Fifteen SB20s are expected to be on the Dublin Bay startline for next weekend's Eastern Championships, which will experiment with a change of race format in the sportsboat class.

The Royal St. George Yacht Club hosted event will see shorter courses and more races – up to ten more – subject to time constraints.

"The courses will be tweaked for flexibility to run one, two or three rounds with a time deadline of  20 to 30 minutes per race", RStGYC Race Officer Barry O'Neill told Afloat.

As regular Afloat readers know, Irish SB20 fans got an early season boost with the news that leading boat TED were runners-up in the Cascais Grand Slam in Portugal this month.

While TED is now in transit to the Worlds in Holland, the crew of Michael O'Connor, David Taylor, and Ed Cook will still compete this weekend on home waters in a second boat, 'Ted Blue'.

April's runaway winners of the Northern Championships at Lough Ree were the Gold Digger crew from Royal Cork Yacht Club, of Mel Collins, Donie Hegarty, and owner Aidan MacSweeney and they are expected to be in Dun Laoghaire.

Also on the form is Richard Hayes, who leads the local DBSC club racing with five wins from six races this season in the AIB summer Saturday Series.

The sailors are waiting patiently with an AP flying for the wind to build inshore for the last day of the Mapfre Euromed Cup at St Paul’s Bay in Malta.

It’s all to play for in the ILCA 6 fleet, where Royal St George sailor Daniel O’Connor lies in fourth place overall, three points behind 2022 ILCA 4 European champion Irene De Tomas Perello. A further three points ahead is local Mathew Flores, with Dmytro Karabadzhak 9 points clear and in the lead.

Emily Conan had a superb day yesterday, especially in race 5, where she scored a second place. She goes into today lying in eighth place overall, and she is joined by her fellow Royal St George sailor Jessica Riordan in the top 10 after some very consistent sailing. Howth’s Charlie Keating closely follows them in 11th overall.

In the Optimist fleet, Carolina Carra remains the best Irish performer in a very competitive fleet. She had a good day yesterday, again sailing very consistently and finished the day in 60th place overall. Jude Hynes-Knight sailing under Tralee Bay Sailing Club’s burger, is in 80th overall and Felix Dion, sailing from the National Yacht Club, is 88th.

Full results here:

ILCA 6

ILCA 4

Optimist

In the 69-boat Optimist dinghy Senior Fleet, Dun Laoghaire Harbour's Royal St. George Yacht Club had eight sailors in the top 15 of the 2022 IODAI National Rankings, namely Jules Start (1st boy and 1st overall), Caoilinn Geraghty- McDonnell (1st girl and 2nd overall), Conor Cronin (2nd boy and 3rd overall), Abigail Murphy (2nd girl and 5th overall) and Carolina Carra (4th girl and 7th overall), Marcus Shelley (7th boy and 12th overall), Hannah Scott (6th girl and 14th overall) and Zita Tempany (7th girl and 15th overall).

In the 58-boat Junior Fleet, a further seven George sailors finished up in the top 15 of the 2022 IODAI National Rankings, namely Lily Donagh (1st girl and 1st overall), Emily Donagh (2nd girl and 2nd overall), Maeve Donagh (3rd girl and 6th overall), Max O’Hare (5th boy and 8th overall), Juliette Ryan (5th girl and 10th overall), Finn Foley (6th boy and 11th overall) and Ella Rock (6th girl & 12th overall).

"These results are a testament to the hard work these and all of the other 20+ George sailors competing in Main Fleet at IODAI National Events have put in both on and off the water throughout the year", RStGYC Optimist Performance Program Organiser Gavan Murphy," told Afloat.

"Recognition must also go to Sarah Fogarty and Peter Fagan, who runs the Oppie performance coaching programme in the George", Murphy added.

The Waszp national championships were hosted again this year in the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin on August 6-7th.

There were 18 boats competing, including two boats from overseas, one from Hawaii and one from Wales!

Fresh from the world championships with 9th place, Charlie Cullen RSGYC was back to fight for the National title against Henry Start RSGYC and Max Goodbody RIYC, who were in Gold fleet at the recent world championships as Afloat reported here.

