There is no doubt that youth involvement is key to the future of sailing.

So it is wise for clubs to devote attention to developing youth sailing leading, hopefully, to onward transition into adult boats and classes and cruiser racing.

It is encouraging to see from incoming club reports that youth sailing is getting a lot of attention on the South Coast.

From Glandore and Kinsale to Monkstown, Cove and Crosshaven, there are positives to be taken from the past season and developed next year.

Youth sailing is getting a lot of attention on the South Coast

Glandore Harbour Yacht Club has appointed Heather Mahmood as Assistant Manager of its Primary Schools' Programme, which is very popular in helping schoolchildren to get afloat.

At Kinsale Yacht Club, Junior Sailing Organiser, Conor Dillon says the future looks bright with new participants and ever-increasing fleet numbers as the young sailors become more skilled.

5o5 sailing in Cork Harbour

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club is planning an outreach programme to city schools next year.

Cove Sailing Club started an Optimist fleet and the Royal Cork at Crosshaven has a vibrant and enthusiastic group of young sailors, some of whom also race on cruisers.

Overall, as clubs prepare for annual meetings, the future of the sport is attracting more youth participation and that is welcome and essential.

More about youth sailing on the South Coast in my Podcast here.

Twenty young sailors from Northern Ireland made the long journey south to Royal Cork Yacht Club for the Investwise Youth Sailing National Championships last weekend. They were members of Newcastle Yacht Club on the south Down coast, East Antrim BC on Larne Lough, County Antrim BC, Ballyholme and Royal North Yacht Clubs on Belfast Lough and Strangford Sailing Club and Strangford Lough YC on Strangford Lough.

After three days of intense racing Tom Coulter of East Antrim Boat Club and Ellen Barbour of East Antrim and County Antrim Boat Clubs turned in results they can be justly proud of.

In the ILCA 6 fleet, Tom Coulter was fifth and had a first in Race 5 in the 30 strong division, and Ellen came 12th with a best place second in the same fleet.

Coulter was delighted with his top ten result; "The competition was intense, and positions fiercely contested, but I managed to stay fairly consistent, contending with wind shifts and tides throughout. Always lots of learning to take away though. Thanks to the organisers Royal Cork Yacht Club for putting together such a fantastic event! The food, hospitality and entertainment were first class, and it was great to catch up and have a laugh with sailors from all over Ireland, both on and off the water".

Daniel Palmer of Ballyholme finished fourth overall in ILCA 4 with a first, second and third as his best results with clubmate Hannah Dadley-Young 8th in the same fleet.

Bobby Driscoll (right) of Royal North and Ballyholme Yacht Clubs Photo: Bob Bateman

And Bobby Driscoll of Royal North and Ballyholme Yacht Clubs put up a good showing in the largest fleet in the competition, the 38 strong Topper division, with a 3rd overall, counting two first places on the Saturday. Autumn Halliday from Strangford Lough Yacht Club was 12th in the same fleet.

East Antrim BC Commodore Lucy Whitford was pleased with the club's sailors' showing at the Championships; "I was delighted to see such strong performances from our members Tom Coulter, Ellen Barber, Callum Jackson and Zoe Whitford. It has been an incredibly busy year for all of them and this was a great way to end the season. Congratulations to them all".

Lauren McDowell, RNIYC and Erin McIlwaine, Newcastle YC sailing 1619 Photo: Bob Bateman

In the high-performance 29er class Lauren McDowell, RNIYC and Erin McIlwaine, Newcastle YC sailed very well to turn in a 6th. Perhaps lack of a competitive 29er Class in the North deprives Lauren and Ellen of regular competitive racing.

The northern contestants won't have such a long journey to the Championships next year because this prestigious event will be hosted by Ballyholme Yacht Club from 21st till 24th April.

The cut short Investwise Irish Youth Sailing National Championships on Cork Harbour had produced some clear winners in five classes regardless of today's Yellow Alert weather warning at Royal Cork Yacht Club.

