The National Yacht Club hosted the first combined 29er and 49er events, and it proved to be a great success. There was a palpable buzz on the club platform before and after sailing and great racing.

As it was reported by Afloat earlier, Locals William Walsh and Eoin Byrne prevailed in the end, taking their first major win in the 29er class. But there was more to it, with great fast racing at all levels, close, entertaining, confirming the success of such an approach.

Race officer Con Murphy opted to start all 15 boats together, allowing the running of an overall PY set of results, delivering an overall weekend champion. With his team, he delivered a full series of 8 races in various conditions ranging from five to 18 knots.

We had a few apprehensive faces launching on Saturday morning with a 12-18 kts North Easterly breeze. The locals knew it meant big waves and challenging conditions. The 49ers and the 29er rookies (first event in the class) were immediately challenged as soon as out of the harbour and had mixed feelings between the fast downwind adrenaline rush and their ability to keep their boats upright... The safety fleet certainly had a busy day ensuring all was going to plan for everyone. A class coach was appointed by the club to help the new comers to enjoy their first event: Nicola Ferguson was certainly put to contribution on the day.

The first race started with a small delay. The Academy 29ers were fast off the blocks, as expected, whilst the 49ers were a little more cautious. If the faster 49ers eventually took the lead afloat (at least the ones that stayed upright), it was a 29er 1-2-3 after the times were corrected with William Walsh and crew Eoin Byrne taking the race win ahead of Cork Oisin Pierse and Fionn Daly. The Bateman brothers (Olin and Chris) were top 49ers in 4th, just about edging Irish Sailing squad Elysia O'Leary and Sophie Kilmartin.

The Bateman brothers (Olin and Chris) competing at the 49erFX East Coast Championships held at the National Yacht Club

On race two the remaining 49ers started to get the hang of it, yet it was once more a mano a mano between the academy 29ers boys. This time Oisin/Fionn took the gun ahead of William/Oisin with Olin/Chris taking 3rd and top 49er spot yet again.

Race 3 saw the return of Ben O'Shaugnessy with an alternative crew. Ethan Spain had replaced Alex Hopkins (who sustained a small injury on a finger). And the boys were fast, very fast... They led the 49ers 1-2-3.

Ben and Ethan did not slow down in race 4, and Charlie Keating/Alex Tricket's lead at the first mark was very short-lived. They took the race on the water and on PY. William and Eoin were solid enough to take second after recalculation, just a few seconds ahead of Olin and Chris. It was the most competitive race of the day, with five boats within the same minute between 2nd and 5th after PY recalculated times.

On day 2, the sailors were welcomed by a sunny, lighter breeze. The breeze had gone west, displaying shifty up-and-down (5-12 kts) winds. It was a challenge for our race officer and his mark layers, but they managed four more races, suiting the whole range of abilities, especially the 29er rookies.

Race 5 was a long one with the breeze dropping after the first beat and keeping the sailors scouting for the best lanes upwind and downwind. Separation was always risky and bigger rigs were surely useful. So it was the 49ers making the most of the conditions with Ben and Alex (back to his crewing duties) who took the race ahead of The Batemans, who had to fend off the catching-up Masters Thomas Chaix and Katie Tingle. The 29ers were a bit further back, and the highlight of the race was rookies Louise Hanley and Hannah Walsh, who only started sailing the 29er this winter, pushing the Academy boys to finish 2nd in the class (6th in the PY).

Race 6's big shift (left) and the very biased course allowed the 29ers to return to business, with William/Eoin edging yet again Academy mates Oisin/Fionn. Olin and Chris were to the 49ers in third.

Thomas Chaix and Katie Tingle were third overall at the 49erFX East Coast Championships held at the National Yacht Club

The course was reset for race 7 and the 29ers confirmed their return to business with another 1-2-3. William and Eoin won it putting a firm grip towards the title. Oisin and Fionn were securing second in the 29ers but remained under the pressure of the 49ers for the overalls. The ever-consistent Hugh Meagher and Oisin Alexander had their position pretty secured, too. The rookie's top price was, however, still in contention, with 3 boats still able to collect.

