Wicklow sailor undergoes ‘intensive training’ for Round Ireland Yacht Race

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A member of the WICKLOW Sailing Club has undergone ‘intensive training’ before becoming a crew member of a boat competing in the SSE Round Ireland Yacht Race which starts in Wicklow this weekend.

Eugene Lynch will be part of Sherkin 2’s crew. The 52-year-old trained aboard the ship in Dun Laoghaire.

“I’m really looking forward to it. I have a boat in Wicklow town which I use for club racing but not for offshore racing. We expect it will take us around five and a half days to finish the race.

“The training is quite intense. I trained all weekend so I felt quite stiff Monday morning. We trained in all kinds of weather conditions, just to prepare for whatever conditions we might encounter.

The race is due to leave Wicklow Harbor on Saturday for the start of the 705 nautical mile yacht race.

The event usually takes place every two years and is organized by the Wicklow Sailing Club, with the last race taking place in 2018. Plans for 2020 had to be postponed after Covid restrictions were introduced.

Wicklow Sailing Club Commodore Kyran O’Grady said: “Everyone is getting ready to go. We thought we could organize the Tour of Ireland in 2020 and we pushed it back to August, but in the end it could not take place. It is one of the best Class 2 races in the world and is on par with the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Fastnet Race. It’s on every good sailor’s wish list.

“55 boats were registered but we had a few cancellations, so we are at 49 registered, which is still a good number. Some of our younger members are in some of the boats, as well as some older members.

A ‘Meet the Sailors’ party will take place on Thursday 16th June, followed by a ‘Rock-a-Round Ireland Party’ with BBQ and live music on Friday 17th June at the Wicklow Sailing Club.

On Saturday and Sunday, a family festival will take place at Black Castle Hill from noon to 9 p.m. each day, featuring entertainment, live music, a funfair with children’s Bounceworld and food stalls from local businesses.

Free outdoor concerts take place from Friday to Sunday at the Black Castle, featuring artists such as Big Love and Leslie Dowdall.

Meanwhile, Community Safety volunteers will be on hand at the Wicklow RNLI Lifeboat Station on the East Pier on Friday to check life jackets belonging to members of the public, while providing safety advice.

The RNLI team are on hand to discuss lifejacket options, help you check wear and show you how to carry out simple lifejacket maintenance anytime between 2pm and 5pm.

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