Dun Laoghaire to Host Global Sailing Championship Series

Dun Laoghaire will play host to a new global sailing championship series when the MOD70 European Tour visits Dublin from Wednesday, September 5 – Sunday, September 9.

The National Yacht Club and the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company will host Race For Water, FONCIA, Groupe Edmond de Rothschild, Spindrift Racing and Musandam Oman Sail.

A five-day family festival will be held on the East Pier to celebrate the arrival of the trimarans. The festival will include, food courts, a farmers market, fair trade and craft stalls, street entertainers and vintage amusements.

From Friday, September 7 – Saturday, September 8, the MOD70s will be competing in the Dublin City Race and in the Speed Match Races, which is held in Dublin Bay.

The trimarans will leave Dun Laoghaire at 3 p.m. for the start of the second leg of the European Tour from Dun Laoghaire to Cascais.

Gerry Dunne, CEO of Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company stated: ‘We are delighted to welcome the world’s most innovative trimarans to Dun Laoghaire Harbor, which has witnessed 200 years of maritime history. 1.4 million people walk the East Pier on an annual basis and we hope that the hosting of this global event will attract many more people to our beautiful harbor in September.”

The high-speed MOD70 class of trimarans is a new innovation for sailing. Each MOD70 is completely identical, built from the same moulds, so that success, inshore and offshore reflects the skills of the sailing crew and not any technological advantage.

Paul Barrington, Commodore of the National Yacht Club stated: “The National Yacht Club has played host to many world championships and in July we co-hosted the ISAF Youth World Championships. We are delighted that the MOD70s have chosen Dun Laoghaire to host a stopover on the European Tour and we look forward to thousands of people visiting Dun Laoghaire to enjoy the spectacle.”

The MOD70 European Tour starts in Kiel, Germany, then moves on to Dublin, then to Cascais by Lisbon, Portugal and to Marseille, France. The tour will finally finish in Genoa, Italy.

Over five weeks, the MOD70 European Tour teams will sail nearly 5000 miles over five offshore stages.

The MOD70 European Tour is the second event of the Multi One Championship, following on from July’s inaugural KRYS OCEAN RACE, which saw the MOD70’s race the Atlantic from New York to Brest, France at remarkable speeds. The first three boats finished within less than two hours after traversing the Atlantic in less than five days with the winning boat making more than 711 miles in one day.

Already, the MOD70 fleet has attracted a cross section of some of the best ocean racing sailors in the world. Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) has twice won the Vendée Globe solo round the world race and skippers FONCIA.

Marco Simeoni, President of MOD SA commented: “We thank all the institutions involved in this stop over and we look forward to spending five wonderful days in the heart of the local culture. Sports and entertainment is guaranteed in the Dublin Bay from the 5th – 9th of September.”

For more information, check out this outline of program events being held in Dun Laoghaire:

Wednesday 5th September:

Estimated arrival of MOD70s. 10am – 6pm:  Food courts, farmers market, fairtrade & ethnic stalls, craft stalls,family entertainment, vintage amusements

Thursday 6th September

10am – 6pm: Food courts, farmers market, fairtrade & ethnic stalls, craft stalls, family entertainment, vintage amusements

Friday 7th September

10am – 6pm: Food courts, farmers market, fairtrade & ethnic stalls, craft stalls, family entertainment, vintage amusements

14:00: Dublin City Races and Speed Matches. Vantage points from the East Pier to Sandycove with live commentary from the East Pier.

2200: Firework display in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Saturday 8th September

10am – 6pm: Food courts, farmers market, fairtrade & ethnic stalls, craft stalls,family entertainment, vintage amusements

14:00: Dublin City Races and Speed Matches. Vantage points from the East Pier to Sandycove with live commentary from the East Pier.

Sunday 9th September

10am – 6pm: Food courts, farmers market, fairtrade & ethnic stalls, craft stalls, family entertainment, vintage amusements

15:00: Start of Leg 2 Dublin (Dun Laoghaire)-Cascais. Vantage points from the East Pier to Sandycove with live commentary from the East Pier.

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