UK entries – around 30 to date - are set to make a determined challenge for honours in several of the 26 classes at the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta on Dublin Bay in mid-July, notably in the J109s and in Class 0 where the competition will include members of Ireland’s 2006 Commodore’s Cup Team.

Half of the J109 fleet entered so far are travellers from England and Scotland, with Bill Blain’s ‘Batfish’ (Royal Southern YC), Brian Moreton’s ‘Jukebox’ (Royal Liverpool YC) and David Sinclair’s ‘Jeronimo’ (Royal Forth YC) leading the overseas charge with two Hamble boats, ‘Jambo’ (Fry/Bucking) and ‘Jumping Jellyfish’ (Jason Eker).

Ben Williamson’s ‘The Baron’ from Royal Yorkshire YC will race in what is expected to be a highly competitive 20+ fleet of Laser SB3s which represent Ireland’s newest class.

There are also a half dozen UK contenders in the Ecover Half Ton Classic Cup which is being incorporated into the Regatta. They include ‘Beat & Run’ (Christopher Howarth) and ‘Moonlighter’ (Michael Ennis), both from Blackpool & Fleetwood YC, ‘Per Elisa’ (Robbie Tregear/Paul Pullen) from Royal Cornwall YC and Mark Winter’s ‘Alchemist’ from the Island SC on the Isle of Wight.

As a further attraction, the Royal Dee Yacht Club has presented The Salamander Cup as a perpetual trophy for the best visiting boat at the biennial event.

A feature of the 2007 Regatta is the first appearance on Irish waters of the TP52s – three have entered the Super 0 division with the news that top Irish skipper Colm Barrington has acquired ‘Flash Glove’ and will race against Paul Winkelmann’s ‘Island Fling’ from Hong Kong and Benny Kelly’s ‘Panthera’ from Royal Corinthian YC.

With two months to go, entries have already exceeded the 270 mark and the organisers are expecting that figure to double over the coming weeks, confirming its status as Ireland’s biggest sailing event of the year.