#DUN LAOGHAIRE NEWS - Dun Laoghaire will play host to sailing’s most exciting new global championship series when the MOD70 European Tour visits from Wednesday 5 to Sunday 9 September.

Ireland has hosted many of the world’s top sailing events during 2012 and the welcoming of this new series surely positions Ireland as one of the best sailing locations in the world. The MOD70 fleet - Race For Water, FONCIA, Groupe Edmond de Rothschild, Spindrift Racing and Musandam-Oman Sail - will be hosted by the National Yacht Club (NYC) and the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company (DLHC), and a five-day family festival will be held on the East Pier to celebrate the arrival of the most innovative racing trimarans in the world.

The festival will include food courts, a farmers' market, Fairtrade and ethnic stalls, craft stalls, street entertainers and vintage amusements.

On Friday 7 September and Saturday 8 September the MOD70s will be competing in Dublin Bay in the Dublin City Race and Speed Match Races, and there will be live commentary from the East Pier. The trimarans will then leave Dun Laoghaire at 3pm on Sunday 9 September for the start of the second leg of the European Tour from Dun Laoghaire to Cascais.

Gerry Dunne, CEO of the DLHC, said: "We are delighted to welcome the world’s most innovative trimarans to Dun Laoghaire Harbour which has witnessed 200 years of maritime history. 1.4 million people walk the East Pier on an annual basis and we hope that the hosting of this global event will attract many more people to our beautiful harbour in September."

The high-speed MOD70 class of trimarans are a new innovation for sailing, and have already proven to be the fastest offshore one-design class in the world. Each MOD70 is completely identical, built from the same moulds, so that success – both inshore and offshore – reflects the skills of the sailing crew and not any technological advantage.

"The National Yacht Club has played host to many world championships and in July this year we co-hosted the ISAF Youth World Championships. We are delighted that the MOD70s has chosen Dun Laoghaire to host a stopover on the European Tour and we look forward to thousands of people visiting Dun Laoghaire to enjoy the spectacle," said Paul Barrington, Commodore of the NYC.

The MOD70 European Tour starts in Kiel, Germany before visiting Dublin, Cascais near Lisbon and Marseille before finishing in Genoa, Italy. Over the five weeks of the MOD70 European Tour the teams will sail nearly 5,000 miles over five offshore stages.

The tour is the second event of the Multi One Championship, following on from July’s inaugural Krys Ocean Race which saw the MOD70s race the Atlantic from New York to Brest in France at remarkable speeds. The first three boats finished within less than two hours after traversing the Atlantic in less than five days, with the winning boat making more than 711 miles in one 24-hour period.

Already the MOD70 fleet has attracted a cross-section of some of the best ocean racing sailors in the world. Michel Desjoyeaux of France has twice won the Vendée Globe solo round the world race and skippers FONCIA. There are more than eight sailors across the different boats who hold round the world records including Britain’s Brian Thompson who sails for Musandam-Oman Sail.

Thompson has more than 20 offshore sailing speed records to his name and was the only Briton on board Banque Populaire V when the giant multihull set a new record for sailing non-stop around the world in January.

Marco Simeoni, president of MOD SA, said of Dun Laoghaire's hosting of the tour: "Local knowledge and local expertise in hosting world-class sailing events is widely appreciated. We thank all the institutions involved in this stopover and we look forward to spending five wonderful days in the heart of the local culture. Sports and entertainment is guaranteed in the Dublin Bay from 5-9 September!"

Programme of events

Wednesday 5/Thursday 6 September

• All day Wednesday: Estimated arrival of MOD70s
• 10am–6pm: Food courts, farmers market, Fairtrade and ethnic stalls, craft stalls, family entertainment, vintage amusements (every day)

Friday 7 September

• 2pm: Dublin City Races and Speed Matches Day 1 (vantage points from the East Pier to Sandycove with live commentary from the East Pier)
• 10pm: Firework display in Dun Laoghaire Harbour

Saturday 8 September

• 2pm: Dublin City Races and Speed Matches Day 2

Sunday 9 September

• 3pm: Start of Leg 2 from Dublin (Dun Laoghaire) to Cascais (vantage points from the East Pier to Sandycove with live commentary from the East Pier)

#olympic – Annalise Murphy's achievements in London 2012 a week ago along with the performances of her team mates will be celebrated at a special homecoming event for the Irish Olympic sailors at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire tomorrow.