RStGYC's Elysia O'Leary and Sophie Kilmartin of the Irish sailing squad were fourth in the 49er East Coast Championships at the National Yacht Club 

The final race saw a close battle between Olin and Chris and the "Masters" who seemed to have found better speed through the day despite aching muscles. It was close and eventually Thomas Katie managed to squeeze ahead of the boys at the second windward holding them until the finish. Yet it was again a few seconds short after PY was calculated giving William and Eoin their final win of the event.

Overall, the 29er Academy boys prevailed taking the first combined 9ers event of the year. But the 49er weekend warriors did not disapoint with some fast sailing and a great display of skills.

29er and 49er event East Coast Championship prizewinners

Overall champions: William Walsh and Eoin Byrne are presented with the 29er 2024 East Coast Championship trophies by NYC Vice Commodore Rosemary Cadogan 

Overall champions: William Walsh and Eoin Byrne, NYC
29er champions: William Walsh and Eoin Byrne, NYC
49er champions: Olin and Chris Bateman, MBSC
29er 1st ladies: Louise Hanley and Hannah Walsh, NYC
29er 1st rookies: Theo Madigan and Daniel McDaid, NYC

29er results below and 49er results here

William Walsh and Eoin Byrne of the host club were the clear winners of the 29er Eastern Championships 2024 at the National Yacht Club on Sunday.

After eight races sailed off Seapoint on Dublin Bay in light to medium winds, the NYC youth duo were four points clear – counting six race wins – of Royal Cork's Oisin Pierse and Fionn Daly on ten nett points. 

A fleet of eight contested the championships. 

Hugh Meagher and Oisin Alexander, also of NYC, finished third overall with 18 points.

Louise Hanley and Hannah Walsh were the top U17 performers.

Batemans win in 49erFX

A seven-boat 49er FX fleet contested the Eastern Championships at the National Yacht Club Photo: Afloat

In a seven-boat 49er FX fleet, Cork brothers Olin and Bateman of Monkstown Bay Sailing Club were the winners on eight points, with Ben O'Shaugnessy Alex Hopkins two points adrift in second place overall. Third was Thomas Chaix and Katie Tingle with 16 points.

The provisional results are below

Reigning World 29er Champion, Clementine Van Steenberge (National Yacht Club) who, at last week's 2023 EuroCup Final in Italy, was joined by Royal St. George's Jessica Riordan, showed their promise as a new team achieving 7th place overall and top Women's team. It wasn't the only Irish success either as Irish reigning European Champions, the Irish pair of Ben O'Shaughnessy (Royal Cork) and Ethan Spain (NYC), were second overall.

France and Italy prevailed at the EuroCup. Hugo Revil and Karl Devaux (France) won the overall Eurocup series title, while local sailors Alex Demurtas and Giovanni Santi (Italy) took the event win.

Despite the challenging conditions, local Italian sailors Alex Demurtas and Giovanni Santi rose to the top of the results of the 2023 Ovington 29er EuroCup Final - organised by Fraglia Vela Riva and participated in by over 170 crews arriving on the Lake Garda representing over fifteen Nations.

Racing at the 2023 EuroCup Final on Lake Garda, Italy

The Fraglia Vela Riva duo, considered among the favourites on the eve by virtue of the excellent results achieved over the last few seasons, lived up to the predictions, winning the final race and prevailing overall with a seven-point margin over the best of their pursuers, the crew composed of the reigning European Champion O'Shaughnessy and Spain. The third step of the podium, just nine points behind the leaders, went to the Frenchmen Hugo Revil and Karl Devaux who did enough to become the overall Ovington 29er EuroCup 2023 Series champions, which took place over eleven events throughout Europe in 2023.

Securing the event win put the Italians Demurtas and Santi in Second place in the overall and Men's EuroCup series 2023 ahead of Jocelyn Le Goff and Jules Vidor from France, who took third overall in the series and Top U17 Men's team.

