BMW Round Ireland Race entry list

Konica Minolta, Ecover and Solune top the bill for testing offshore lap

This year’s BMW Round Ireland Race will feature the largest yacht ever to compete in the 704-mile offshore classic course when the New Zealand 95-footer Konica Minolta crosses the starting–line at Wicklow in two weeks time, Saturday 1st July 2006.

More than 40 crews have already entered for what is expected to be one of the most competitive races since the first event in 1980. The overall trophy is awarded to the fastest boat on handicap time though the biggest yachts will also be aiming for the hat-trick of Line Honours (first home) and the Round Ireland course record.

The fleet will comprise boats ranging in size from 30 feet to almost 100 feet and will include the 32 foot Voodoo Chile, winner of the 2004 BMW Round Ireland Race.
(You can read about their 2004 victory here).

The course is unique as it is a full circumnavigation involving tides, weather extremes as well as intense competition from rival entries.



“This year’s race is gearing up to be one the largest and best BMW Round Ireland Yacht Races in its twenty-six year history,” said Denis Noonan, Race Organiser. “Entries have been received from France, England and Ireland as well as New Zealand for the first time.”

Also on the entry list is current monohull record holder for the course - JP Chomette's Solune, who in May 2005 completed a lap of Ireland in 2 days, 9 hours and 41 minutes.

Other notable entries include Mike Golding and his Open 60 Ecover and Ger O'Rourke's Cookson 50 Altana Chieftain class winner at the recent Fortis IRC Nationals in the Solent.

Boat Name	Type	Entrant	Club
Aquelina	J109	J.Tyrrell	Arklow SC
Albatross	First 435 DK	Jim Ryan	Poolbeg SC
Alice II	Farr 45	Chris Le Provost	Gurnsey YC
Altana Chieftain	Cookson 50	G.O’Rourke	Western YC
Blackjack	Pocock 38	Peter Coad	Waterford Harbour SC
Blondie	J109	Jenny Winter	Royal Irish YC
Cavatina	Granada 38	Eric Lisson	Royal Cork YC
Creative Play	Farr 40	A.Greenwood	UK TBA
Ecover	Imoca Open 60	M.Golding & G. Tourell	UK TBA
Escape	Aerodyne 38	J.Hamlyn	RORC
Fizz	Bavaria 44	C.Geoghegan	Dungarvan HYC
Freya	X 442	Conor Doyle	Kinsale YC
Galileo	First 47.7	Kelliher, Lemass & Tennyson	National YC
Imp	Holland 40	G.Radley	Royal Cork YC
Independent Bear	Corby 41.5	M.Davis & A.Corrie	Skerries SC
Inis Mon	Sunfast 40	B & L Guoy	UNCL France
Ireland's West	Beneteau 40.7	A.Fitzgerald	Galway Bay SC
Irisha	Beneteau 47.2	A.Lee	Royal St.George YC
Isobar	First 40.7	T.Roche	Kinsale YC
Jeronimo	J133	N.Dowling	Royal Irish YC
Joker	Sigma 38	J.maybury	Royal Irish YC
Konica Minolta Zana	Bakewell White 30M	S. Thwaites	RPNYC
Lancastrian	Starlight 46	N.Eatough	Royal St.George YC
Lascar	Dehler 34	J & B.Berry, C. O'Mahony	Malahide SC
Legally Blonde	Beneteau 31.7	Paul Egan	Royal St.George YC
Minnie the Moocher	Ker 11.3	Anthony Richards	RORC
Moontiger	J105	A.Bell	DBYC & RORC
Nadie	X46	S.McCarthy	Royal Cork YC
Nunatak	J120	Mike Jacques	IOM & RORC
Pandanova 2	Sigma 38	Derek Matthews	UK TBA
Pepperbox	First 32.5S	C&M Farrelly	Howth YC
Quite Correct	Jeanneau DS 54	J.Roberts	National YC
Roxy 9	J145	R.Davis & A.Creighton	Royal Cork YC
Sarina	S&S 36	M.Creedon	National YC
Solune	Nacira 60	JP.Chomette	UNCL & RORC
Southbound.ie	Figaro 2	Y.Lemonnier & M.Greely	Dingle SC
Spirit of Kilrush	Volvo 60	T.Whelan & Co.	Western YC, Kilrush
State of Chassis	Sigma 38	J.Collins	Royal St.George YC
TBA	Corby 41.5	M.Davis & A.Corrie	Skerries SC
Teng Tools	Ker 32 CL	E.Crosbie	National YC
Ulula	J109	N.Ogden	UK TBA
Whisper Famiente	Southern Wind 78	M.Cotter	Royal St.George YC
Whitetiger	Beneteau 44.7	T.O. Sheehy	Royal St.George YC

Event website: http://www.roundirelandyachtrace.ie/homepage.htm