It was a year in which many of us fancied ourselves as technical experts regarding the performance or otherwise of the latest generation of America's Cup sailing machines. As they strutted their stuff off Barcelona in an accelerating schedule from August 21st to October 20th 2024, opinions were ten-a-penny – indeed, they were a hundred-a-penny – as to what was going on, and how and why it might end.
Behind the flashing lights of Barcelona and other international host ports and cities for the high profile global pillar events such as the Olympic Regatta at Marseille from 28th July to 8th August, it was more than reassuring that the established annual and biennial fixtures list of sailing back home in Ireland continued through its lengthening annual programme, with time-honoured events finding themselves their usual place in the sun.
MIXED WEATHER
The long buildup to the America's Cup October final in Barcelona included racing for the giant boats of the J Class, which were the AC class used during the 1930s for three successful American defences.
And if – as happened more than somewhat – they didn't have memorable sun, then they got on with it anyway. For everyone has their own memory of the weather of 2024's sailing season. If your recollections include sunshine and good sailing taking place, then good luck to you. And if those memories are otherwise, well, tough.
When the going gets tough…126-year-old Howth 17 ODs making the best of one of 2024's 45-knot squalls. Photo: Tom Ryan
But in the big picture, whether we like it or not, the buildup towards the Olympics and the America's Cup were the increasingly dominant background themes that steadily moved towards centre stage as the year progressed.
OLYMPIC SAILING'S DISTANCE FROM MAIN EVENT
It was feared that the fact of the main Olympiad being in Paris, while the sailing was staged 800 km away at the other end of the country at Marseille, would once again create a sense of Olympic isolation for our sport. This notion was if anything increased in Marseille, as the sailing was from a stylish harbour installed in splendid isolation on the seaward side of the Marseille waterfront's coastal autoroute.
The Olympic Harbour at Marseille. Its location and layout seemed to institutionalize its remoteness from both the main stadium events in Paris, and the notably colourful Mediterranean city-port at which it was installed.
The psychological and actual division from a sometimes dangerously vibrantly Mediterranean melting-pot city seemed clearly planned, while Olympic media general coverage seemed determined to keep sailing at arm's length.
And how much awareness you had of the 2024 Olympic Sailing news depended on how interested you were. If dedicated, you could find frequent publicly accessible specialist coverage. But if you were "ordinary public interest", partially relying on each late evening's main TV news bulletin for a useful overview of how interest was focusing, it often seemed the sailing wasn't happening at all.
This was distressing at first, as the Irish squad of Eve McMahon (ILCA), Finn Lynch (ILCA) and Rob Dickson & Sean Waddilove (49er Skiff) started very well. The 49er sailors in particular were initially having a brilliant Olympics, so much so that at mid-series it was becoming a matter not so much of a medal, but rather of which one.
Sparkling with hope – Rob Dickson and Sean Waddilove revelling with their 49er on top form
Yet by the end, it was a case of "it's almost mathematically impossible for them not to win the Bronze". But in an absurdly short final race of flukey winds, they compounded a nervy start performance by re-crossing after mistakenly thinking they'd made a false start, and the "almost mathematically impossible" became reality.
Yet there was something about our 2024 team and their long, hard and often lonely road to Marseille that increased the continuing feeling of support for Irish Olympic sailing. We identify more than ever with these people. Thus the notion that sailing doesn't really belong in the Olympics at all doesn't bear thinking about, particularly when it's realized that the attitude of the next hosting city has much to do with whether or not sailing has a healthy Olympic future.
LOS ANGELES 2028 WILL BIG UP SAILING
Which is why the closing ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics was such an encouragement. For the ceremony in Paris segued into a very Californian transmission from the next in line, the 2028 Olympics host Los Angeles. It was all a bit ad hoc, as it was led by Snoop Dogg rapping through "Drop It Like It's Hot". That might have been misinterpreted, but then it was followed by Dr Dre with "The Next Episode" and other superstars building the mood.
Rappers for Sailing - it's looking good as Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg start the countdown towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics at Long Beach, where the next Sailing Olymoiad will be staged.
And it took place on the beach, with very blue eminently sailable sunlit sea in the picture. On top of that, the current Commodore of the mighty Los Angeles Yacht Club is Crosshaven's own Ken Corry, a veteran of the Moonduster experience. So far from being the sad poor relation, sailing is going to be BIG BIG BIG in Los Angeles in 2028, and it's up to the powers that be in our sport here in Ireland to make the best of this exceptional situation, when sailing at Long Beach in the midst of the sprawling Los Angeles coast is front of stage in the Olympic host city.