Among the Women's fleet, success did not escape the hands of the reigning World Champion, Van Steenberge and Riordan, taking 7th place overall and top Women's team.

Second place went to Hong Kong team, Emily Polson and Tiffany Mak who were 11th overall and top Women's U17 team and the third placed Women were Sarah Jannin and Fleur Babin from France in 14th overall.

In the Overall Ovington EuroCup Series, the Women's Gold went to sisters Boróka Fehér and Szonja Fehér, placing 8th overall. Silver went to Alicja Tutkowska and Alicja Dampc from Poland also Top U17 Women's team while Mathilda Schäfer and Lisa Hofmann from Germany took Bronze.

While the prize reserved for the best mixed team went to Italians, Camilla and Leonardo Ceruti, Italy. Second was Tjebbe Warmerdam and Zeilteam Zeeland from Holland and third by just one point was Emilia Salvadore and Pietro Zandri also from Italy.

In the mixed category of the Ovington 2023 Eurocup Series, Gold went to Petr Pelnár and Katerina Šlechtická from Czech Republic, followed by Lucie Kosatova and Vojtech Cibulka also from Czech taking Silver. In Bronze position was Danish team Yanne Broers and Gustav Åsholm-Bradley.

The 29er EuroCup Final ended with a total of eleven races, five qualifying and six final, despite a constantly evolving weather situation which forced the Regatta Officials, excellently coordinated by Domenico Guidotti and Ezio Pozzengo, to work overtime.

The international competitive season of Fraglia Vela Riva came to an end with the Ovington 29er EuroCup Final; with their next event planned in 2024. For the International 29er fleet this event marks the end of the 2023 racing calendar, however with the Youth Sailing World Championships fast approaching in December, Brazil, many teams will be spending the coming months training hard in preparation for this unique, elite event on the World Sailing calendar. The International 29er Class wishes everyone preparing and competing the best of luck - with racing amongst the 29er fleet closer than ever in 2023, it promises to be a spectacle to watch.

With the 2024 Ovington 29er Eurocup series announced to the international fleet, all sailors can now start to focus their attention on their future goals - with Palamos, Spain, to host the first of a 12-event series spanning nine countries.

Two Irish crews who led the international fleet this summer are among the favourites of the top 29er teams across Europe that have made their way to Lake Garda to contest for the coveted overall EuroCup title 2023 on Sunday.

The first is a new comnibation, made up of Dun Laoghaire Harbour sailors Clementine Van Steenberge from the National Yacht Club and Jessica Riordan of the Royal St. George Yacht Club.

With Clementine fresh from winning the Overall and Open World Championship title in August in Great Britain, where she raced with her brother Nathan, this team will certainly be one to watch, according to class pundits.

The second, composed of the Cork-Dublin combination of Ben O'Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain, who dominated the European Championship held in Stockholm in mid-August and will be looking to find their form again and finish the season with a win.

170 of the top 29er teams across Europe are on Lake Garda for the competition.

Fraglia Vela Riva, in the north of the stunning Lake Garda, once again hosts the hotly contested Ovington 29er Eurocup Final in collaboration with the International 29er Class Association.

The eleventh and final event of the 2023 29er EuroCup series, it is now considered an end-of-season classic by the specialists of this dynamic double-handed dinghy, who are accustomed to racing on these Italian waters for the seasonal finale.

Appreciated among many youth sailors who choose to step into this boat after various junior classes, the 29er Class is extremely widespread at the international level. With more than fifteen nations represented in Riva del Garda, competition begins on Sunday 22nd, until Wednesday, the 25th of October and sailors hope to complete 14 races in spectacular conditions, after which the season's EuroCup Champions will be crowned.

