50 Years of ISORA – 2022 Season
ISORA has been organizing offshore racing in the Irish Sea since 1972.
After the last two very strange seasons, when cross channel races were not possible, ISORA is planning a full calendar of Coastal and Offshore racing in its 50th season.
The full calendar includes 15 races, 7 traditional offshores and 8 coastal races – 4 on the Irish side and 4 on the Welsh side.
There are several changes planned to the racing in 2022. These include the pre-setting of offshore courses and the use of staggered starts. For 2022, the offshore races have their courses set and will not be altered due to weather conditions, good or bad. It is hopes that this will result in boats gaining more experience in night racing. We are also using staggered start times for all races, where the lower rated boats will start earlier. It is hoped that this will bunch the boats towards the finish of the races and this will facilitate all boats to take part in the social après-race activities.
In promoting Offshore Racing, we have joined up with the Offshore Racing Academy who have compiled a series of “Zoom” seminars relating to offshore racing. Details of these seminars can be found on their website: https://www.offshoreracingacademy.com/isora-training-2022
The seminars cover topics for the basic requirements for offshore racing to the highly technical end of weather planning and tactics. The first event takes place on Wednesday 23rd March and it is hoped that this event will introduce new crew to boats.
The main offshore racing events this season is the Round Ireland Race and the Kingstown to Queenstown Race. The ISORA racing calendar was also planned around providing experience to boats and crew in preparation for these events.
The social aspect of ISORA has always been a very important part of offshore racing experience. This year, with the staggered starting times, we will work with the finishing clubs to provide “après race” facilities to all boats, irrespective of when they finish.
Missing for two years was the main social event in ISORA, the Annual Prize Giving Dinner. This year we have booked the 12th November for our AGM and Dinner in the National Yacht Club.
This, our 50th season, we are happy to have MUSTO as our main sponsor. It is fitting that a great offshore clothing company agreed to be associated with ISORA. This year we happy that our regular sponsors will also be supporting us: TUDOR, Plas Heli, Viking Marine, Hendrick Ryan and Jack Ryan Whiskey. We are always looking for other sponsors or benefactors to support the promotion of offshore racing.
Our Notice of Race has been published and our online entry is active.
I look forward to meeting with all participants during ISORA’s 50th Season.
Peter Ryan – Chairman ISORA