Our men on the Coast. Los Angeles YC Commodore Ken Corry (second right) is from Cork and a graduate of the "Moonduster Experience", while former Cork-based international designer Ron Holland (second left) is now Vancouver-based.
FIGARO DRAWS ATTENTION
Before the international sailing focus could finish its next move, southwest to Barcelona and the 37th America's Cup, attention shifted to France's West Coast and the Annual Figaro Solitaire Paprec. Ireland's Tom Dolan had showed inspired performance early in the year in buildup events, but in the big one itself, it was as though he'd been re-born, operating at a significantly higher new level.
In the first stage, he was clearly in the contending group. But in the second leg he was onto a different plane, making such a tactically superb job of getting round Spain's exposed northwest corner that when returning to that stage's finish on the French coast, he was a clear five miles ahead.
LONELINESS OF LEADER
He later confessed that being out on his own made him feel lonely - he much prefers the camaraderie of the more usual close-packed Figaro solo skipper racing. But the Stage 2 win gave him the overall clear lead – based on accumulated times – by a significant margin. So in the third and final leg – a ferocious 617 miles with much rough water sailing – he only had to finish close up with the leading, and his 7th in the final mob finish was more than good enough to keep the overall lead.
Tom Dolan has much to celebrate after his overall victory in the 55th Figaro with his tally including a stage win
The greatness of Tom Dolan's achievement is still sinking in. There are many distinguished Figaro sailors who continue to get good sponsorship despite never actually winning overall, or even winning a leg. There are those who have won overall, without ever having a stage win. Yet in one fell swoop in 2025 in a Figaro series with just three stages, Tom Dolan has done both, and done it with style.
His overall win on 12th September was just the tonic needed for an Irish sailing community still somewhat benumbed by the Olympic results, and created just the frame of mind needed to see the 37th America's Cup at Barcelona as Show Business every bit as much as a demonstration of extraordinary sailing allied to very advanced advanced technology.
BARCELONA HOSTS AMERICA'S CUP "JUST THE ONCE"
In Ireland, it was of particular interest, given that Barcelona had arrived suddenly on the scene on 29th March 2022 to be immediately declared the chosen venue for 2024, while those who had been encouraged by the America's Cup people to promote Cork were left wondering if they'd been merely the stalking horse from the get go.
The space age meets sailing. It has long been accepted that America's Cup boats will be very different from the boats that most of the rest of us sail, and in Barcelona 2024 they were off the wall.
But aside from the focused power of a wealthy city-state, Barcelona had the climatic advantage, and in the end it would have been embarrassing had the 37th AC been staged over the same 2024 time-frame in Cork, as "mixed" is inadequate to describe the Munster weather of this past year.
That said, it is a fact that at the end of October, the Catalunya weather close south of Barcelona collapsed in spectacular style. But by this stage the America's Cup's several circuses had moved on, the Emirates New Zealand squad had their cup back, and here in Ireland we found a photo of their superstar skipper Peter Burling at our own Fastnet Rock.
Skipper Ian Budgen and lead helm Peter Burling at the Fastnet Rock whie racing round it in the 115ft Nikita.
Meanwhile, has it been worth it for Barcelona? Recent years have shown that a significant part of the city's citizenry are feeling restless about the whole business of visitors taking over their city, and that may have played a role in it becoming fairly clear - even before the America's Cup 37th was completed – that staging it was going to be a one-off.
It won't be announced until June 2025 as to where and when the 38th Series will be held, but the word is Valencia, Auckland, and the Gulf States are in the mix. But it will need big bucks up front, and it will take nerve.
"Thanks but no thanks". The restlessly energetic port city of Barcelona soon made it clear that it wanted only one bite at the cherry that is the staging of the America's Cup
For the America's Cup has been made so televisual that, once you've allowed for the electronic veil, you get a much fuller idea of what's going on from good TV coverage than the experience of those who "just had to be there", as many of them ended up watching the show on giant screen set up in a Barcelona square from which it seemed impossible to actually see the sea.
THE COST FOR BARCELONA
According to Spanish media reports, the sailing event cost Catalan taxpayers €54 million, of which €30 million came from the Catalan government, €10 million from the city council and €5 million from the Diputació de Barcelona, among others. Despite the city council's positive assessment of the America's Cup, its economic impact on Catalonia "is so far unclear".
