IRC Welsh National Championship Preview

IRC Welsh Championship © Plas Heli

There are only ten days until the start of the IRC Welsh National Championship hosted at the Welsh National Sailing Academy and Event Centre organised by Pwllheli Sailing Club and Royal Dee Yacht Club.

Things are cranking up now with confirmed entries from all over the Celtic Sea catchment area and with many more yet to enter - we have the makings of a great Championship!

This year IRC 1 and 2 will return to on the water management with committee boat starts and a combination of windward/leeward and fixed marks racing. These classes race for the IRC Welsh Championship title granted by RORC.

Sports boats with IRC ratings will be incorporated into IRC 1 and 2 but a prize for the best performing sports boat will be awarded. Subject to numbers we will score IRC 1 and 2 separately and overall.

The NHC cruiser class, will also be joined by IRC cruisers, this is aimed at IRC rated boats who may be short handed but wish to take part in the event, and will be scored separately from the NHC boats, and race for different trophies, but race the same course, managed and started from the PSC bridge, racing a combination of fixed and geographical marks.

We have organised two social events, Kirk Ward playing guitar on the deck on Friday evening with some menu specials provided by Panorama. On Saturday Kirk is joined by two locals musicians to form a jazz trio (and they are great - not one to miss). Again, we have organised a special event supper, with roast meats, salad bar and baked potato for £10

We are arranging jugs of beer specials and bar service to speed things up.

This week we are making some configuration changes to the event pontoons, and hopefully we will fit everyone in, but raft berthing will be necessary. We politely ask that you please stay in the berth or raft you are allocated, and an empty berth doesn't imply it's available. We will attempt to raft people in the same class

Key Contacts:

• IRC 1 and 2 Race Officer - Michael Butterfield
• IRC and NHC Cruisers Race Officer - Robin Evans
• IRC Champs Management team - Mark Thompson, Stephen Tudor, Richard Tudor, Gerallt Williams and Victoria Cox

We wish you a great three days and looks forward to seeing everybody next week, and urge those to enter as soon as possible, particularly if requiring a berth!