Press Coverage

Every year the Volvo Dún Laoghaire Regatta generates great interest in both the traditional broadcast and print media as well as the newer online publications and on social media.

  • VDLR Goes Live on Ireland’s TV Breakfast Show

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    Virgin Media Ireland AM weatherman Deric Hartigan delivered the latest weather news and interviewed VDLR Chairman Don O’Dowd from a RIB in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, chatting about the regatta’s first-ever Bay Race, which looks set to be held in some plentiful sunshine.

  • Previewing the IRC Cruiser Racer Favourites on Dublin Bay

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    Singer Neil Young’s superyacht may have sailed away, but Dun Laoghaire is about to rock again this Thursday as European champions are among 100-plus cruiser racers competing for IRC honours as part of Ireland’s biggest sailing event, Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2025.

  • Get Your Official VDLR2025 Merch and Last-Minute Kit From Viking Marine

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    If you find yourself missing a crucial piece of kit, or fancy some official merch to remember the regatta by, pop into the store at The Pavilion — just metres from the Dun Laoghaire Waterfront — or order online at vikingmarine.ie.

  • 10th VDLR to Open with Ceremonial Gunfire

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    The countdown is on to the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2025, which sets sail on Thursday, 10th July, with the firing of two historic guns by the Irish Defence Forces to mark the start of a brand-new Bay Race

  • “Bay Race” To Get VDLR2025 Off To Flying Start

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    Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2025 Race Officer Con Murphy cheerfully admits that the concept of the “Bay Race”, getting this week’s biennial four-day sailfest off to a flying start on Thursday, July 10th, is to some extent a “Work in Progress,” and all in my head.

  • Northern Ireland Boats Set Sail for VDLR

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    Among the northern boats competing are two Sigma 33s, which made the short passage from Howth to Dun Laoghaire after the Irish Championships. Paul and Emma Prentice’s Squawk were fourth in the Gold Fleet, and Elandra (Victoria and Martin Dews) third in the Silver Fleet, and they look forward to battling it out in the ten-strong one-design fleet.

  • VDLR2025 Will See Competition Reflect Ancient and Modern Rivalries

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    The Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2025 gets under way next Thursday July 10th, introducing four days of racing to provide a continuation of rivalries which have been bubbling along with increasing vigour since the Scottish Series in May. Back then, the Hall family’s J/109 Something Else from the National Yacht Club emerged as top boat overall, with clubmate Johnny Treanor’s newer J/112eGP ValenTina next in line.

  • Saturday’s ISORA Lyver Trophy is the 1st Race for VDLR’s Royal Dee Fleet

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    Twelve boats, including the overall 2025 series leader and her near rival sistership, will compete in ISORA’s Royal Dee Offshore Championship, which is being sailed as part of next week’s Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, kicking off this Saturday (July 5th) with the cross-channel Lyver Trophy Race.

  • VDLR Releases Sailing Instructions Ahead of July 10th

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    Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta has published the sailing instructions for the event, and the 32-page document provides written directions outlining how, over four days, almost 800 races will be conducted for 300 boats across 21 different classes. Addressing the complexities of multiple class needs across the seven available course areas on Dublin Bay, the 2025 edition of the ‘SIs’ also includes the inaugural Melges 15 European Championships.

  • VDLR 2025 Race Schedule Published 

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    The Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta (VDLR) committee have been working diligently on our Sailing Instructions for Ireland’s largest regatta, which features up to 300 boats and takes place in two weeks (July 10th). Addressing the complexities of multiple class needs across the seven available course areas on Dublin Bay, the 2025 edition also includes the inaugural Melges 15 European Championships.

  • Enter VDLR to Win a Greek Yacht Charter

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    Win a Greek Bareboat Charter for You and three friends! Enter the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta (VDLR) before Sunday, 29th June, and you’ll be in the draw for an unforgettable sailing holiday in the Greek Islands.

  • Melges 15s Warm Up for VDLR & Euro Championships

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    The Irish Melges 15 class is preparing for next month’s inaugural European Championships, as part of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, by hosting a regional championships this weekend on the Europeans’ race track in Dublin Bay.

  • England Clear Leader of Irish Sea Nation’s Cup after Scottish Series

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    The top-scoring boat at the Welsh IRC event was Xpletive (Mike Crompton) from South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club and Pwllheli Sailing Club, while the top visiting yacht was Adam Kyffin’s Corby 29 Eazitiger from the Liverpool Yacht Club.

