The first Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race of 2024 at Dun Laoghaire on Saturday produced a dead heat for first place on IRC rating, according to race organisers at the National Yacht Club.
Chris Power Smith's J122 Aurelia from the Royal St. George Yacht Club made the best of gusty southwest winds to win the line honours, but the smaller champion Rockabill JPK 10.80, skippered by Paul O'Higgins of the Royal Irish Yacht Club, put up a sturdy defence to share victory in the first challenge of the season.
"It was a dead heat for first place. Amazing! Never saw it happen before!" ISORA boss Peter Ryan told Afloat.
Although there was a 15-boat entry, only an eight-boat fleet contested the 18-mile race out of the Bay to the Kish Bank and back this Saturday morning at 11 a.m.
ISORA Race Officers Barry MacNeaney and Larry Power of the National Yacht Club Photo: Afloat
Bright sunshine and offshore winds of up to 20 knots set the scene for the season opener, which welcomed Aurelia's return and a new ISORA arrival, the J/99 Mister Ollie.
The 2023 champion Rockabill VI was the best starter, even if an hourglass hoist cost vital seconds. The French design established an early lead off the West Pier start line in the sub-three-hour race to finish with a corrected time of 2 hours, 27 minutes, and 00 seconds, exactly the same as Aurelia in a first for ISORA racing.
Tom Shanahan's J109 Ruth came third.
(Above and below) The JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI, skippered by Paul O'Higgins of the Royal Irish Yacht Club on her way to a dead heat for first place with Aurelia in the gusty April 13th Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race Photo: Afloat
The fleet sailed a tight starboard hand reaching leg out to North Kish and a beat back to port, passing the Dublin ISORA virtual mark on the relevant side.
North Kish and back keeping dublin isora virtual on the appropriate side was the course for the April 13th Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race
Two J109s made a potent start in the eight-boat fleet, with the Shanahan boat powering off the line under blue spinnaker, easily matching the bigger Aurelia and ahead of Simon Knowles's sistership Indian from Howth Yacht Club.
Simon Knowles' J109 Indian (above) was chasing Tom Shanahan's J109 Ruth (below) hard before blowing a spinnaker (bottom) in a gusty opening leg of the 2024 Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race at Dun Laoghaire Harbour.
John O'Gorman's Sunfast 3600 Hot Cookie competing in the first race of the 2024 Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race Photo: Afloat
Jonathan Stanley's J99 Mister Ollie competing in the first race of the 2024 Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race Photo: Afloat
Michael Murphy's Sigma 38 State O'Chassis competing in the first race of the 2024 Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race Photo: Afloat
David Simpson's Swan 37 Albireo competing in the first race of the 2024 Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race Photo: Afloat
The next Irish coastal is Sunday, April 21st, with an 11.00 start for a scheduled four-hour race.
