After battling a range of weather conditions, the first boats in the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race reached the finishing-line at Wicklow today with both winning ‘line honours’ accolades.
Britain’s Adam Davis on trimaran Paradox3 was first boat home and won the multihull ‘line honours’ while the same recognition was made to Eric de Turckheim on French entry Teasing Machine less than four hours later.
As this 705 nautical-mile race is decided on IRC corrected time for monohull boats, de Turckheim is the clubhouse leader with an apparently unassailable lead over the next potential rival, Pete Smyth’s Searcher from the Royal Irish Yacht Club who is not expected to finish until Wednesday afternoon, depending on weather.
While Smyth and his crew were racing through the North Channel on Tuesday night, the bulk of the remaining fleet comprising 38 boats are all spread from Malin Head to the mouth of the River Shannon.
A large number of arrivals are expected to reach Wicklow throughout Thursday by which time the overall winner should be declared.
A total of seven entries have now withdrawn from the race, the majority due to timing concerns as the conditions have made for slow progress for many of the back-markers. However, back-marker Robert Marchant on race regular Fulmar Fever is persevering and is currently leading the Cruiser division so has every incentive to continue this ‘Kilimanjaro of Sailing’ event that has become a bucket-list item for many sailors and adventurers.
