Fine weather matches surge in entries for Wave Regatta on June Bank-Holiday weekend
by Howth Yacht Club 8 May 2018 08:45 BST
1-3 June 2018
Wave Regatta at Howth © David Branigan / Oceansport
The arrival of Ireland's long-awaited Summer weather has been matched by an increase in entries for next month's inaugural Wave Regatta at Howth Yacht Club on the June Bank-Holiday weekend (June 1st-3rd). Entries currently stand at over 110 boats with the addition of almost 20 teams from the Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association (ISORA) fleet.
Wave Regatta is set to be the biggest club event on the East coast in 2018 and aims to deliver great racing afloat with an unmissable entertainment programme ashore. Crews can choose between a three-day series or the traditional Lambay Race on Saturday 2nd.
"The long-awaited warm weather has finally arrived and the sailing season is catching-up. Since last week, we've seen a surge in interest for Wave Regatta so our previous goal of 100 boats looks set to be comfortably exceeded," said Brian Turvey, Wave Regatta Organising chairman. "We have lined-up an incredible programme of racing and entertainment that we want to be our baseline for this regatta every two years. This inaugural event is going to be unmissable!"
In addition to the ISORA boats, the Dun Laoghaire Ruffian class has confirmed that it will include the Lambay Race as a 'starred' event.
Additional marina berths will be available for visiting boats and Howth Harbour has arranged deep-water pontoon berthing with direct shore access accessible at all states of tide for bigger boats.
Visiting crews can avail of a special morning ferry service leaving Dun Laoghaire daily at 0815 to arrive in time for racing while local accommodation solutions are available at the on-site campervan facility and new AirBNB options for those preferring to stay local.
Wave Regatta is also staging a series of initiatives in support of the Sailors for the Sea programme including installation of a permanent drinking water station at the club and providing reusable water bottles to every crew member in the event. Plastic beer drink containers and straws will also be banned and bike racks are being provided inside the club.
Of the entries received to date, J80 Sportsboats that include Howth YC's 'Taste of Racing' fleet are one end of the boat spectrum leading all the way up to 36-foot J109's and bigger. Conor Phelan's Jump Juice from the Royal Cork YC will also be racing head to head with Jamie McWilliam's Royal Hong Yacht Club team on Signal 8.
Puppeteer 22 footers that form the backbone of Howth Yacht Club's racing fleet will be following the classic Lambay Race format while the traditional Howth 17 footers have rallied five boats despite the catastrophic damage to the historic fleet wreaked in recent storms. The 'seventeens' will also race on Sunday close to the pier, adding to the weekend spectacle.
Entry forms and entertainment programme information are available at waveregatta.com