#HYC - Saturday night (19 January) saw Howth Yacht Club’s annual Achievers Awards to recognise those who have gone above and beyond for the club in the previous year.
Junior sailor Rocco Wright was one of the stars of the evening, receiving the Seaward Bell Trophy for excelling in events both at home and abroad.
Wright’s category included Eve McMahon, Luke Turvey, Johnny Flynn and Jamie McMahon — all exemplars of the calibre of junior racing talent at the club today.
On the same note, the GM Award for the sailor or sailors who best represent and enhance the spirit of junior sailing went to the Scott girls Hannah, Sarah and Lucy for their enthusiasm — which included the daunting task of saving on Ian Malcolm’s Howth 17.
The Howth 17 class itself took the Cliona Murphy Memorial Trophy that encapsulates the spirit of the club as a whole, dedicating time and effort to a specific goal in which the club can take pride.
In other awards, Diarmuid Brodie was named Instructor of the Year for his outstanding service to HYC members over the previous 12 months, while Sarah Robertson was rewarded for her efforts with the Volunteer of the Year gong.
Dave Cullen and team on Checkmate XV were named Boat of the Year after wins in all three Dun Laoghaire regattas, their overall wins in the inaugural Wave Regatta and the Half Ton Classics Cup.
And the Silver Fox Trophy for excellence in racing, cruising or organisation went to the junior 49er world champion pair of Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove, winning out over Colin Kavanagh and the most recent Irish Sailor of the Year Conor Fogerty.