Tim Goodbody made the perfect debut in the ultra competitive Irish Cruiser Racing Association class one IRC fleet off Howth this afternoon when he took a four point lead in his new J/109 White Mischief. The Royal Irish Skipper leads the A35 Fools Gold (Rob McConnell) from Waterford Harbour with defending champion, and Goodbody's clubmate, John Maybury, sailing another J109 Joker II, third in the 21–boat fleet. 

The 2016 championships started in light winds of no more than seven knots from the east and strong tidal streams off Ireland's Eye. The Howth Yacht Club based championships has an 86–boat fleet and racing got underway for all classes today and runs until Sunday.

Tim Goodbody's new J109 White Mischief is class one leader in Howth

In Class Zero, Conor Phelan's Jump Juice from Royal Cork leads East Down First 40 Licks by a single point. In class two, Michael & Richard Evans The Big Picture leads Howth club mates Checkmate XV skippered by David Cullen. Third is another HYC boat Fusion skippered by Ricahrd Colwell. In class four  Flor O'Driscoll's J25 Hard on Port also from Howth Yacht Club leads Paul Gibbons Anchor Challenge from Royal Cork Yacht Club.

Download full results after day one below

Ross McDonald’s Equinox from the host club is joined this year by 14 club-mates to contest the Class 2 title on home waters. In fact, all bar one entry are from Howth so a radically different championship is in store for 2016 compared to last year when the ICRA’s were sailed as part of the Sovereigns Cup at Kinsale YC. While McDonald picked up the class title and the overall trophy in 2015, this year Mike and Ritche Evans showed the way around the cans to win the single class 2 race for the opening day.

Due to the class bands split for 2016, last year’s Class 4 winners move up to Class Three and in turn Class Three move up to Class Two.

As a result, Richard Colwell and Ronan Cobbes’ Fusion, defending their Class 4 title from 2015 are now lying third in Class 3. And the Howth Under 25 team that won the Class 4 title in 2015 are currently sixth overall in Class 3 while their J24 sistership Hard On Port skippered by Flor O’Driscoll leads overall after day one in class 3.

Afloat's WM Nixon will have a full review of day one's ICRA racing action in his Sailing on Saturday blog here tomorrow morning.

Read also:

Dublin Yacht Clubs Boast Biggest Entry At ICRA Nationals, Light Winds Forecast At Howth

Howth Yacht Club Lambay Race Was ICRA Nationals Form Guide

ICRA Nats In Howth Yacht Club Will Attract The Cream Of The Fleets