The racing got off to a good start, with Race officer Barry O'Neill getting three good races in on Saturday morning August 6th, before the breeze turned off. Barry commented that the standard of competitors was up significantly since last year with most boats completing all laps. Some notable new faces since last year included current RS400 national champion Robert Espey BYC and current RS200 national champion Frank O'Rourke RSGYC along with 2x 49er Olympian Matt McGovern of BYC.

18 Waszps competed including two boats from overseas, one from Hawaii and one from Wales

The fleet was certainly a star-studded line up with almost every sailor having competed internationally for some years.

After day 1 Charlie Cullen had a commanding performance with 3 bullets with the internationals Zac Blomeley (Funsport Rhosneigr Wales) in 2nd and Gavin Ball (Hawaii Kai Boat Club) in 3rd. The fight for first girl and first master was as tight as can be with both having two competitors on equal points.

The sailors then had dinner at Royal St. George Yacht club and got up early for 10am first gun to get four races in before the breeze vanished again.

When all the races were completed Charlie Cullen only dropped one race and finished in first on 6 points winning the Irish National Championship and the Nations Trophy for Ireland.

Georgia Goodbody managed to separate from Elysia O'Leary to win 1st girl and Frank O'Rourke managed to get some points between him and the defending Masters champion Tom Hogan to secure the victory. Second place went to Zac Blomeley and 3rd to Gavin Ball, definitely the farthest to travel to the Irish Nationals!

Max Goodbody finished as the 1st Junior and Robert Espey won the Apprentice category.

Henry Start, Chairperson to Irish Waszp Association and competing sailor commented "Everyone was happy to get good races over the weekend in fabulous conditions and I'd love to see even more boats next year!"

Gavin Ball from Hawaii Kai Boat Club, USA, said "Tight racing in exciting conditions made for fun and competitive racing".

The fleet has continued to grow with its diverse age and weight groups with sailors from 16 to 60 years old sailing with competitors ranging from 50 kg to 90 kg.

After a hiatus of two years due to Covid, the Schools National Team Racing Championships are being hosted by the Royal St.George Yacht Club at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay.

The Royal St. George Yacht Club, home to team racing in Ireland welcomes 13 School Qualifiers from Connacht, Munster and Leinster.

As part of its team racing history, the club has two flights of Fireflies and organises Team Racing Clinics for Schools, Transition Year Modules and any groups who wish to learn more on this aspect of sailing. Details can be found on the club website.

The Royal St.George Yacht Club at Dun Laoghaire Harbour

School team racing is increasing in popularity due to a successful government grant that provided a new national flight of Fireflies and a second order is on the way.

Team racing can be comprised of 2 boats v 2, 3 v 3 or as the Oppies class like to do it, 4 v 4.

"Team racing by nature is very inclusive as everyone has to work as a team, the races are short and the racing is very tactical", says Royal St.George Yacht Club's event organiser Eunice Kennedy, Royal St.George Yacht Club Event Organiser.

"It is not about being the first to get a good start and to be the first over the finish line. It is all about teamwork, covering your opponents, and setting mark traps to assist your teammates into a winning combination. It is like a game of cat and mouse" she says.

"It enhances inclusivity between the stronger helms and the weaker ones, combined girl and boys teams, and time to make friends with other teams between races. The list is endless as to the value of Team Racing for developing young sailors and helps retain Junior involvement in the sport of sailing during their teenage years", Kennedy adds.

The event this weekend is taking place in the harbour with the East Pier providing an idyllic viewing platform. It is a colourful sight, with green, yellow, red and orange sails.

Royal St. George's Tom Higgins might be focused on his preparations for the upcoming ILCA/Laser U21 Europeans, but local rivalries are still on his mind as he looks forward to the first Grant Thornton Sprint Regatta of 2022.

The Dún Laoghaire Harbour ILCA/Laser fleet in conjunction with the Royal St. George Yacht Club piloted a one-day sprint regatta format in 2021. The first sprint regatta in July which consisted of five short trapezoid races back to back proved so popular that the organisers hosted a second event in October which was sold out within days.

