Rolling in

Dun Laoghaire Regatta looking strong six weeks out

Entries are flooding in from all corners of the country with six weeks to go to the biggest event on the Irish Cruiser Racing calendar, the Dun Laoghaire Regatta Championship on the 7th-10th July 2005.

Dublin Bay will be awash with colour as dinghy and one design fleets race alongside some of the biggest and most impressive one off race boats in Ireland. Six different race areas spread from Sutton to Salthill and the Burford Bank to Scotsmans Bay will ensure variety for the sailors and great views around the bay for spectators.

Cruiser 0 should see some of the hottest racing in recent years with a very impressive armada of Corby designed race boats making the trip from Cork including the Corby 41.5 Mariners Cove.ie, (ex Barlo Plastics), and the famous Mustang Sally updated by its owner for 2005. Chris Bonar's successful BH36 Bateleur 97 will be making the trip from Royal Torbay to face up against a strong home contingent including Colm Barrington's Kerr 39 Flying Glove, and last years Round Ireland race winner Voodoo Chile.

Cruiser 1 also sees competitive entries from the South with Anthony O'Leary's Antix, overall winner of the Scottish Series in 2004, squaring up against Aztec 2, Peter Beamish's competitive HOD 35.

Cruiser 2 is as always very competitive with Paddy and Michelle Gregory making the short trip from Howth in their Elan along with Warpaint, a newly arrived Corby owned by Susan Kavanagh, challenging a strong home fleet including the Parnell family's King 1, showing good early season form in the Bay. This will probably be the biggest class of the event.

A large number of the 1720's will be racing under the new club rig, an initiative established this year to refocus the class on its intended target sailor. One of the prettiest fleets racing will be the Howth 17's. All the active 17's are intending to travel across the bay, some of which are over 100 years old, and one of the oldest one design fleets in the world.