The 2023 SB20 World Championships will be hosted in Ireland by the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, County Dublin.

The successful Irish bid for the event will see the World Championships return to Dublin Bay in September 2023, 15 years after the inaugural world championships were sailed at the NYC in 2008.

That event attracted 136 SB3s drawn from 13 countries and was won by Britain's Geoff Carveth, Roger Gilbert, Roz Allen & Sarah Allan.

More recently, Dun Laoghaire's Royal Irish Yacht Club hosted the successful SB20 European Championships in 2018 when a final race win for Royal St. George's Michael O'Connor, the 2017 SB20 Corinthian World Champion, allowed him to produce the goods again for Ireland by taking third overall.

The plan for 2023 is to achieve the largest ever number of nations attending an SB20 World Championships, according to SB20 Irish President John Malone.

Due to Covid-19 the SB20 Worlds in 2020 (Cascais), 2021 (Singapore) and the Europeans in 2021 (St Petersburg) have all been moved forward by one year, the updated Calendar is as follows:

SB20 World Championships Calendar

• 2021 Cascais, Portugal (29th of August to 3rd of September)
• 2022 Singapore
• 2022 St Petersburg, Russia (European Championships)
• 2023 Dun Laoghaire, Ireland (National Yacht Club, September)
• 2024 The Hague, Netherlands (June)

The National Yacht Club has joined other yacht clubs across reland in launching its own members 'eSailing' League.

Series One of the NYC League will comprise five races every Thursday evening for the next four weeks using the ‘Virtual Regatta Inshore’ platform. 

The Virtual Regatta platform allows you to race people from across the world and even get yourself an Irish Sailing ranking!

As regular Afloat readers will know, Aat the neighbouring Dun Laoghaire Harbour Royal Irish Yacht Club, Enda O'Coineen got the RIYC Virtual league underway on Saturday.

A racing tips video (get practising!) is here:

A new Dublin Bay regatta involving the whole Dun Laoghaire sailing waterfront has been announced for July 31st to August 3rd. 

The 'Dun Laoghaire Combined Clubs Solidarity Regatta 2020' is an initiative of all five of Dun Laoghaire's yacht clubs as a response to the COVID-19 interrupted season.

"The event is a joint effort of the DMYC, RIYC, RStGYC, NYC and DBSC", according to Mark McGibney, the sailing manager of the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

We plan to run this regatta from Friday 31st July to the 3rd August.

In these uncertain times, the clubs have also decided to 'book' the weekend of the 5th/6th September as reserve dates if the August dates fall through.

More details as we have them.

Read also: 2020 Irish Sailing Fixtures (The Beyond COVID-19 Version)

The National Yacht Club has decided to reschedule the lift-in back to its ‘normal’ mid-April weekend (eg back by one week) to Saturday 11th April.

The lift-in had been brought forward by a week to Saturday 4th April as the 11th was during the Easter bank holiday weekend and the East Pier club were anticipating that some boat owners might be away.

However, as the weather has been very poor since Christmas and NYC says it thinks the additional time to prepare for the sailing season will be welcomed by owners.

The NYC says it doesn't think that many people will make travel arrangements over Easter or go on with previously made arrangements

The Irish Cruiser Racing (ICRA) National Championships return to Dublin Bay in 2021 it was confirmed at the weekend.

The National Yacht Club at Dun Laoghaire will host the three-day championships from May 28 to 30th, just a week before the East Pier Club also stages its biennial offshore 2021 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race.

The announcement was made by ICRA Commodore Richard Colwell at last weekend's annual conference that attracted a turnout of 50 despite the storm warnings. 

A fleet of up to 100 boats in four divisions is expected for the championships that last sailed in Dublin Bay in 2019 when hosted by the Royal St. George Yacht Club.

This year the championships are heading for Royal Cork Yacht Club as part of the line up for the Cork Harbour Club's 300th celebrations at Cork Week Regatta.

Meanwhile, Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race Chairman Adam Winkelmann has set the date for the next edition of the D2D as Wednesday 9th, June 2021.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour's National Yacht Club celebrated another year of great sailing by its members at their annual awards dinner last Saturday night.

The club, that celebrates its 150th birthday this year, has fourteen annual awards for outstanding sailing achievements by members awarded from nominations received from members of the Committee and Sailing Sub Committee.

The awards reflected a great horizon of sailing activity and administration in 2019.

Commodore Martin McCarthy awarded the "Commodore's Award" to Chris and Sandra Moore. The husband and wife team were rewarded for their dedicated and ongoing voluntary service in support of sailing. 

