Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo M75

Kuka3 takes line honours in SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race

by Wicklow Sailing Club 23 Jun 2022 11:54 AEST 23 June 2022

After just over 100 hours in the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race, Franco Niggeler's Kuka3 crossed the finishing-line at Wicklow Harbour on Wednesday evening after convincingly leading the on the water race for four solid days.

Becalmed on the Irish Sea for most of the day, a change with the ebb tide finally got the crew back to Wicklow helped by a gentle evening breeze.

The course time was unusually slow despite fresh winds for the first half of the race that started on Saturday and is a marked contrast to the current course record set in 2016 by George David on Rambler 88 of just over 50 hours.

The Volvo 70-footer Green Dragon is the next expected finisher at Wicklow probably at dusk while the next group of five boats with 35 miles still to sail were racing against another evening shutdown of the light breeze and expected turn of the tide; their arrival at Wicklow Sailing Club was not expected until the early hours of Thursday morning.

Amongst this group, the two leading Classe 40 entries are sailing a classic offshore duel with Greg Leonard's Kite under pressure from Andrea Fornarno's Influence who has edged ahead after gamble to sail away from the coast and lighter winds.

Meanwhile, the bulk of the fleet is still stretched from Rathlin Island on the North coast around to Dundalk Bay and making steady progress on the final approach to the finish.

Depending on breeze and tides, most boats should reach Wicklow by Friday when the overall winner of the race - to be decided on handicap corrected time - will be known.

More details and race tracker available here.

Related Articles

North launches new Wingfoil Race Collection
Pinch even higher and reach even deeper at pace Pinch even higher and reach even deeper at pace. Engineered with a VMG-optimised partial double skin for improved aerodynamic efficiency, lower drag and precise manoeuvres at higher speeds. Posted today at 10:35 am
AEGEAN 600 Attica Warm-Up Race
5th edition sets sail with strong winds and signature Greek hospitality Under perfect sunny skies and brisk northerly winds, the 5th edition of the annual AEGEAN 600 kicked off with a flawless start both on and off the water. Posted on 4 Jul
GKSS Match Cup Sweden & Nordea Women's Trophy D5
Stage set for Finals showdown in Marstrand With just one day to go at the 2025 GKSS Match Cup Sweden and Nordea Women's Trophy, the stage is set for a thrilling finale in both the Open and Women's classes. Posted on 4 Jul
Sam Goodchild in the Course des Caps
The final phase is full of potential pitfalls Sam Goodchild, the British skipper of MACIF Santé Prévoyance who has been dominating the IMOCA round Britain and Ireland race since the start of the third day, says the goal now is to focus on the complex finishing section. Posted on 4 Jul
29er Europeans at Lake Garda day 2
Light breeze, boat park buzz and big wins off the water >Day 2 brought lighter winds to Lake Garda, but the energy around the event stayed sky-high. Posted on 4 Jul
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais day 3
French tour de force gives Paprec world championship lead As the Rolex TP52 World Championship passed its midway point today in Cascais, Portugal it is the French underdogs on Paprec, led by ocean racing legend Loïck Peyron, which has taken the overall lead. Posted on 4 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race IRC One preview
Beyond the French legends there is plenty of international talent with podium potential With 17 editions of the Rolex Fastnet Race to his name, including five class victories along the way and an outright victory in 2015, could anyone bet against Géry Trentesaux doing it again? Posted on 4 Jul
International Moth Worlds begin this weekend
Pre-Worlds are under way at Malcesine From 6 to 13 July 2025, the 2025 Moth World Championship officially gets under way, hosted by Fraglia Vela Malcesine and preceded by the Pre-Worlds on 4 and 5 July. The event marks the culmination of three weeks entirely dedicated to foiling. Posted on 4 Jul
K-Challenge gives opinion on proposed Protocol
Why the 38th edition could usher in a new era for the America's Cup Stephan Kandler and Bruno Dubois, Co-CEOs of K-Challenge, jointly stated: “The provisional Protocol published on 23 May 2025 by Defender Emirates Team New Zealand is an important step forward for the America's Cup." Posted on 4 Jul
PredictWind to show new race tracker in August
The Ocean Race joins with PredictWind as Official Tracking and Weather Services Supplier The Ocean Race, often described as the toughest test of a team in sport and widely recognised as a leader in impactful ocean health initiatives, and PredictWind, a global leader in marine weather forecasting, are collaborating on a new race tracker. Posted on 4 Jul
Selden 2020 - FOOTERBarton Marine Pipe GlandsNavico AUS Zeus3S FOOTER