The organisers, buoyed by the success of the format in 2021, have announced that there will be five sprint regattas throughout 2022 once again supported by Grant Thornton Ireland.

As Afloat reported previously, the first event takes place on Saturday, April 02 marking the official end of the winter season following the end of the local DMYC Frostbite series.

At the first Grant Thornton Sprint Regatta held in July last year, local favourite and Ireland team member Tom Higgins took home the gold medal in the Standard fleet. The October event, titled the Race of Champions saw Higgins pipped on the line on three out of five races by fellow RStGYC sailor Peter Fagan.

The Royal St. George Yacht Club piloted a one-day sprint regatta format in 2021 that is expanded in 2022

With the standings at one all to the pair, both Higgins and Fagan have announced that the first sprint of 2022 is in their sights and both seem out to prove a point. Higgins, who will be representing Ireland at the 2022 EurILCA Under 21 European Championships from April 14-21 2022 in France, is looking to demonstrate who is the more consistent performer. Meanwhile, Fagan is looking to serve another Verstappen-like upset on the dominant Higgins.

The one-day regatta is open to Laser sailors both junior and adult and in all rigs; 4.7, Radial and Standard. There is particular emphasis from Race Officer, Richard Kissane of Howth Yacht Club on ensuring a fast-paced and fun event for competitors of all ages and abilities. Novice sailors are welcome as this provides a unique format to be involved in racing at the highest level across the local fleet.

Commencing at 2 pm, there will be a minimum of 5 races in quick succession for each fleet, with each race lasting between 20-30 minutes. Prizes are awarded for the top three positions in each fleet with separate prize categories for male/female, under 30s and Masters. The entry fee for the event is €20 with entry limited to 80 boats.

The event is open to all ILCA Lasers based in Dún Laoghaire. Travelling boats are welcome to enter, however, due to the ongoing space pressures across the local clubs, visiting boats are invited to launch from the public slip in the Coal Harbour.

Speaking at the launch of the 2022 series, Mick Shelley, Audit Partner at Grant Thornton Ireland and himself a local ILCA sailor said that; “We're delighted to put our name to this format once again in 2022. The ILCA Laser is the largest fleet locally and is accessible to the widest range of sailors. We're happy to support such a fleet that makes the sport of sailing more accessible to a wider group of people.”

Full details of the event and registration is open on rsgyc.ie.

The Royal St. George Yacht Club were the convincing winner after 24 races of the J/80 Millennium Bowl Team Racing event at Dun Laoghaire Harbour at the weekend.

Saturday saw Dublin Bay Race Officer Barry O'Neill complete 18 races that put the hosts easily ahead in club J/80s.

Despite the threat of a gale warning, another six races on Sunday in some shifty conditions saw the John Sheehy captained local side produce an overall victory against visitors Royal Thames Yacht Club in second and the Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club in third. 

The tri-club competition is held annually between the George, Royal Thames YC and the Gareloch's Royal Northern and Clyde.

The inspiration for the competition was provided by the late Harry Maguire who decided in 2000 after a challenge race against the Clyde that an event should be expanded to three clubs and run to involve senior racers in keelboats. The Thames agreed to join and allocated a significant meter high silver trophy presented by Kaiser Willhelm II for the Race between the German and British Royals (specifically his cousin Edward VII who he never beat). Probably why he started the First World War!! The Trophy is taken from the club vault and shown only whenever the Thames host the event in London.

This year's event was run in Dun Laoghaire and sailed in the club's six J80's crewed by four crew whose total age has to exceed 160 years with at least one crew of opposite gender and one crew over 55 on each boat. The George fielded a very strong team comprising John Sheehy, Nick Smyth and Andrew Fowler & supporting crews. The Clyde team led by Nichole McPhearson are long time team racing stalwarts of the Clyde and former holders of the trophy. Thames, the current holders, fielded a solid group of ex Firefly team racers in years past, one being Jon Redding of Nottingham Outlaws fame who were multiple winners of the Wilson Trophy in West Kirby.

