The 2026 Grand League kicks off this Saturday at Dublin Metropolitan Regatta following the cancellation of Skibbereen Regatta and Lough Rinn Regatta.

Racing takes place on Saturday, 23rd May, with over 400 crews set to compete in what promises to be a highly competitive day of racing.

Unlike traditional regattas, Grand League racing is organised into two divisions, allowing crews to compete against others of a similar speed rather than strictly by age or points category. This format creates closer racing and provides more opportunities for competitive finals.

Division 1 includes:
Senior, Lightweight, Intermediate, Club 1, and Junior 18A crews.

Division 2 includes:
Club 2, Junior 18B, Novice, and Junior 16 crews.

Across the four regattas, clubs will earn points based on the finishing position of each crew. At the end of the series, points from all four events will be combined to determine the overall winners.

Trophies will be awarded to the top clubs in:

  • Division 1 Men
  • Division 1 Women
  • Division 2 Men
  • Division 2 Women

If two clubs finish level on points, the club with the most first-place finishes will take the title.

Points are awarded at each event according to finishing position, with larger boat classes receiving higher points. The full points table is shown below.

Position1x2x/2-4x/48+
1st34435465
2nd27364656
3rd22303950
4th18253344
5th15212836
6th13182430
7th12162126
8th11152025
9th10141924
10th9131823
11th8121722
12th7111621
13th6101520
14th591419
15th481318
16th371217
17th261116
18th151015

With hundreds of crews travelling from clubs across the country, Dublin Metropolitan Regatta will provide an exciting opening weekend for the Grand League and set the tone for the series ahead.

All Grand League points will be available on the Rowing Ireland website next week.

Good luck to all crews competing this weekend.