Laser Nationals Launch at Ballyholme, Five Belfast Sailors Head for Youth Worlds

22nd July 2014

#lasersailing – This weekend Ballyholme Yacht Club will have five sailors at the Laser Radial Youth World Championships in Dziwnów, Poland - Tim Brow, Sarah Eames, Suzanne Flannigan, Sorcha Donnelly, and current Topper World Champion Liam Glynn. Laura Gilmore from SLYC and Gary Fekkes from EABC are also competing as part of a 15 boat Irish team that includes ISAF youth world silver medallist, Seafra Guilfoyle from Royal Cork.

It has been a busy summer for the young sailors from Bangor - Sarah has just finished competing in the ISAF Youth Worlds in Portugal, while Liam and Sarah competed in the European Youth Laser Radial Championships at the beginning of July when both Sarah and Liam won individual races. This is Liam Glynn's first season in the Laser Radial having stepped up from the Topper dinghy last summer when he won all the Irish provincial and national titles and followed this up by being the first Irish sailor to win the Topper World Championships in France. The Irish team are looking forward to many more top results after Royal Cork sailor Seafra Guilfoyle won the Silver medal at the ISAF Youth Worlds in Laser Radials in Portugal, coached by Ballyholme YC's Russell McGovern.

More details of the Laser Radial Youth World Championships can be found here

Before they left, four of the Ballyholme YC World Laser Radial Youth Squad got together to help launch the Irish Laser National Championships which are being hosted by Ballyholme Yacht Club from 28-31st August 2014. The Laser National Championships includes all 3 versions of the Laser dinghy - Standard, Radial and 4.7. The hull is the same for all versions, the sail and rig is smaller for the Radial and 4.7 which attracts ladies and youths. Ballyholme YC has one of the largest Standard and Radial fleets in Ireland and the championships hope to attract 130 boats over the 3 fleets. Some sailors have already expressed interest to travel from GB to race in what should be a very competitive event.

Published in Laser

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About the ILCA/Laser Dinghy

The ILCA, formerly known as the Laser, is the most produced boat in the world, with 220,000 units built since 1971.

It's easy to see why the single-handed dinghy has won the title of the most widely distributed boat of all time.

The Laser is a one-design dinghy, the hulls being identical but three rigs that can be used according to the size and weight of the sailor.

The class is international, with sailors from 120 countries. The boat has also been an Olympic class since 1996, being both the men's and women's singlehanded dinghy.

Three rigs are recognised by the International Laser Class Association (ILCA):