Annalise's Dun Laoghaire club is the venue for the 2012 sailing team reception. Although the sailing team did not deliver the much sought after medal from Weymouth it captured the attention of the nation when Olympic debutante Annalise took an explosive lead in the Laser Radial class and brought home Ireland's best Olympic sailing result in 32 years, finishing fourth.

The successful Irish Olympic team returns to Dublin tomorrow at lunchtime after a medal haul that equals that of the Melbourne Olympics in 1956. Five medals came from boxing and equestrian sports. On arrival there will be a private team reception at the airport followed by a press conference before the athletes go their separate ways.

The Irish Olympic Sailors achieved the following results:  Laser Radial – Annalise Murphy 4th overall;  Star – Peter O'Leary & David Burrows 10th overall ;  49er – Ryan Seaton & Matt McGovern  14th overall ; 470 – Ger Owens & Scott Flanigan 23rd overall; Laser – James Espey 36th overall.

Tomorrow's homecoming event at 5pm at the National YC is being hosted by the Irish Sailing Association (ISA). The association says it is 'an RSVP event for families and friends of the sailors and not a public event'

Read WM Nixon's post Olympic regatta column here

 #annalisemurphy – You could have heard a pin drop at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire yesterday afternoon with over 70 junior sailors aged 7 to 14 dressed in their wetsuits munching crisps and staring at a big screen in the Dun Laoghaire club house. They were glued to the Olympic sailing from Weymouth but more precisely watching their friend and coach Annalise battling big seas and winds with such skill that she has sailed into the Irish sailing history books.

Then picture the scene when their 22-year old sailing instructor crossed the line to win the fourth race. 'She's Won, She's won! The kids screamed as they poured out of the club and on to the slipway to celebrate. 'Hooray for Annalise!'

The ties between the National Yacht Club children and their sailing star are very strong. Annalise regularly trains youngsters in taking their first tack in the harbour, taking time to make them feel confident. She' s also know for her helpful advice in mentoring teens in racing techniques especially in her chosen Laser dinghy.

But for now Annalise Murphy's mind is on other matters. She is the talk of Weymouth this morning having won all four races in her Laser Radial class so far. She joins Katie Taylor as Ireland's best hope for Gold next week.

It's windy in Dun Laoghaire this morning which means the kids might not get to hone their skills afloat today but there is plenty of action on the telly! Cover your ears if you are anywhere near the NYC today. Annalise is back in action at 12 noon today.

Annalise squeezes her 6' frame into a child's dinghy to teach a pair of six year olds in Dun Laoghaire. Photos: David O'Brien

#NYC – Howth visitor Darragh Sheridan sailing 'Dinghy Supplies' was a clear winner of the SB20 sportsboat division with two wins in Saturday's National Yacht Club Regatta. ALL CLASSES RESULTS DOWMLOADABLE BELOW.

Fifteen gusting to 25–knot south–westerlies ensured few complaints from any of the sailors with a full programme of races for 20 cruiser, keelboat and dinghy classes.

Sheridan topped a 13-boat fleet with Royal St. George boats taking second and third. Barry O'Neill's Sin Bin was second and David Barry and John O'Driscoll shared third, both on 11 points.

In the Dragon class there was a similar result when Royal St. George boats shared the top prizes. David Williams sailing Phantom beat Edinburgh Cup winner Martin Byrne for regatta honours. In a seven boat fleet there was a three way ties for tie for third place between Denis Bergin, Michael Doorly and Michael Halpenny all on eight points.

NYC regatta results available to download as word docs below.

#DRAGON – A London Olympic Games Race Officer, a weather forecast showing winds up to 20 knots and a pumped up Irish Dragon class all sounds like a recipe for a successful one design weekend which makes it all the more harder to fathom how the East Coast Cup failed to be presented at the National Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire yesterday afternoon.

After losing Friday's race entirely due to lack of wind the fleet were summoned to a four race day on Saturday, unheard of in dragon circles, to put the event back on schedule.

It was just as well OOD Jack Roy insisted on the early start because two races were all that the crack NYC race management team could get as Dublin bay's local flukey winds and choppy seas won out over what appeared a perfect forecast of 20 knots from the east.