Five titles were divided between Dublin and Cork sailors with the host club taking two crowns, the biggest haul of any single club with the 29er and Topper titles won by local sailors.

Both Laser titles go to Dublin, with Howth Yacht Club taking the ILCA 6 and the National Yacht Club winning in the ILCA 4.

The 420 title is shared by a combined Malahide and Wexford duo.

McMahon wins ILCA 6 but Crosbie's Reinstatement Makes it Close

ILCA 6 Champion - Eve McMahon of Howth

As Afloat reported earlier, the final results from Saturday’s long day afloat weren’t initially confirmed as two titles were eventually settled ashore in the protest room this morning.

On Saturday evening, a protest by ILCA6 (Laser Radial) overall leader Eve McMahon saw the Howth Yacht Club sailor extend her lead over Michael Crosbie of the Royal Cork YC when he was disqualified from Race 10 due to a port and starboard incident.

However, the Crosshaven sailor returned to the protest room on Sunday morning to have his result reinstated as McMahon had not informed the race committee of her protest on Saturday.

McMahon still emerged as ILCA6 Youth National Champion after the tie-break with Crosbie.

O'Shaughnessy & Dwyer Lift 29er Skiff Title 

29er Champions - Ben O’Shaughnessy and James Dwyer (Royal Cork YC) Photo: Bob Bateman

Ben O’Shaughnessy and James Dwyer (Royal Cork YC) won the 29er skiff national title by a single point as Afloat reported here after a close contest with Tim Norwood and Nathan Van Steenberge from the Royal Irish YC and National YC respectively in their eleven strong demonstration class that immediately followed a European Championships campaign on Lake Garda last week.

The runners-up were also in the protest room on Sunday morning seeking redress for equipment failure in their second race of the series on Friday but their submission was ruled out of time.

Collins top Toppers, Newcomer Ledoux Wins 4.7s

Topper Champion - Rian Collins of Royal Cork Photo: Bob Bateman

As Afloat reported earlier, Crosshaven’s Rian Collins won the 38-boat Topper class with a 12-point lead over his clubmate Dan O’Leary taking the runner-up place in their seven-race series. Bobby Driscoll's third overall kept the Belfast Lough Topper flag flying.

ILCA 4 Champion - Sam Ledoux of the National YC Photo: Bob Bateman

The Topper fleet shared the same course as the ILCA4 (Laser 4.7) class, the second largest of the event with 31 boats where a newcomer to the class, Sam Ledoux of the National YC, emerged youth national champion. 

Five wins Give McDowell & Thompson the 420 Title

420 champions - Jack McDowell and Henry Thompson Photo: Bob Bateman

The Malahide and Wexford Harbour pairing of Jack McDowell and Henry Thompson continued their three-day lead of the 420 class to win comfortably as Afloat reports here over Eoghan Duffy with Conor Paul of Lough Ree YC in a disappointingly small nine boat class.

Topper sailor Rian Collin of the host club leads the biggest fleet of the youth sailing national championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club.

After three races sailed, Collins, on four points, leads clubmate Dan O'Leary by an impressive ten points. 

Howth's Ciara McMahon took third place in the 38-boat fleet on 17 points, some six points ahead of Northern Ireland Topper champion Bobby Driscoll of Royal Northern Ireland Yacht Club.

The 38-boat Topper fleet was racing on the Curlane Bank course

Topper : Sailed: 3, Discards: 0, To count: 3, Entries: 38

Howth Yacht Club Laser Radial sailors share the top two places overall at the Investwise Youth Sailing Championships in Cork Harbour after six races sailed. 

There was no surprise yesterday when the World Radial Youth Female champion Eve McMahon leapt to the front of the fleet, almost unchallenged in yesterday's opening three races. 

The U18 champion continued her form to have a winning margin after today's race of seven points after six races sailed.

She proved consistent even in the tricky conditions and has a clean scoresheet except for two-second places scored in races three and four.

McMahon's clubmate Rocco Wright counted a race win, as did Michael Crosbie of the RCYC, level on points.