Download the full NYC Awards booklet below. Prizegiving photos by Michael Chester

The Club has fourteen annual awards for outstanding sailing achievements

The Commodore’s award was presented to Chris and Sandra Moore. The award was made for their dedicated and ongoing voluntary service in support of sailing in the National Yacht Club and Dublin Bay Sailing Club over many years

John O’Gorman (left) receives The Boyne Regatta Cup. It is awarded to the member who achieved the best performance in Offshore racing of the year, he finished third in the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race and was the best-placed National YC member

Clare Gorman receives The Winkleman trophy (2003) from her Mum & Dad Sarah and David. It is awarded to the cadet member who has the finest sailing achievements during the year

Jack Roy receives The Paul Murphy Cup (2009) from Paul's widow Ruth. Jack has been awarded the Cup for his unmatched commitment in Race Management including as PRO every Thursday for DBSC and for the Subaru Flying Fifteen pre - worlds regatta and World Championships

Chris Doorly and David O’Gorman receive The Edward Yacht Club Trophy (1919) from the Commadore Martin Mc Carthy is awarded to the member who achieves the best performance of the year in dinghies, Mermaids or Flying Fifteens

Commodore’s Commendation Fiona Staunton, Susan Spain, Tony Fox & Crew, Ida Kiernan and Frank Burgess for their contribution to the National Yacht Club in many areas  

William Byrne, (Grandson of John Byrne) receives The John Byrne memorial trophy (1989) from his Father Rory and NYC Commodore Martin McCarthy. The Cup is awarded to the member who achieves the greatest contribution to sailing at the NYC during the year 

Helen Cooney and Rosemary O’Connell, receive The Sue McDonnell Trophy is awarded to the member who has contributed most to the advancement of women in sailing. Presenting the trophy is John, Sue's Husband.

The Martin Crotty Cup (2017) Tom Shanahan has been awarded the Martin Crotty Cup for his season as skipper of J109 Ruth campaigning in Dublin Bay and ISORA and finishing in fourth place in the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race. Pictured are Ben and Tom Shanahan with Commodore Martin McCarthy

The Wild Geese Trophy was awarded to Ian Mathews (centre) for his outstanding and success in raising sponsorship for the Subaru Flying Fifteen World Championships while being based in Abu Dhabi

Brian Bourke receives The Muglins Cup (1949). Brian has been awarded the Mullins Cup for his family cruise to an isolated archipelago situated 40 miles west-northwest of North Uist in the North Atlantic Ocean

Noel Butler and Stephen Orman receive The O’Leary Cup. The trophy is awarded to the member who achieves the best performance of the year in One Designs. Noel and Stephen were rewarded for a “Fireball Grand Slam” in 2019.

Today's popular National Yacht Club's Christmas Eve Swim at Dun Laoghaire Harbour has raised funds 'beyond expectation' for Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin.

The swim off the club's slipway took place from 10.45 am and featured waves of swimmers at phased times.

Open to members and non-members (for a small entry fee) the icy plunge is held annually in aid of good causes and again attracted a big crowd of participants and onlookers in the east coast port.

A donation was also raised for Kings College Hospital ICU in London.

Among the throngs of participants. the swim attracted Olympic silver medalist Annalise Murphy and 1988 Olympian Aisling Byrne.

Photos below by Michael Chester

1988 Olympian Aisling Byrne (left), Olympic Race Officer Con Murphy and Olympic silver medalist Annalise Murphy prepare for the dip

The CBC Monkstown senior rugby cup team joined the NYC Swim

Commodore Martin McCarthy (right) with Christmas Eve swim supporters

The popular National Yacht Club's Christmas Eve Swim at Dun Laoghaire Harbour takes place at 10.45 am next Tuesday. Open to members and non-members (for a small entry fee) the icy plunge is held annually in aid of good causes and attracts a big crowd in the east coast port.

This year the dippers are raising funds for Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin with a donation also to Kings College Hospital ICU in London.

As Afloat previously reported, the swim takes place from the club's pontoon with Santa also getting in on the act.

Two evenings and one day of racing is the celebratory programme outlined to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire next June. 

As reported by Afloat in its 2020 Preview of the Irish Sailing Season, the Sesquicentennial Regatta will run from June 10th to 14th.

Racing will be in association with DBSC and ISORA and include cruisers, one designs, dinghies & Wags.

As befitting the 150th anniversary, NYC Regatta Director Con Murphy says it will be bigger than the traditional Saturday club regatta by being a multi evening/days event from 10-14th June with racing for keelboats on Thursday and Friday evenings as well as the normal racing on the Saturday.

Dinghies will have racing on Friday evening and Saturday, Waterwags on the Wednesday and Friday evenings and ISORA boats on Thursday and Friday evenings and all day Saturday.

For cruiser and keelboat classes, the races on Thursday evening will be run by DBSC per their standard Thursday courses and be scored in the regatta results.

Thousands of miles and 10 months of lead time are proving no deterrent for former ISORA Champions Peter Dunlop and Vicky Cox of the National Yacht Club in Ireland but are based in North Wales and who are intent on ensuring their spot for their J109 Mojito in New York in one of the most anticipated sailing championships of 2020.

A second ISORA yacht, Andrew Hall's Jackhammer, a J121, will also be competing in the Big Apple.

In the few short weeks since entries opened as Afloat reported here, nearly 30 entries have registered for the 2020 ORC/IRC World Championships, exceeding organisers' expectations and laying a strong foundation for the regatta's triumphant return to the United States after a two-decade absence.

