Malahide and Wexford Harbour duo of Jack McDowell and Henry Thompson continued their overall lead of the 420 class at the Investwise Youth Sailing National Championships at Cork Harbour.

Counting four race wins on the opening day of the championships, the pair ended the ten races five points clear of Eoghan Duffy and Conor Paul of Lough Ree. Lying third is Malahide's Imogen Hauer and Hugo Micka.

420: Sailed: 10, Discards: 1, To count: 9, Entries: 9

Racing is scheduled for Sunday, but a forecast for strong winds looks set to cut the championships short.

Update Sunday 09.24: Due to current wind conditions and forecast, the race committee has decided to cancel sailing for the day. Prizegiving at 10 am in the marquee

420 Day Three Youth Nationals Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman 

James Dwyer and Ben O'Shaughnessy of the RCYC continue to lead the 29er skiff class Investwise youth sailing nationals but only by a single point from Royal Irish rivals Tim Norwood and Nathan van Steenberge. 

After nine races sailed at Crosshaven, the three Irish boats that raced in the gold fleet at last week's Europeans in Lake Garda now occupy the top three slots at the Cork Harbour based championships.

Norwood and van Steenberge (who posted the top Irish result of 11th in Italy) have climbed back up the leaderboard from fourth place after four races to be in reach of the title after winning races eight and nine on Saturday afternoon. 

Third is the well sailed girls National YC/Royal St. George YC combination of Clementine van Steenberge and Chiara Carra. 

Racing is scheduled for Sunday, but a strong wind forecast may yet curtail racing. 

Update Sunday 09.24: Due to current wind conditions and forecast, the race committee has decided to cancel sailing for the day. Prizegiving at 10 am in the marquee

29er: Sailed: 9, Discards: 1, To count: 8, Entries: 11

Not even a race disqualification can stop the march of Youth World Radial champion Eve McMahon at Royal Cork Yacht Club. 

The Under 18 star from Howth Yacht Club heads a mixed fleet of 30 boys and girls racing for youth national honours in Cork Harbour, where a place at the Oman World Sailing Championships this December is at stake.

After losing her overnight lead due to an opening day race disqualification, McMahon regained her overall lead of the ILCA6 (Laser Radial) division but only after a tiebreak from the chasing Michael Crosbie of the host club.

As well as an impressive scoreline that includes four strikes from ten races, McMahon has also found herself involved in three protests (either as an initiator or respondent) in the championships so far. Details here. 

Conor Galligan of the NYC rasing at the Youth Nationals

Crosbie was disqualified from the last race of the day, returning McMahon to a comfortable seven-point cushion at the top of the 30-boat fleet. 

Meanwhile, Jonathan O'Shaughnessy, the 2021 Radial National Champion who impressed at October's Eurocup, but got off to a poor star on Friday has moved up the rankings to third overall but still eight points behind Crosbie. Results below.

The fleet spent at least six hours on the water with racing delayed waiting for breeze to arrive, plus an extra race was added to the daily schedule.

The extra race was added in anticipation of strong winds on Sunday and fears of a blowout.

ILCA 6/Radial Sailed: 10, Discards: 1, To count: 9, Entries: 30 

National's Ledoux Still leads 4.7s 

Sam Ledoux of the National YC leads the ILCA4 (Laser 4.7) fleet with 31 boats. After seven races sailed, the Dun Laoghaire Harbour campaigner has extended his lead on Royal St. George rival Matteo Ciaglia and now has a six-point margin. Royal Cork's Mauro G Regueral Nogguerol scoresheet has been updated to remove an earlier DNF from race two, a decision that puts the Spaniard into third overall. 

ILCA 4 Sailed: 7, Discards: 1, To count: 6, Entries: 32

Racing is scheduled for Sunday, but a forecast for strong winds looks set to cut the championships short.

Update Sunday 09.24: Due to current wind conditions and forecast, the race committee has decided to cancel sailing for the day. Prizegiving at 10 am in the marquee

ILCA 4 & 6 Day Three Youth Nationals Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman 

On Saturday, Royal Cork's own Rian Collins grip on the Topper fleet continued on the third day of racing at the Investwise Youth Sailing Nationals at Royal Cork Yacht Club.

After seven races sailed, the host club ace extended his lead by two points in the biggest fleet of the championships in a scoreline that includes three race wins.