Also faniced are the home team, Italians Alex Demurtas and Giovanni Santi, who have been at the front of the fleet for a couple of years, winning third in the 2023 World Championships and sit in sixth in the 29er EuroCup overall ranking. Czech team Lukas Kraus and Ondrej Bastar, currently lead the overall series on the eve of this regatta, and with the 2023 Youth Worlds scheduled to take place in December, many of the top teams will be using this event as part of their final preparations.

"The 29er class always brings with it important numbers, a particularly competitive climate and a heterogeneous fleet from the point of view of origin. Hosting the last event of the season, the one that decides the fate of the circuit, now represents a long-standing tradition for the Fraglia Vela Riva, where this youth, double-handed, high-performance skiff is has reached a standard which is impossible to ignore," declared Mauro Berteotti, Sports Director of Fraglia Vela Riva.

Racing begins at midday.

After Clementine and Nathan van Steenberge’s victory in the 29er Worlds in August, their home base the National Yacht Club has big ambitions as it continues its high-end coaching for 29er racers with Olympic 49er trialist Séafra Guilfolye.

As lead coach in the NYC’s autumn programme, which runs until 3 December, Guilfoyle is being assisted by experienced skiff sailors/instructors in encouraging the growth of technical and racing skills among the club’s 29er sailors.

Regular club training takes place on Sundays, with two special clinics scheduled for the Hallowe’en break (3-5 November) and end-of-season (2-3 December). More details can be found on the NYC website HERE.

29er skiff sailing in Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Afloat

The International 29er is one of the most demanding boats on the global junior sailing scene. Yet the sister-and-brother crew of Clementine & Nathan Van Steenberge have carved their way through its international heights with style, speed and success.

Their Championship title at the uniquely demanding Worlds at Weymouth in early August provided a Masterclass, with their all-winning final day of racing an exceptional performance worthy of the most experienced sailors.

The five-day International 29er Europeans at the 1830-founded Royal Swedish YC’s base at Sandhamn near Stockholm was a global sailing highlight for 2023, as it attracted 173 teams from 24 countries for a week of racing very typical of the unsettled conditions of August this year.

Yet young Irish sailors from the ultra-focused 29er racing development squad showed themselves well able for the enormous challenge, and in the final day’s racing, the Munster/Leinster pairing of Ben O’Shaughnessy (17) from Royal Cork at Crosshaven and Ethan Spain (18) from the National YC at Dun Laoghaire move confidently from defending a near-certain Silver Medal win into ensuring that they were going home with the Gold for the Men’s Division.

It’s a fabulous result that is still barely registering in the national sailing awareness.

There were 173 teams from 24 countries competing at the International 29er Europeans in Sweden in August, but the five crews sent from Ireland punched way above their weight in a challenging and complex boat, which isn’t for the faint-hearted.

And it seems that inter-provincial mixing of crews is the right way to go, as Dun Laoghaire’s Lucia Cullen (17) and Cork’s Alana Twomey (also 17) inspired each other through a week of racing in difficult wind patterns to clinch the Women’s Gold medal on the last day, a magic result for a crew whose sheer enjoyment of sailing is an inspiration for us all.

In an outstanding month for Irish youth sailing achievement, two Cork-Dublin pairings have won more gold medals in the International 29er class to follow the World title win of a fortnight ago. 

Ireland won two gold medals at the 29er European Championships held in Stockholm this afternoon.

Ben O’Shaughnessy, 17, from Royal Cork and Ethan Spain, 18, from the National Yacht Club, won the European 29er Championships title, while Lucia Cullen, 17, from Dublin and Alana Twomey, 17, from Cork, won the European Female 29er Championships title.

Ireland's Lucia Cullen and Alana Twomey celebrate their win in the Female European Championship win in the 29er class in Stockholm

The five-day sailing event, held at The Royal Swedish Yacht Club, saw 173 teams from 24 countries compete in challenging conditions with large wind shifts and big pressure differences.

The two Irish teams were in the silver position overnight going into the final day of racing, but they came out strong in the first race of the day, with the girl's team of Lucia and Alana getting a fourth just ahead of the boy's team of Ben and Ethan getting a fifth. They fought hard in the following three races to bring home the double gold for Ireland.