Good fleet awareness in variable conditions was the key to success in the ILCA divisions, where there are 30 boat fleets in both classes. Photo: Bob Bateman.

Racing on the Curlane Bank race area, close to Crosshaven, shifting winds eventually permitted three races to be completed.

ILCA 6: Sailed: 6, Discards: 1, To count: 5, Entries: 30

National Yacht Club's Ledoux Leads ILCA 4s

Sam Ledoux of the National YC leads the ILCA4 (Laser 4.7) Class. The Dun Laoghaire Harbour ace has a two-point lead over neighbour Matteo Ciaglia of the Royal St. George. Local helm Max Tolan is lying third in the 32-boat fleet after three races sailed. Results below.

Racing continues tomorrow.

ILCA 4: Sailed: 3, Discards: 0, To count: 3, Entries: 32

ILCA 4 & 6 Day Two Youth Nationals Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

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

After four races sailed in the final gold fleet races at the 29er European Championships in Lake Garda, Royal Irish Yacht Club's Tim Norwood and Nathan Van Steenberge are in seventh place overall. 

Royal Cork's James Dwyer Matthews and Ben O'Shaughnessy have dropped back in gold fleet and counted a ZFP penalty among their gold fleet scores yesterday to be 15th overall. 

Racing continues this morning. 

Italy's Zeno Valerio Marchesini and Carlo Vittoli lead from Hungary's Toth Attila and Borda Levente. 

Five Irish boats are racing in Italy.

Clementine van Steenberge and Chiara Carra also racing gold fleet are in 30th. Lauren O' Callaghan and Fiona Ferguson of the National Yacht Club stay 17th in the silver fleet and Royal St. George's Emily and Jessica Riordan lead the bronze fleet.

Prizes will be awarded for the Eurocup final series and the European Championships.

Download results from gold, silver and bronze divisions below.

Royal Cork's James Dwyer Matthews and Ben O'Shaughnessy continue to edge closer to the podium at the 29er European Championships in Lake Garda and are now just four points off the overall lead, sharing third place points overall after seven races sailed. 

Royal Irish Yacht Club's Tim Norwood and Nathan Van Steenberge are also in contention in sixth place overall, despite a disqualification in race seven yesterday evening. 

Hungary's Toth Attila and Borda Levente have moved into a slender lead on 21 points but only nine points separate the top six.

Denmark's Jens-Christian Dehn-Toftehoj and Jens-Philip Dehn-Toftehoj are second on 23 points with the Italian pairing of Lorenzo Pezzilli and Tobia Torroni sharing 25 points with Dwyer Matthews and O'Shaughnessy. 

Royal St. George's Emily and Jessica Riordan

Five Irish boats are racing in Italy.

Clementine van Steenberge and Chiara Carra are 48th. Lauren O' Callaghan and Fiona Ferguson of the National Yacht Club stay 84th and Royal St. George's Emily and Jessica Riordan are 112th

Prizes will be awarded for the Eurocup final series and the European Championships.

Download results below

Ireland is moving up the scoreboard in the 29er European Championships in Lake Garda with Royal Irish Yacht Club's Tim Norwood and Nathan Van Steenberge earning two race wins to jump from 25th to fifth overall.

The Dun Laoghaire Harbour duo are now just two places behind countrymen, Royal Cork's James Dwyer Matthews and Ben O'Shaughnessy who move up from sixth to fifth overall after five races sailed.

Italian pairing of Lorenzo Pezzilli and Tobia Torroni lead from France's Hugo Revil and Karl Devaux. Third is Denmark's Jens-Christian Dehn-Toftehoj and Jens-Philip Dehn-Toftehoj.

Five Irish boats are racing in Italy.

Clementine van Steenberge and Chiara Carra are 43rd. Lauren O' Callaghan and Fiona Ferguson of the National Yacht Club lie 84th and Royal St. George's Emily and Jessica Riordan are 99th

Prizes will be awarded for the Eurocup final series and the European Championships.

Download results below