The 38-boat fleet had a long day on the water in a bid to complete racing before strong winds set in on Cork Harbour on Sunday. 

The fleet spent at least six hours on the water with racing delayed waiting for breeze to arrive. 

Third overall Bobby Driscoll of Belfast Lough at a weather mark on the third day of Topper dinghy class Youth Nationals racing in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

Collins's clubmate Dan O'Leary stays second, having equally built up his points cushion over chasing Northern Ireland sailor Bobby Disrcoll from Belfast Lough in third place. Results below.

Subject to weather, racing will conclude on Sunday afternoon. 

Update Sunday 09.24: Due to current wind conditions and forecast, the race committee has decided to cancel sailing for the day. Prizegiving at 10 am in the marquee

Topper: Sailed: 7, Discards: 1, To count: 6, Entries: 38

Four straight wins for the Malahide and Wexford Harbour pairing of Jack McDowell and Henry Thompson means they overtake the overnight leaders Imogen Hauer and Hugo Micka in the 420 Class of the Investwise Youth Sailing National Championships at Royal Cork.

Hauer and Micka are now third overall on 15 points, with Lough Ree's Owen Duffy and Conor Paul squeezing into second place on 12 points after seven races sailed. 

The 420 fleet sailed trapezoid courses Photo: Bob Bateman

This year, the 420 numbers are reduced at the Nationals, a disappointment for double-handed followers, especially given the impressive 21-boat showing at Howth for the National Championships in August. 

Racing continues tomorrow, with more trapezoid courses expected off the Whitegate refinery in Cork Harbour.

420: Sailed: 7, Discards: 1, To count: 6, Entries: 9

 420 Youth Nationals Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman - Day 2

After three races sailed in the 29er Skiff Class at the Investwise Youth Sailing Championships at Royal Cork, two of the Irish gold fleet finishers at the European Championships on Lake Garda in Italy on Wednesday continue neck and neck in Cork Harbour on Friday.

As regular Afloat readers will know, Royal Cork's James Dwyer and Ben O'Shaughnessy of the RCYC  finished 18th at the Euros with Clementine van Steenberge with Chiara Carra of the Royal St. George YC, three places behind in 21st place. 

After four races sailed in Cork Harbour, the battle continues with Dwyer and O'Shaughnessy one point ahead of the Royal St George girls. Another George pairing, sisters Emily and Jessica Riordan, are lying third. 

The fight for the lead of the 29er fleet was very impressive with the level of competition and standard of racing on show Photo: Bob Bateman.

Top Irish performers at the Euros (finishing 11th), Tim Norwood and Nathan van Steenberge of the Royal Irish, are in fourth place, principally due to retiral in the second race this morning. They won the opening race and were fifth in the third.

The Irish team is adjusting from the big fleet tactics required for the massive 200 boats European fleet earlier this week to the much more modest 11 boat domestic fleet gathered on the Cuskinny Bank.

Racing continues tomorrow.

29er: Sailed: 4, Discards: 0, To count: 4, Entries: 11

 29er Youth Nationals Day 2 Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman

Malahide’s Imogen Hauer and Hugo Micka have a one point overnight lead in the first day of racing in a nine boat 420 class fleet at the Investwise Youth Sailing Championships on Cork Harbour.

Lough Ree’s Eoghan Duffy with Conor Paul are a point behind the Dublin crew but only on tie-break from Jack McDowell with Henry Thompson, a Malahide and Wexford Harbour combination.

Racing continues tomorrow at Royal Cork Yacht Club. 

420 class Sailed: 3, Discards: 0, To count: 3, Entries: 9

After a dramatic conclusion to the final day of Royal Cork's AIB Autumn League where racing in all classes was abandoned and one yacht went aground in Cork Harbour, prizes were presented at the Crosshaven clubhouse based on overall results after six races sailed.

In the three boat IRC SPIN 0 Division, Conor Phelan's, Ker 37 Jump Juice won overall but shared the same seven points as Annamarie and Denis Murphy's Grand Soliel 40 Nieulargo.