  • Hyland Shipping Sponsors Inaugural Melges 15 Europeans at VDLR

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    Excitement is building for the inaugural Melges 15 Europeans, which will take place as part of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta. Hyland Shipping will sponsor the Melges 15 Race Course as well as becoming a bronze sponsor of the regatta itself.

  • VDLR Ladies Lunch to Support Sailor Hannah Leonard

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    As many around Dún Laoghaire know, one of the social highlights of the four-day regatta is the lunch hosted by the Royal St. George Yacht Club, at which actress Amy Huberman led the style charge on the last occasion. The fundraising effort this year will be for Dun Laoghaire sailor Hannah Leonard, who was left with severe brain injuries after she was struck by a car in Sicily last October.

  • Dún Laoghaire Harbour’s Unique Character is the Making of Coastival and VDLR 25

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    “Artificial” is one of the last words that spring to mind when you’ve spent many years in and around Dun Laoghaire Harbour. It’s all on such a scale, and constructed with so much locally-quarried material in a project begun 207 years ago in 1817, that it doesn’t really seem so very odd when those of a certain mind-set refer to it, without any irony, as “this wonderful natural feature of Dublin Bay”.

  • Dún Laoghaire Launches 10th VDLR and Coastival Festival

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    An Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, County Council, Jim O’ Leary was on hand to make this week’s joint launch of the 10th Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, Ireland’s largest sailing event and the town’s Coastival Festival, which runs in July.

  • New Introductory Cruiser Class Launches at VDLR2025

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    “The purpose is to get boats involved that don’t normally race but would like to try racing/be involved in a regatta from the social side”, explained VDLR Event Director Paddy Boyd.

  • Last Call – VDLR #EarlyBird Entry Closes at Midnight

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    Savings of up to 17% are available before midnight tonight (Wednesday, April 30th), to enter Ireland’s largest sailing event this year, the 2025 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta on Dublin Bay.

  • Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Introduces ‘The Bay Race’

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    The first race of this year’s Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta will be a mass start fixed mark race on the Irish capital’s waters. Titled the Bay Race, it will start close to the piers and, weather permitting, offer several course options.

  • With 200 Entries Already in, VDLR Extends #EarlyBird Entry Deadline

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    With close to 200 entries received for this year’s Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta as of March 31st 2025, organisers are reported ‘pleased’ with the take up to date across the competing handicap and One Design classes.

  • J109s Set for Competitive Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

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    The reigning ICRA National Champion and IRC European Champion is one of five J109s entered in Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta before next week’s early bird entry deadline for Ireland’s biggest sailing event. The Johnny Murphy skippered Howth-based J109 Outrajeous that swept the boards in 2024 will be on the Dun Laoghaire line but will face strong Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland competition along with a The reigning ICRA National Champion and IRC European Champion is one of five J109s entered in Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta before next week’s early bird entry deadline for Ireland’s biggest sailing event.

  • Win a Dubarry Kit by Entering VDLR 2025 Early!

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    With less than a week to go until the reduced early bird entry fee for July’s Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2025 expires, you could be in with a chance to win a Dubarry holdall and backpack set in the regatta’s latest competition prize. To avail of this opportunity and discounted entry fees, enter here before Monday, March 31st, and you will be entered into the raffle for some of the latest Dubarry kit.

  • 100 and Counting: #VDLR2025 Sees Strong Early Entries

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    Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2025 are celebrating early entries for July’s regatta with a diverse fleet ready to compete in the expected 400-boat turnout on Dublin Bay

  • New Introductory Class at #VDLR2025

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    Boats that do not usually race from Dun Laoghaire, Howth, Greystones, Malahide, Poolbeg and Bray are the focus of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta’s (VDLR) new ‘introductory class’ this July.

  • Dublin Bay To Stage Biggest Irish Classics Regatta Of 2025

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    A third of the classes lined up for the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2025 from 10th to 13th July would qualify as wooden-built Classics, even if a couple of them have seen some owners going over to the Dark Side by taking up a glass-fibre construction option!

  • ICRA Conference to get Updates on Key Irish Dates for 2025

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    ICRA Commodore Denis Byrne will introduce delegates from the ISORA series, Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, Calves Week, the Volvo D2D race, the Sovereigns Cup, which will incorporate the ICRA National Championships, and WIORA week. All will attend the East Pier pow-wow at the National Yacht Club this Saturday morning (February 15th) from 10:30 am.