Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2023 Day 2

Robert Rendell's Grand Soleil 44 Samatom finishes the first Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Coastal Race at Dun Laoghaire Harbour © Bob Bateman

Winds gusting up 20 knots put Ireland's biggest sailing event back on schedule at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta on Friday with a full programme of racing held for nearly 400 competing boats.

Potential winners are emerging as the biennial regatta approaches the halfway stage across 22 racing classes.

So far the ninth edition of Ireland's biggest sailing event has delivered strong breezes to be a true test of sailors' skills, despite losing the opening day for most classes due to gales. The regatta has already produced some impressive performances on the water, but few class leaders can count straight wins after another day of strong winds.

With all classes aiming for either two or three races on Friday, results in the fleet were still being computed in some classes late last night.

The Royal Ulster Yacht Outrajeous leads the highly competitive 24-boat IRC Class 1 after three races sailed. The John Minnis campaign took a race win and a second today to top the leaderboard but only by a single point. The Belfast Lough crew lead from Mike and Richie Evans in the J99 Snapshot from Howth Yacht Club. Timothy & Richard Goodbody's White Mischief from the Royal Irish Yacht Club lies third and the first J109 of 17 in the class

In IRC Zero, Paul O'Higgins's JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI leads from Pete Smyth's Sun Fast 3600 Searcher by one point.

The 22-boat coastal class is led by Scottish J122 Gran Senor, skippered by Jonathan Anderson after a single 30-mile race. The line honour winner was Frank Whelan's Elliott 57, Opal from Greystones Harbour.

In the one-design classes, after four races sailed, the Flying Fifteen class is headed by Shane MacCarthy and Alan Green won races three and four to stamp their authority on the 22-boat fleet.

Two one-design classes have leaders with perfect scores, with Sean Craig taking three wins in the Water Wag dinghies and Jerry Dowling the same in SB20s

The strong southerly winds are expected to continue for Saturday's races before moderating for Sunday's conclusion of the biennial event.

The Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club, National Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club, and Royal St. George Yacht Club are organising the ninth Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

Results are provisional and subject to protest. Full results in all classes are available on www.dlregatta.org