Frustratingly the Dragon fleet had to look on becalmed in the bay as the ICRA fleet racing in Howth powered along five miles to the East and in plenty of breeze.

Worse followed, the fleet stayed ashore on Sunday before racing was scrubbed (local SB20 racing was also cancelled) at lunchtime reducing the six race affair to just two races, an insufficient number for the class title to be awarded.

Kinsale Yacht Club Commodore Cameron Good and crew Henry Kingston and Simon Furney made the best of the situation tho recording a 1,2 to win overall in the 17-boat fleet from Dublin Bay's Neil Hegarty, Peter Bowring and David Williams.

Third was Belfast lough visitor Simon Brien crewed by Kenny McCullough and Oliver Lougheed. It was Brien's second weekend on the bay he raced an RS Elite last weekend at the RAYC Baily Bowl.

Results are available to download below as a PDF.

There is little over a month now to the Edinburgh Cup in Cultra on Belfast lough, the first Irish Dragon Grand Slam event.

#SAILING CLUB OF THE YEAR – Following January's announcement of the National Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire as the Mitsubishi Motors / Irish Independent Sailing Club of the Year the awards presentation took place at a packed National Yacht Club clubhouse in Dun Laoghaire last night.

It is the fifth time the National Yacht Club has won the coveted ship's wheel since it was first awarded in 1979 and the club was commended on both its hosting of major events and cultivation of sailing at all levels.

As well as Annalise Murphy's forthcoming debut at the London Olympics the club is also looking forward to a packed somewhere where among other events it co-hosts the Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth Worlds in July.

Among the large gathering last night for the celebratons was club member Jack Roy who has been appointed a Race Officer for the Olympic Regatta, former club commoodre Peter Ryan of ISORA, the Royal St. George Commodore and Dragon Edinburgh Cup winner Martin Byrne, Royal Irish Commdore Paddy McSwiney, Press photographers Eric Luke and Michael Chester, Ronan Beirne of Leinster Boats, local Mitsubishi dealer Joe Harvey and a host of sailors from across Dun Laoghaire's waterfront clubs. Photos below by Gareth Craig.

Commodore Paul Barrington with Séan Donnelly and Tadgh Donnelly, two of the club's promising youth sailors who will be representing Ireland in the Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth Worlds which will be co-hosted by the club in July.

Brian McLysaght, Kenneth Price and Joe Buckley

Eric Luke, Martin McCarthy and Michael Chester

Gavin Flood of Mitsubishi Motors. More photos below.

#NORTH SAILS SEMINAR – US Sailmaker Bill Gladstone of North Sails returns to these shores for a nine stop lecture tour of Ireland starting this Saturday at the country's biggest club, the Royal St George YC in Dun Laoghaire. Gladstone was last here in 2009 and the series proved popular. From Dun Laoghaire the North Sails seminar heads West to Galway Bay. The full schedule is below.

Gladstone has been teaching sailing and racing for over 30 years. Topics this week, for the €20 pay at the door event, include starting tactics, upwind trim, wind shift Strategy to spinnaker trim and handling.

For more information, contact the club, Maurice O'Connell ([email protected] / 086 2364200) or Nigel Young ([email protected] / 087 2514434)

2012 SEMINAR SCHEDULE

Royal St George Yacht Club.....28 January 2012
9:30 am - 1:30 pm
National Yacht Club..................30 January 2012
7 pm - 11 pm
Galway Bay Sailing Club...........31 January 2012
7 pm - 11 pm
Tralee Bay Sailing Club...........01 February 2012
7pm - 11pm
Royal Cork Yacht Club.............02 February 2012
7pm - 11pm
Kinsale Yacht Club...................03 February 2012
7pm - 11pm
Royal Irish Yacht Club.............04 February 2012
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Howth Yacht Club....................06 February 2012
7pm - 11pm
Royal Ulster Yacht Club*......... 07 February 2012
7pm - 11pm

Pay at the door. €20 per person. *RUYC £18 per person.