The George opened their account to the positive early taking wins from Thames and the Clyde. The weather was perfect for the sport and racing continued in sunny and mild 14 knots westerly on the M shaped course skilfully managed by SRO Barry O'Neill and his team. The George continued to rack up wins but Thames came back in a purple spell in the afternoon taking back a couple of points from the George and hammering the Clyde who despite valiant team racing found themselves unable to hold onto precarious winning combinations to the finish line. The team skills improved as experience gained on the water accumulated and match victories pivoted on a place lost or the decisions of the Umpire Team led by Ailbe MIllerick who were kept relentlessly busy in the close manoeuvring.

The George however was most artful at turning over results in the last couple of legs giving lessons in coordinated team demolition. After 12 races apiece, the teams retired for refreshments, tall tales and gutter boat racing ashore. The George's tally was an unassailable 8 1/2 wins, Thames 4 1/2 wins and despondent Clyde 2 wins. After overnight gales, the teams took to the water again in the eye of the storm sunshine on Sunday morning. Overall placings were unlikely to change but pride had to be salvaged afloat. Clyde took a race from Thames and ran the George close as did Thames the race lead changing on all four legs alas to no avail.

RStGYC John Sheehy (Capt. helm), Peter Bowring, Moselle Foley & Owen Laverty. Andrew Fowler (helm), Max Treacy, Martin Byrne & Stephanie Bourke Nick Smyth (helm), Jenny Andreasson, Heather Craig & Ben Cooke

RTYC  Katie Greenland (helm), William Edwards, Ollie Dix & Capt Ben Clothier. Ian Dobson (helm), Chris Griffiths, Harry Edwards & Jon Redding (helm) Jo Redding, Emma Geary & David Robertson.

RN&YC (helms) Nichole McPhearson (Capt), Griogair Whyte & Theo Hoole

Umpires Ailbe Millerick, Vincent Delany, Dave Sheahan & Eunice Kennedy

SRO Barry O'Neill

The next edition of the annual Millennium Trophy will be held in Scotland.

130 young sailors aged between 8-15 years from across Ireland competed in the late Summer Optimist Championships in Dun Laoghaire Harbour sponsored by Citroen South at the weekend (4-5 September 2021). 

Clubs from Kinsale to Lough Ree and Antrim took part but most notably, 17 boats travelled to the event from Waterford Harbour Sailing Club (WHSC) in Dunmore East – many to their very first event.

Following a revival, the Optimist (Oppy) Class in Ireland is rebounding from the impact of lockdown with representation at all levels and great progress across the fleets from the first event in July to this event at the RStGYC.

Over 11 sailors earned a fleet upgrade from this event representing eight different clubs, while the 38-boat Regatta Fleet sailors enjoyed coaching from the RSGYC Instructor Team.

Optimist sailors in the Junior fleet reach a windward mark at the Royal St. George Late Summer Championships at Dun Laoghaire

As Afloat reported earlier, event winners in each category were:

Senior Fleet Gold - Caoilinn Geraghty-McDonnell (RSGYC), William Walsh (Tralee Bay SC), Cillian Twomey (Howth YC), Des Turvey (Howth YC) and Thea Daly (RSGYC)

Silver – Ellen Bruen (RCYC), Mia-Mai Hooper (Royal Irish YC), Jack Hanna (RSGYC), Hannah Scott (Howth YC) and Hannah Walsh (Tralee Bay SC)

Bronze – Suin N  Choistealbha (Malahide YC), Rory White (Waterford Harbour YC), Zita Tempany (RSGYC), Dylan Keane (Malahide YC) and Stan O’Rourke (Malahide YC)

Junior Fleet Gold - Carolina Carra (RSGYC), Abigail Murphy (RSGYC), Conor Cronin (Malahide YC), Olin Bateman (RCYC) and Lucy Moynan (RCYC)

Silver - Sarah Scott (Howth YC) (2nd junior overall!), Dougie Venner (RCYC), Andrew Mannion (Lough Ree YC), Rian O’Neill (RCYC) and Matt Mapplebeck (Kinsale YC)

Bronze - Max O’Hare (RSGYC), Mae Byrne (Lough Ree YC), Louise Hanley (NYC), Marcus Shelley (RSGYC) and Patrick Fegan (Malahide YC).