Click here to see the entry list.

Among the teams making an early commitment to travel to the regatta is the Teamwork crew (above), led by Robin Team from Winston-Salem, N.C.

"We are very excited to have the opportunity to sail in the 2020 ORC/IRC World Championships," said Team. "It is a chance to race against the very best competition in a world-class venue run by the New York Yacht Club. They always run a great regatta, both on the water and shoreside."

The 2020 ORC/IRC World Championship will bring top sailing teams from around the globe to battle on Rhode Island Sound and Narragansett Bay for one of three coveted world titles. The regatta will be scored using a combination of the two most popular rating rules in the sport, ORC and IRC, and racing will be a mix of around-the-buoys racing and longer, offshore courses. The competition will be held out of the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court from September 25 to October 3, 2020.

While the Teamwork crew will put in the miles to get its J/122 to Newport, there are many other teams committing to an even longer journey. Among the 28 entries to date are two each from Italy and Great Britain and one each from Germany, France and Canada. This geographic spread is crucial to the regatta as ORC championship rules state that the number of competitors plus the number of countries represented within the fleet must total 14 or greater for each class to confer a world title to its winner.

With an impressive surge of 12 entries from four countries, including Tilmar Hansen's TP52 Outsider from Kieler Yacht-Club in Germany, Class A has already met this requirement. This boat was brand new to Hansen at the last combined ORC/IRC Worlds in The Hague, Netherlands, in 2018, where he finished as runner-up to Karl Kwok's gold medal-winning TP52 Beau Geste from Hong Kong.

"We are very much looking forward to coming to Newport next summer," said Hansen. "The town is wonderful, the racing is always good, all the infrastructure is there, and we enjoy the great hospitality of the New York Yacht Club. Our plan is to race the RORC's Caribbean 600 in Antigua in February, then ship the boat to race in Newport all summer in preparation for the Worlds."

Outsider will have some strong competition in a brand-new Fox, Victor Wild's Botin 52 currently under construction, and Vesper, a competitive TP52 from Southern California skippered by David Team (no relation to Robin). All three boats should be among the fastest boats, according to rating, in Class A.

Another interesting development is the three IC37s that have entered Class B. This boat, created for one-design racing by the New York Yacht Club, has recently had some success under IRC, including an overall win in the Hamble Winter Series on the Solent. Another full season of one-design racing and, perhaps, some optimization for handicap competition could well make one or more of these IC37s a formidable competitor next fall. So far 10 teams have entered Class B.

And Class C is also shaping up well with six teams from three countries, including Kevin Brown's Farr 30 Notorious from Toronto and the Royal Canadian Yacht Club. His plan includes IRC and ORC racing in Florida in the SORC offshore series this winter, and says his boat "is in top form, getting ready for the Worlds now."

While the Worlds will come at the end of the sailing season in Newport, two other major events earlier in the summer will provide teams from around the world with the opportunity to train, test their equipment and enjoy all that Newport, America's first resort, has to offer. The 166th Annual Regatta—North America's oldest annual sailing competition—and the 12th edition of Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex will provide an invaluable opportunity to preview the racing formats and the scoring system that has been confirmed for the world championship.

Outsider, Teamwork and Notorious all plan to enter one or more of these pre-Worlds events.

"It's really encouraging to see early entries from outside New England and across the Atlantic Ocean," said event chair Patricia Young (Jamestown, R.I.), who will be racing her Tripp 41 Entropy in Class B. "The previous ORC/IRC World Championship, in The Hague in 2018, set a high bar in terms of entries and while we're not sure we can reach that level—Europe remains the epicenter for both of these rating rules—we are that much more confident we'll have a very strong and diverse fleet of yachts for the regatta."

Scoring System Confirmed

While this big boat handicap championship has been a staple of World Sailing's regatta slate for many years, the concept of scoring it with two rules is quite new, having only been done once previously, in 2018 in The Hague. The scoring formula is a little more complex, but the end result is a competition that does a more consistent job of rewarding the best-prepared and most-talented teams regardless of the wind conditions.

"The system we agreed to we think will minimize differences in the two rule systems," says ORC Chief Measurer Zoran Grubisa, who is co-chairing the event's Technical Committee along with Jason Smithwick from IRC. "We believe this will be an improvement on what we did in The Hague two years ago."

The basic mechanics of the scoring scheme are fairly straightforward. ORC Results will be calculated using the Coastal / Long Distance time-on-time scoring model, while inshore races will be scored using Performance Curve Scoring with a constructed course. IRC Results will be calculated using each yacht's IRC time correction coefficient. Corrected times calculated for ORC and IRC will be shown as deltas to the winning boat. The winning boat in each rating system in each class will have a corrected time of 00:00:00, and all others will have a corrected time calculated as the difference in time to the winner.

Finally, a single corrected time to determine the finishing place is calculated by averaging a yacht's corrected times in ORC and IRC. That score alone will go on the team's score card. The official scoring language can be found