"Unclear" is one very telling little word when used in a context like this, hinting that staging the America's Cup verges on being a vanity project. That would be particularly the case in Barcelona, which is already one of the world's most famous cities, it has as much prestige as it can reasonably deal with, and in October 2024 the places taken up by America's Cup trade would have otherwise been filled by the usual high numbers of ordinary visitors taking advantage of Autumn discounts.
DOWN HOME NEWS
After all that international wrangling, it's refreshing to turn to the domestic version. For although the growth of signature events in sailing in Ireland is making it difficult for umbrella organisations to continue staging season-long leagues, with the signatures also making a dent in some club sailing, this is the new reality. The clubs that hope to serve their members' contemporary expectations need to take note of it.
NATIONAL YACHT CLUB AND RUFFIAN 23s SHARE "SAILING CLUB OF THE YEAR" TITLE
That said, many club sailors cherish their ordinary club sailing and racing activity above everything else to do with boats, so their officers have to tread a very fine line between the glitzy and the homely. It's a challenge which has been recognised with the informal "Sailing Club of the Year" contest being staged annually since 1979, and 2024 began with the National Yacht Club of Dun Laoghaire and the Golden Jubilee-celebrating Ruffian 23 class sharing the MG Motor 2024 "Sailing Club of the Year" title.
The MG Motor "Sailing Club of the Year 2024" award was shared between the National Yacht Club and the Golden Jubilee-celebrating Ruffian 23 Class. Heather Brown (daughter of Ruffian 23 designer Billy Brown) and National YC Commodore Peter Sherry jointly accept the Ship's Wheel trophy in February 2024.
Whatever about global warming and climate change, there's no doubt that 2024 experienced mixed weather, with the management and leadership efforts being made ashore by established club officers well-matched by the skills being demonstrated afloat by Ireland's remarkable corps of race management officials.
If anything, the occasional experimental introduction of autonomous race marks heightened the appreciation of what race officers have to do to keep the show on the road, for the load of responsibility they shoulder to provide sailors with the best possible sport is not something to be undertaken lightly.
ROUND IRELAND RACE
The pillar part of the Irish calendar started with the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race from Wicklow on June 22nd, and a healthily numerous and varied fleet experienced a calm patch towards the end which enabled the two fastest boats, Eric de Turckheim's NYMD 54 Teasing Machine from France and Pete Smyth's Ker 46 Seacher from the Royal Irish YC to take advantage of their on water lead, with Teasing Machine winning convincingly to provide an excuse to research the Chateau de Turckheim, which does indeed exist in that part of northeast France which is almost Germany.
The NYMD54 Teasing Machine doing the business rihht from the start of the SSE Renewables Round Ireland race 2024 from Wicklow. In addition to this win, in one two month period when she was in the frame in the Sydney-Hobart Race 2023, and was runner-up in the Middle Sea Race 2024. Photo: Afloat.ie/Davd O'Brien
VOLVO CORK WEEK
Into July, and Volvo Cork Week was preceded by the K2Q, the Dublin Bay to Cork Harbour Race first staged in 1860, and won in 2024 by the Shanahan family's J/109 Ruth (National YC) to build up a nice points total that helped her to win the ISORA Championship 2024 in the final race in September.
The Shanahan family's J/109 Ruth (National YC) won the 164-year-old Dublin Bay to Cork Harbour Race (the K2Q) in July, and in September clinched the ISORA 224 Championship. Photo: Afloat.ie/David O'Brien
In Cork Week, Johnny Treanor's J/112e ValenTina (NYC) was adjudged "Boat of the Week" after the usual Shamanic consultations within the inner circle of the inner circle, while about-to-retire Cork political star Simon Coveney was a popular winner of the Beaufort Cup, racing a J/109 with a Services Crew co-ordinated by Brian Matthews of Kinsale.
Coveney in command. Simon Coveney celebrates his retirement from active politics by skippering the J/109 to victory in the Beaufort Cup in Volvo Cork Week Photo: James Tomlinson
Celebrating the Services. Simon Coveney (second left) with his team as they formally receive the Beaufort Cup from the Minister for Defence at a gala dinner in Naval HQ at Haulbowline. Photo: Con Murphy
Volvo Cork Week 2024 had mixed weather, but "Fabulous Friday" ended it on a sparkling high. Revelling in it is Guapa, Bill Trafford of Doneraile's take on making an Etchees 22 into a compact fast cruiser. Photo: Con Murphy
SUCCESS AT COWES WEEK
In August the Jones family from Crosshaven took off with their J/122 Jellybaby for an intensive Cowes Week campaign, and were well-rewarded with a much-praised win of the Class 2 Championship. Meanwhile that impressive organization, the Irish GP 14 Association, sent a large flotilla to the 2024 Worlds in North Wales, and they looked like getting at least one boat into the frame right until the final race, but it was not to be.
