Finn Lynch’s European Championships 28th overall result in Gran Canaria earlier this month means he will be eligible for International Carding and direct state funding of €12,000 next January 2017. 

Finn was the only Irish Laser senior sailor to qualify for the gold fleet (top half of fleet) the other three Irish trialists raced in the silver fleet.

The two top five race results he scored will also give the 19–year–old a great lift but unfortunately it is money – or for the lack of it – that is most needed now. 

This event was not a trial for Olympic nomination. Palma is the next event to count and racing starts there on March 28th. According to a National Yacht Club statement, Finn’s financial situation is now critical as a fundraiser did not reach its target.

Fourth in London four years ago, National Yacht Club sailor Annalise Murphy is focused on a bid for Olympic glory but success in Rio is unlikely to be plain sailing she tells the Irish Times this morning.

Murphy has spent around 250 days last year out of the country chasing better than London 2012 and since then has been to Rio seven times. She will travel back to the venue another three or four times before August. Learning the geography and climate system and tides has become a necessity. 

“There’s probably eight girls that could all easily win the gold medal in the Laser Radial Class. There’s maybe three or four that are likely to win the gold medal but eight of us definitely have the potential to win. I think on my good days I’m in that eight,” she says.

Read Johnny Watterson's full interview with the Rathfarnham sailing star in the Irish Times here.

Listen to Annalise's recent RTE/Afloat Seascapes podcast here

Watch Annalise's rival Evi Van Acker on World Sailing TV here

Read David O'Brien's Rio’s 'ill wind threatens to undermine Annalise Murphy' story in the Irish Times here

Following the very positive feedback on its club paddle-boards last season, the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire is carry-on diversifying its water sports activities and has taken delivery of nine RTM Ocean Duo sea-kayaks, thanks to the support of the Sport Capital Grant 2015 programme.
The RTM Ocean Duos are open but stable kayaks and can easily take two adults or even three people “on deck” with a child in the middle or three teenagers.
The sea-kayaks will join the NYC's existing and expanding fleet of Club sailing boats.

National Yacht Club sailors from Dun Laoghaire lead both the mens and womens Irish Olympic Laser Trials in the early stages in Rio. Anomalies in the scoring of Ill Copa Brazil de Vela have been resolved and overall results after four races now in the women's Laser Radial class show Annalise Murphy in 13th place in the 44–boat fleet with Aoife Hopkins 28th. Best results so far are a third for Murphy in race three, Hopkins has scored 22nd in races two and three. Belgium's Evi Van Acker continues her overall lead. 

Yesterday, in a confusing situation, Murphy was scored as a 'Did Not Compete' and ranked last but an overhaul of the official scoresheet has rectified this and also increased the number of competitors to 44. 

Ill Copa Brazil de Vela is the first of three Olympic Laser trials for two Irish Laser Olympic places. In total this gives the trials series 32 races over six months, with four now sailed.

In the mens division, Finn Lynch is 32nd and best of three Irish in the 48–boat fleet. Fionn Lyden is 40th and James Espey, Ireland's London 2012 representative, is 44th.

Official results are downloadable below.

The Flying Fifteen & friends annual dinner and prize giving took place at the National Yacht Club at the weekend. The class mustered over 90 for dinner with piano accompaniment Terry Brown who generously provided his talents for a donation by the class to the Dun Laoghaire Lifeboat.
Class Captain Ronan Beirne welcomed the guest of Honour Winkie Nixon of Afloat.ie, Georgina Nixon, Larry Power Commodore of the host club and Commodore Pat Shannon of Dublin Bay Sailing Club. The Captain thanked the Clubs for their support and Mitsubishi Motors for their sponsorship of the class.

In between courses class members gave a short presentation on the fleets activities in the year. Alan Dooley reviewed a busy year with his “flying fifteen health check” resumé. Chris Doorly presented his “Magic Moments” as crew with David Gorman while winning the Championship of Ireland, The Northern and Southern Championships. Alan Green reported on the Worlds in France where he attained a place on the podium with third place.

Flying fifteen champions David Gorman and Chris Doorly

David Mulvin recounted on “The Road to Rhu” and the British Championships which took place on the Clyde.
The guest of Honour Winkie Nixon of “Afloat” gave a most entertaining and informative talk on the talents and life of flying fifteen designer “Uffa Fox”. In addition to the Fifteen he recalled the many other yachts from the board of Fox including the flying thirty five “flying Fox” formerly of the National Yacht Club.
The prize giving was organised by Frank Burgess where some twenty trophies and thirty class medals and six ISA medals were presented. The top class trophy the Championship of Ireland which winners David Gorman and Chris Doorly presented to Larry Power Commodore of the National Yacht Club for safe keeping. The top Dun Laoghaire class trophy the “Heineken Plate” for the best combined Saturday & Thursday results was presented to David Mulvin.
The evening’s formal proceedings concluded with Ronan Beirne passing on the Class Captains Cap to the new Class Captain Joe Coughlan.

174 ISORA members and guests were treated to a very special evening to celebrate the 2015 season at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire in the annual ISORA Avery Crest Prize giving and Dinner dance on Saturday evening.