The next IODAI event is to be held at East Antrim BC on 18-19 September 2021.

Looking to next year, the RStGYC are looking forward to welcoming Oppy sailors back for the IODAI Irish Nationals Championships from 18-21 August 2022

In spite of two days of incredibly varying conditions, there were no major surprises at the winners' enclosure in this year’s MGM Boats Irish Laser Masters Nationals hosted by the Royal St. George Yacht Club.

Dublin Bay served up its usual blend of light winds, sea breezes and 15 knots, all in one race. While the conditions challenged race officer Harry Gallagher and his team, they led to dramatic results in some races.

However, across two days and six races, there were no upsets in this year’s event. First place in the Standard fleet was taken by Howth’s Paul McMahon with a first and three-second places his best results. Royal Cork’s Nick Walsh came in a very close second trailing by just 2.5 points. Meanwhile, Darragh Kelleher of Skerries Sailing Club came in a close third having one in the last race of the event.

Irish Laser Master Champion (standard rig) Paul McMahon of Howth is congratulated by Royal St. George Yacht Club Commodore Richard O'Connor

In the larger Radial fleet, Dun Laoghaire dominated the leader board. Sean Craig and Conor Clancy led the tussle for first and second place over the weekend, with Craig eventually arriving on top. He was glad to be able to discard the ninth place from the first race on Sunday, which he had been leading until the wind dropped to zero before the last mark. There’s a new challenger in town in the form of the George’s Marc Coakley who finished in third just one point behind Clancy.

2021 Radial Champion Sean Craig

In the Ladies fleet, as was predicted Judy O’Beirne and Shirley Gilmore fought it out for the title. O’Beirne proved more consistent across the two days and varying conditions to take first place. Alison Pigot of the National Yacht Club came in third behind Gilmore in second.

Ladies Champion Judy O’Beirne

This year saw the introduction of a Novice format for those who had not previously taken part in a national Laser event. The best scores from two races were accumulated across 17 participants in this category with joint first place going to Michael Norman of Wicklow Sailing Club and Hugh Cahill of DBSC. This format proved popular with participants noting how friendly and supportive the rest of the fleet and support crew were across the two days.

The event was operated under Covid-19 guidelines and could provide a template for the efficient running of future events. All communication in advance and during the event was managed through email and a dedicated WhatsApp group. Registration took place online, the race officer’s briefing and protest committee were convened via Zoom. The final socially distanced prize ceremony was live-streamed via Instagram. Competitors were able to dine outdoors at their respective clubs, so the social side of the event did not suffer greatly. Overall this approach led to a very efficiently run event with lots of paperwork and time delays eliminated.

Full results from the event are available on the Royal Saint George Yacht Club website here

The Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour will host the IODAI Optimist dinghy Trials on the May Bank Holiday  Weekend, 1st – 3rd May 2021.

The trials event is a great opportunity for younger sailors to compete on home waters and against their peers representing the best Optimist sailors in Ireland. 

The Royal St. George Yacht Club has a thriving optimist fleet comprising both beginners and those involved in competitive racing. 

The event is subject to COVID restrictions and a back-up date of 5th – 7th June 2021 has been earmarked in the event that the proposed May date is not run.

The Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire will host the IODAI Optimist trials

Commenting on the announcement, the RStGYC Optimist Class Captains, Sarah & Brendan Foley said that: 'We are delighted to host this important and much-anticipated regatta in the Optimist calendar. We will be working very closely with both Irish Sailing and IODAI over the coming months to ensure that the proposed event provides high-quality racing in a safe environment for all participants and supporters.

We are looking forward to getting back out on the water as soon as permitted and to build on the progress made by our sailors in the DOGs (Dun Laoghaire Optimist Group) training programme.