SAILING: In a classic finish to the Round Ireland sailing course, the 80-foot Irish Independent Dubarry Challenger reached the Kish lighthouse in the early hours of yesterday morning to claim a record time for the 705-mile circumnavigation. Light winds and a foul tide dogged progress on the final approach to the finish ahead of a storm front that arrived just in time to shave 56 minutes off the previous record for the course, writes David Brannigan.

Led by Prosail's Gary Keegan, the 27-strong crew departed at 22.04 hours on Wednesday evening and, using an American-based weather router, decided to sail northabout to maximise the changing wind pattern expected for the window of their attempt.

A fast passage to the north coast was followed by a mixture of fast reaching and some beating down the west coast in fresh to strong winds and a long Atlantic swell.

By Saturday morning, confidence was high that the existing Round Ireland Race record time would be beaten by as much as a four hours. A favourable forecast indicated strengthening winds for the final Irish Sea stage.

However, shortly after nightfall, just as the tide began to ebb along the east coast, the wind died completely ahead of the front. With three hours to the deadline at the Kish lighthouse off Dublin, the team had 18 miles to sail but were only managing six knots in the ebb tide. But as the maxi passed Bray Head, the wind jumped to almost gale force and the Whitbread veteran powered to the finish with 56 minutes to spare.

Under the gaze of the Kish tower and with the Irish Lights tender Granuaille providing illumination, the exhausted but elated crew crossed the line. Official time-keepers from the National Yacht Club were on hand to record the details that will now be submitted to the World Speed Sailing Record Council while the Cork Dry Gin Trophy was presented at a ceremony yesterday afternoon following a night of celebrations.

This successful attempt differs from the previous record set in 1998 in a number of ways. Colm Barrington set a time of 76 hours, 23 minutes and 18 seconds during the Round Ireland Race of that year. That was a fixed start fleet race held during the summer season which also bans the use of outside assistance, especially routing.

While last weekend's record is certain to become the internationally recognised benchmark for future mono-hull attempts, a case exists for the Wicklow Sailing Club Round Ireland Race organisers to register Barrington's time as a separate, stand-alone record within that event.