.
"Without doubt, this will be the best race in many, many years and we're pleased to be well organised ahead of time to maximise our own chances both at the overall handicap win and the course record," Nixon said yesterday.
A second big-boat entry, thought to be of maxi-boat size, is also understood to be fully funded and its entry imminent.
Future Round Ireland Races may also benefit from the decision by organisers of the St Brendan's Cup in Baltimore, Maryland, to postpone their inaugural transatlantic race, due to start in May. "While interest in the event has been high, we listened to owners and captains who asked for more lead time to prepare appropriately for a transatlantic crossing," said Lee Tawney of Ocean Race Chesapeake.
Five boats had confirmed their willingness to enter. A plan to stage an edition of the race to coincide with the 2007 America's Cup has also been abandoned. Instead, the St Brendan's Cup will be sailed in 2006 to fit in with the scheduling of the Round Ireland and Cork Week.
Following recent reports of the Z86 class committing to sail in Cork this year, hopes for more maxi-boat entries were boosted by the news that Roy Disney, Hasso Plattner and Dick and Doug DeVos, the owners respectively of the Z86 racers Pyewacket, Morning Glory and Windquest have invited other big boat owners to race on a global circuit for a new Super Maxi Class.
The first event is the St Maarten Heineken Regatta in March followed by Antigua Sailing Week in April. Other events in 2004 include the Newport Bermuda Race in June and Cork Week in July, followed by the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Sardinia in September and the Rolex Middle Sea Race in October.
Meanwhile, Coiste An Asgard has confirmed an extensive cruising programme on board the national sail training vessel for 2004. While berths are regularly over-subscribed during the peak summer months, there is usually off-peak availability.
Details from www.irishsailtraining.com, or directly from the Asgard office at 01 679 2169.