#YACHT CLUB OF THE YEAR – The National Yacht Club of Dun Laoghaire is the Mitsubishi Motors/Irish Independent "Sailing Club of the Year" 2012 in celebration of an impressive and continuous level of activity in sailing, with the highly-praised hosting of events for international competitors and Irish sailors, and the efficient running of a hospitable clubhouse, boatyard and dinghy park operation which caters for the waterborne and shoreside activities of an enthusiastic and loyal membership and their visitors.

The adjudicators recognise that the National is particularly fortunate in its location in the southeast corner of Dun Laoghaire harbour. Whether approached by sea or land, the clubhouse complex provides a secluded haven from the busy life of the harbour and the town. Not that the club is in any way a sleepy spot. On the contrary, from its serene premises it provides a hive of activity for sailors of all ages, and boats of all shapes and sizes.

It's not the first time the NYC has won this award. They've been on the top of the podium in 1981, 1985, 1993 and most recently in 1996. But in the remarkable pace set by Irish sailing even in times of recession, the inter-club competition is friendly but fierce. Thus the National has usually been in the frame, but during the past 12 months several factors have combined to make it tops.

That said, successful seasons don't pop up suddenly. Rather, they're part of a continuous process, and when Peter Ryan stood down as Commodore back in the spring to be succeeded by Paul Barrington, he left in place the concepts and structures for a remarkable summer.

Ryan's own special enthusiasm was for offshore racing, and his energy in reviving the Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association was to everyone's benefit. Then too, the biennial Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race is the invention (in 1993) of leading National sailors Martin Crotty and Peter Cullen, and during 2011 it was deservedly one of the highlights of the season. NYC boats may have made up one of the largest club contingents in the record fleet, but their instinct for hospitality is such that they ensured it was Martin Breen from Galway who was overall winner with his Reflex 38.

The club took on the hosting of two major international events for solo sailors. They provided the Irish stopover for the formidable challenge of the Figaro Single-handed Race from France, and the staging of the Topper Worlds for junior sailors. In a fleet of 177 Topper dinghies, David Crosbie of Cork was best Irish in third, while Laura Gilmore of Strangford was first girl and fifth overall.

The success of this regatta underlined the National's high level of event proficiency. It is recognition of this that one of the club's leading race officers, Jack Roy, has been recruited to the 16-man Olympic Race Management Team for this summer's Olympiad.

The National will of course have a leading member on the other side of the Olympic fence – Laser sailor Annalise Murphy, who has already won a Bronze in the pre-Olympic trials last summer - will be a real Irish hope for a medal.

This strength of sailing right across the board continues to draw on a large and active junior section, where Ruth Shanahan has taken over from Cathy MacAleavey to encourage the sailors of tomorrow. Cathy meanwhile is focusing on traditional boats – with husband Con Murphy, she's involved in this year's 125th anniversary of the Dublin Bay Waterwags.

Success at home and abroad in boats which range from state-of-the-art to vintage - that's the way it is with the National YC. They deserve their success.

#DUBLIN BAY NEWS - The inaugural European Tour for the MOD70 trimaran class is set to come to Dublin next summer, pending agreement with the relative authorities in January.

The Irish Times reports that the National Yacht Club is at the head of efforts to include an event in Dun Laoghaire on the first tour for the new 70-foot design.

But apart from the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, there has so far been little support from local or national authorities despite organisers waiving the €250,000 franchise fee.

John McKenna of tour organiser OC Thirdpole says he is determined to ensure Dublin is included, and that costs will be borne by the competing teams.

However, he added: "The tour needs to be assured that it will have a major public occasion in Dublin if it is to commit to coming here."

The MOD 70 fleet – plans are afoot to bring the fleet to Dun Laoghaire and moor them off the National Yacht Club at the Carlisle Pier

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Dublin Bay welcomed its first MOD70 earlier this year when yachtsman Roland Jourdain tested his Veolia Environnement trimaran ahead of the Fastnet Race.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

#REGATTA–The four Dun Laoghaire waterfront Yacht Clubs have released their sailing regatta dates for 2012. In spite of many other racing fixtures on the bay the waterfront regattas remain a traditional favourite starting with the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club event on Saturday, June 9th.

Dun Laoghaire Yacht Club Regatta Calendar

Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club Regatta 9th June

National Yacht Club Regatta 23rd June

Royal Irish Yacht Club Regatta 30th June

Royal St. George Yacht Club Regatta 7th July