Jump Juice were winners in both IRC and Club Echo Class 0. The prize is collected by long time Jump crewman John Sisk. Barry Rose (left) presents the Rose Trophy for the best IRC performance Photo: Bob Bateman

Molly Murphy collects the prize for Nieulargo (Denis Murphy and Annamarie Fegan) IRC spin 0 winner and second in Club Echo Photo: Bob Bateman

In the seven boat IRC SPIN 1 division, Kieran Collins Olson 30 Coracle IV emerged with a one-point margin after six races sailed over the Jones Family J.109 Jelly Baby that went aground and was successfully recovered. Third was the Kinsale sistership Artful Dodjer skippered by Finbarr O'Regan.

Kieran Collins sailing Coracle, was first in IRC Spi 1 and third in Echo Spi 1 Photo: Bob Bateman

Artful Dodjer was third in IRC spin 1 and second in Club Echo. The prize was received by Nieulargo skipper Denis Murphy for Finbarr O'Regan Photo: Bob Bateman

Dave Lane's J24 YaGottaWanna won overall on ten points in the nine boat SPIN 2 IRC division from Fiona Young's Albin Express North Star on 13 points. The Tony Donworth Quarter Tonner SuperNova is third on 14 points. Lane's performance gave him the overall win of the  AIB Series.

J/24 Ya Gotta Wanna (Dave Lane) was the overall winner of the AIB Autumn Series and won both IRC Spin 2 and Club Echo divisions Photo: Bob Bateman

Tony Donworth's Supernova was second in IRC Two and Echo Two Photo: Bob Bateman

Ritchie Leonard was third in IRC Spin 2 division Photo: Bob Bateman

Chris Bateman (centre) pictured the J/24 Under 25 team Photo: Bob Bateman

Michael McCann's Etchells 22 Don't Dilly Dally of the Sportsboats class Photo: Bob Bateman

Frank Caul and John Molloy sailing Prince of Tides were Echo WS1 division winners Photo: Bob Bateman

Roy Hanan, Pat Barrett sailing Plumbat were Echo WS2 division winners Photo: Bob Bateman

Kieran O'Brien's Magnet was the IRC WS2 winner Photo: Bob Bateman

From a sad scene of what appeared to be nearly certain destruction for a racing yacht, a Cork Harbour Coastguard led team has successfully refloated the J/109 that grounded at the mouth of the harbour this afternoon.

As Afloat reported earlier, the Jelly Baby came to grief at Weavers Point during the final race of Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League around noon.

After the yacht broached and hit rocks, all ten crew made it ashore safely, some climbing the harbour rocks to do so.

The grounded yacht stood on its keel at Bull Rock and was being pounded by the waves for several hours until the Coastguard and a salvage team could successfully get her off the rock and refloat her on a rising tide.

Jelly Baby under tow back to Crosshaven

J109 Jelly Baby is hauled out at Crosshaven Boatyard with hull damage clearly visible following her afternoon on the rocks

All crew are reported safe, but a top racing yacht of the Royal Cork Yacht Club is on the rocks at Cork Harbour after a Mayday emergency incident on the final day of racing in the Club's Autumn League.

After the race rounded a weather mark, the Class One yacht Jelly Baby broached, and it is understood that a crew member from the boat went overboard.

According to eyewitness accounts, the crewman was recovered safely by the ten strong J/109 crew, but the rescue manoeuvres, brought Jelly Baby close inshore and near the rocks at the harbour mouth. 

Despite efforts to clear the lee shore, the yacht ended up on the rocks at Weaver's Point at a point known locally as Bull Rock.

Two crew went overboard. One was picked up by a competitor and the other by a RIB. 

The incident led to to an emergency Mayday call responded to by the RNLI at Crosshaven and the local Coastguard Unit and the Port Of Cork Pilot launch.

Coastguard attend the scene at Weaver's Point where a yacht went aground

The rest of the crew made their way to safety by climbing the rocky cliff at Weaver's Point, an elevation of approximately 20 metres, at the mouth of Cork Harbour.

The J109 yacht Jelly Baby at Weavers Point

Racing has been abandoned. 

Coastguard Hopes to Refloat 'Jelly Baby' at high Water

Coastguard volunteers attend the J109 Jelly Baby aground at Weaver's Point

Update at 3.20 pm:  The yacht remains aground and an attempt to re-float it will be made by the Crosshaven Coastguard team closer to high water.

The Coast Guard has set up a cordon near the boat.

Update: 6.30 pm: The yacht is successfully refloated. See vid here.