The achievement is even more impressive given that Ireland had only five teams competing at the event, making it one of the countries with the smallest number of teams. It was an extraordinary result for the Irish sailors who demonstrated dynamic decision-making, boat handling, and teamwork to excel in the fast tempo of 29er racing.

As regular Afloat readers know, today's Euro titles follow the World title won by the Van Steenberg siblings in Weymouth earlier this month.

O'Shaughnessy and Spain claimed the Overall and Men's European Championship title by a margin of 11 points after four races on the final day. The championship titles came down to the wire, with just one point separating the top three boats going into the last start, but Ben and Ethan held their nerve to secure the win.

The new Overall and Men's European 29er Championship winners Ben O'Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain Photo: Sailing Pics

In the Women's category, Ireland's Cullen and Twomey took home the Women's title and tenth position overall, while Assi Lindell and Ines Karlemo of Finland secured the Silver medal in the Women's category, and Alja Petric and Caterina Sedmak of Slovenia took the Bronze.

A thumbs up from 29er Female Euro champions Lucia Cullen (right) and Alana Twomey Photo: Sailing Pics

Local sailors Hedvig and Hugo Liljegren of Sweden claimed the Silver medal in the Open category, with Caroline Pennetier and Benjamin Benhayoun of France in Bronze medal position.

The Nations Cup for the top three teams out of two categories was won by France, with three boats in the top ten.

The National Yacht Club's Cecile van Steenberge from Dublin Bay, the new Vice President of the International 29er Class, thanked the sailors for their hard work and dedication throughout the Championships and acknowledged the significant role played by volunteers in supporting youth sailing. The International 29er Class also thanked The Royal Swedish Yacht Club for their exceptional efforts in making the European Championships a unique and memorable event from start to finish.

Ireland's recently crowned 29er World Champions, Clementine and Nathan Van Steenberge have an eye on the double this week when they compete at the 2023 European Championships in Sweden against another massive fleet.

As regular Afloat readers will recall, the National Yacht Club National Yacht Club sister and brother from Dublin won the world title in Weymouth earlier this month by an impressive margin of some 16 points. 

Over 170 boats from 24 different countries have arrived in Saltsjöbaden, Stockholm to participate in the 2023 European Championships. The boats will be competing across four different fleets on two race courses. With three races scheduled per day and a light to medium wind forecast for the week, anticipation for the event is high. The opening ceremony saw a parade of sailors proudly waving their country's flags, followed by speeches from various officials welcoming the competitors and thanking volunteers for their hard work. Recently crowned Optimist World Champion, Henric Wigforss, cut the ribbon to open the event. 

The Irish tricolour, carried by the newly crowned world champions, Clementine and Nathan Van Steenberge, is centre stage at the opening ceremony for the 29er European Championships in Stockholm Photo: Sailing Pics

In the open fleet, many sailors have come straight from the UK, including the overall 2023 World Champions, IRL 1 Clementine and Nathan Van Steenberge. However, Italian team ITA 3, Alex Demurtas and Giovanni Santi, are eager to take the top spot after narrowly missing out on previous championships. French team FRA 4, Hugo Revil and Karl Devaux, and German brothers Anton and Johann Sach (GER 6) are also expected to be strong contenders. 

In the women's fleet, Spanish sisters Sara and Isabel Momplet Baixauli hope to defend their 2022 Women's European Championship title. Irish sisters Emily and Jessica Riordan, who won the Women's World Silver Medal in 2023, and Swedish sisters Ebba and Ellen Fredriksson, who won the Women's World Bronze Medal, will also be competing. 

Sailors from Sweden have a home advantage and could potentially perform well in light and shifty conditions. Hedvig and Hugo Liljegren, who placed 4th at the 2022 Worlds, will be competing in their final 29er regatta before switching to 470. Henric Wigforss, who won the Optimist World championship earlier this year, is also a wildcard to watch.

The racing starts on Monday at 12.00