The evening was preceded by the ISORA Annual General Meeting when the 2016 race schedule was decided. ISORA Chairman, Peter Ryan, said 'the schedule has been designed to provide the best possible racing for offshore sailors in the Irish Sea and makes best use of boat movements between race. The race series is also arranged so that boats can also compete in the 'ICRA National Championship' in Howth and the 'Spinlock IRC Welsh National Championship and RDYC Offshore Championship' in Pwllheli and also in the classic Round Ireland and Midnight Races'.

There was a pre-Dinner Reception in the JB Room and Master of Ceremonies, Peter Ryan, welcomed the guests and the honorary guests: Commodore Royal Ocean Racing Club - Michael Boyd, Commodore National Yacht Club - Larry Power, Commodore Royal Dee Yacht Club - Derek Matthews, Commodore Royal Alfred Yacht Club - Barry MacNeaney.

Following the grace by ISORA Hon Secretary Stephen Tudor, the guests were treated to a delightfully presented and delicious meal. The traditional prize giving led by Peter Ryan culminated with the presentation of the Wolf's Head trophy to the overall winner Liam Shanahan and the 'Ruth' team.

The party was concluded with a dance and teams discussing their 2016 racing campaigns with visits planned to or from Dun Laoghaire, Wicklow, Douglas, Holyhead, Pwllheli and Greystones.

ISORA will meet this Saturday to agree its offshore race schedule for 2016. The AGM will be held at 15.00Hrs at the National Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire. 

The Agenda and '2016 Race Schedule discussion Document' are attached for download below.

Sixteen Flying Fifteen’s took part in Saturday's racing on Dublin Bay where there was drama on the water when Joe Coughlin’s crew Ed Ruane had to be taken from the boat with a dislocated shoulder. The drama unfolded on the reach in Race 2 when Joe himself fell overboard leaving Ed to fend for himself with the spinaker still up in a force 4! In trying to take control pulling halyards his arm suddenly got pulled causing his shoulder to pop out causing excruciating pain. As this happened the alert rib crew of Mark and Cian had Joe in the rib and put him on the Fifteen, it was only then that they realised Ed was in trouble, with a careful transfer to the rib he was brought ashore where the NYC boatmen looked after him till the ambulance arrived and took him to hospital. The good news is that he is now recovering, we look forward to welcoming him back when we resume sailing in April.

There were three races, all of which were won by guest helm Sean Craig and Alan Green in Frequent Flyer. PRO Ian Mathews and his team provided great racing in fantastic conditions, more akin to a summer’s day than November! Overall David Mulvin & Ronan Beirne had to have three reasonable results to take the 9 race series. This they did with consistant results with a 3, 3 and 4. Sean and Alan didn’t have it all their own way and racing was close. In race one Ken & Ben were going well along with the Meaghers. In race 2 the Meagher’s led the way only for spinnaker troubles to undo their good work. In Race 3  Sean had a more comfortable race as fatigue set in after a tough days sailing, Tom Murphy was second with Ken & Ben third. Others sailing well were Adrian Cooper and the Cronin’s.

Overall it was a close affair for the podium places Alan Dooley with Joe Hickey were second overall and Niall and Nicki Meagher third on equal points with John McAree & Ben Mulligan. Thanks again to Ian Mathews and his team and Michael Campbell for the use of his boat. Its now time to put the boats away for the winter in what was an exciting season, with great turnouts for competitive racing.

Dublin Bay Saturday series was won by Ian Mathews & Keith Poole in the Gruffalo, Thursdays was won by Niall Colman & Mick Quinn. At regional level the Dublin fleet did well also,  the Lough Derg Keelboat Regatta was won David Mulvin & Ronan Beirne, The East Coast championships were won by UK helm Charles Apthorp with Alan Green crewing and in what can only be described as a very successful season. Dave Gorman & Chris Doorly won the South Coast, the Northern Championships along with the  Championships of Ireland.

Meanwhile there will be a second meeting after the formalities of this week's Dublin Bay agm to discuss FF racing for 2016 in the Bay. The class Annual Dinner is on Saturday, 21st November.

A much loved club launch belonging to the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire has been wrecked in southerly gales on Dublin Bay. It follows the reported theft of the launch at the weekend that subsequently became the subject of a search and rescue operation when the vessel became entangled in lobster pots in nearby Scotsman's Bay.  

The 20–foot boat that ferried club members to and from yacht moorings was wrecked at the back of the pier before the club could retrieve it.

Read our earlier story on the NYC launch rescue here

A sixth, an eighth and a 22nd scored by Annalise Murphy today moves up her the scoreboard from 19 to within striking distance of the top ten of the Laser Radial fleet at Semaine Olympique Française.

This morning's race started with 15-18 knots of wind, and averaged 23 knots this afternoon, with strong swells.

The National Yacht Club solo sailor leads Irish hopes in the 37–boat fleet where three other Irish sailors are also competing. Joining Annalise in La Rochelle are Irish Olympic trialists Nicole Hemeryck of the National Yacht Club in 25th, Aoife Hopkins of Howth YC (28th) and Aisling Keller of Lough Derg (32nd).

Racing continues tomorrow.