#SB20 - Sailing was cancelled in high winds on the last day of the SB20 National Championships yesterday (Sunday 7 August), meaning that Saturday's leaders – Jerry Dowling's Bád – sail away with this year's title.

The Royal Irish Yacht Club boat topped the table after six races sailed, four points clear of defending champion Michael O'Connor on Sin Bin from the Royal St George YC.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, it was a Dun Laoghaire-dominated weekend at the National Yacht Club, with Dowling's club mate Ger Dempsey on Venuesworld.com in third place.

As out going Chairman of SB20 Ireland it gives me great pleasure to be handing over to the very experienced Justin Burke.

Being part of an emerging class was a very exciting prospect when I took over three years ago.

The SB20 class has had a number of challenges, changing its name from SB3 to Sb20. A new regime of Sportsboat World has recently taken over the franchise.

One of the main reasons for the success of the SB20 has being the number high quality sailors who compete in the class.

The class has maintained very strong numbers and there is very good value to be had in the second hand market.

With a very strong Dublin Bay fleet of 28 boats and good numbers Nationwide bringing the total to in excess of 60 boats, second largest fleet after the UK. The strength of the fleet has being enhanced by having an exciting calendar year on year, point in case is 2013 with Galway hosting the Nationals for the first time.

A real testament to racing around Ireland is the very warm welcome the fleet receives from all the host clubs, and especially its members who volunteer their time to ensure we the competitors have the superb time on the water.

Having the Worlds in 2008 hosted by the National YC with over 140 boats, the class has fleets in Australia, Belgium,Germany,France,Italy, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Holland & the UK.

This years worlds are this December in Hamilton Island Australia.

In 2013 the Worlds return to Europe and will be held in September in Hyeres in the South of France. This promises to be very well attended regatta as many boats will make a family holiday out of the trip.

As the season ends and we pack our boats away for the winter, we can contemplate a wonderful season ahead in 2013, see below.

Jerry Dowling

Chairman SB20 Ireland ( outgoing)

Calendar 2013

Spring Warmer HYC - April 6/13/20

Followed by the Easterns

Easterns Howth Y.C. - April 27/28th

Westerns L.Ree - May 11/12th (or18/19)

Southerns (Kinsale) - June 08/09th

DunLaoghaire week - July 11/14th

Nationals Galway - July 26/28th

Northerns - Aug 10/11th

Carrickfergus or Royal Ulster

Worlds France - Sept.7th – 13 th

Midlands L.Derg - Oct 19/20th

Ten Irish boats are among 120 entered so far in the 2011 SB3 World Championships in Torbay that will be the largest keelboat world championship in the UK this season.

But top ranked Irish performer Ben Duncan, who races from Howth Yacht Club is entered under his native New Zealand flag.

Seriously Bonkers (Martin Cuppage), Bad Kilcullen (Jerry Dowling) and Cathy MacAleavey's Bluebird are among Dun Laoghaire boats to enter so far. The full entry list is here.

The event will be hosted by the Royal Torbay Yacht Club, UK from 16 – 20 May 2011.

Representatives from fourteen nations will compete in the World Championships. The host nation field an entry of over seventy boats. Entries come from as far afield as Australia and South Africa. Ireland, France, The Netherlands, Portugal, Greece, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Ukraine and Russia will all be represented in Torquay in May.

The three Laser SB3 World Champions, Geoff Carveth (2008 Champion, Dun Laoghaire), Craig Burlton (2009 Champion, Cascais) and Jerry Hill (2010 Champion, Torbole) will all compete for the 2011 Championship title.

Carveth, Burlton and Hill are all British and so far the Laser SB3 World Championship has not been won by another nation. Will 2011 see the trophy slip from the Brits grip?

Australian sailing man of the moment, Nathan Outteridge, will compete with Laser SB3 Class President, Dave Cheyne in Torquay in May. Outteridge is twice 49er World Champion, current Moth World Champion and recent winner of the Audi King of Docklands and Audi Victoria Week in the Laser SB3. Fellow Australian Glenn Bourke returns to the class for the Championship.

South Africa’s Roger Hudson will compete in his fourth Laser SB3 World Championship and will no doubt be determined to better his current hatric of second places. Hudson has sailed each of the previous World Championships with a different helm; 2008 David Hudson (father), 2009 Taariq Jacobs and 2010 Iain Ainslie. It is yet to be announced which members of the Race Ahead Foundation will sail with Hudson in 2011. 

In preparation for the World Championships, the Royal Torbay Yacht Club will host the Torbay Open, 30 April – 2 May and the Pre World Championship 12 – 13 May. These two events will provide a great opportunity for a number of keen teams from across Europe to travel to the UK and sail on the waters of Tor Bay prior to the World Championships.

“We’re really looking forward to hosting the event at the Club, I sail in the fleet so it’s great to be involved in delivering this event. We’re delighted with the size and quality of the entry list and look forward to extending the entry if necessary,” explained Event Organiser Adrian Peach.

The Laser SB3 Class is proud to be one of the most tightly restricted one design keelboat classes in the world with little variation from the builder’s final product permitted. With minimal maintenance, easy to trail and low campaign costs, the class thrives on its philosophy of providing inclusive, high intensity, great fun and easily attainable, quality racing for its members.

Further news and developments can be followed HERE.