Cutting the mustard. Jellybaby from Crosshaven was outright winner of Class 2 at Cowes Week
DRAGON GOLD CUP
The Dragon Gold Cup then drew attention to Kinsale for a very impressive fleet, and with rugged weather it was won by Pedro Rebelo de Amdrade of Portugal, with Peter Gilmour racing for Japan second, and Lawrie Smith of Glandore Harbour YC third.
The fleet racing for the Dragon Gold Cup at Kinsale was notably international in its makeup
ROYAL IRISH GEARS UP
Back on the East Coast meanwhile, the Royal Irish Yacht Club had geared itself up for an exceptional suite of championships culminating in the IRC Europeans in mid-September. The organising committee led by Patrick Burke really had set themselves a very high bar, but they cleared it and one boat, the J/109 Outrajeous (Johnny & Suzie Murphy, Howth YC, with Neil Spain on helm) was outstanding in the Open Division in the ICRA Nats, the J Cup, and the IRC Euros, while clubmates Nigel Biggs and Dave Cullen with the hefty First 50 Checkmate XX were the first winners of the Maples Trophy, inaugurated by the RIYC to go to the Corinthian Winner in the IRC Euros – next year, it will be raced for at Bonifacio in Corsica
The rush of major national and international cruiser-racer late season championships, staged by the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, demonstrated how effectively this 174-year-old purpose-built "Pavilion for Sailing" has adapted to modern requirements while retaining the best of its historic characteristics.
Champions every which way. Neil Spain with Johnny & Suzie Murphy and their European trophy.
"The Big Yin". Powerful windward work under the black sails with the First 50 Checkmate XX (Nigel Biggs & Dave Cullen, HYC) IRC European Corinthian Champion 2024. These days, even the seagulls have black carbon fibre wings.
ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS
Cora McNaughton (Blessington SC) and Isha Duggan (Royal Cork YC) won the All-Ireland Junior Championship 2024 at Schull
Season's end saw the Junior Championship at Schull won by Cora McNaughton from Blessington and Isha Duggan from Royal Cork, while the Seniors at Royal North of Ireland YC at Cultra on Belfast Lough in RS400s was won by Ballyholme's Robert Espey crewed by Mile Ferguson.
Serious series sailors….Robert Espey (right) and Mike Ferguson of Ballyholme YC won the 2024 All-Ireland Championship in RS400s at Cultra with Royal North of Ireland YC under the radar by not winning a single race, but always being right there in the frame
ICRA CHAMPIONS
And then the Irish Cruiser Racing Association scattered the chicken bones and read them closely to produce the result that James Dwyer's eccentric Classic Half Tonner, the 1976-vintage Bruce Farr-designed Swuzzlebubble of the Royal Cork, was "Boat of the Year" under IRC, while the ECHO champion was likewise a blast from the past, the Howth-based Corby 25 Impetuous (Fergal Noonan).
The 1976 Farr Classic Half Tonner Swuzzlebubble (James Dwyer, Royal Cork YC) is ICRA IRC Champion for 2024. Photo: Robert Bateman
Fergal Noonan's Corby 25 Impetuous (Howth YC) won the ICRA ECHO Championship for 2024. Photo: Afloat.ie/David O'Brien
CRUISES NEAR AND FAR
As for cruising, the picture will become clearer in the New Year when cruising awards are distributed, but the Irish Cruising Club was busy both with voyaging and with cruising rallies, one in northwest Spain, another in south Brittany, and a third in southwest Ireland.
Nevertheless we cannot leave 2024 without applause for Sally O'Keeffe, the 25ft Shannon cutter which Steve Morris of Kilrush Boatyard skippered from the Shannon Estuary to Brittany and back, taking in the Woodenboat Festival at Baltimore, the festival at Douarnenez, and the daddy of them all, the four-yearly Brest Maritime Festival. It was a really remarkable achievement of seafaring, and all done without fuss.
The 25ft Myle Stapleton-designed community-built Shannon cutter Sally O'Keeffe from Querrin and Kilrush, seen here at the Fastnet Rock on her way to the Baltimore Woodenboat Festival. From Baltmimore she went on across the Celtic Sea to the Brest and Douarnenez Martime festivals in Brittany, before sailing back home again on an ocean passage to the Shannon Estuary. Photo: Seol Sionna
