#Topper - Hugh O’Connor of the National Yacht Club was presented with the Topper Challenge Cup for the series last weekend at Rush Sailing Club.

Afloat.ie’s Junior Sailor of the Month for August amassed a string of impressive victories this season, including the second and third Traveller events, the Southern Championships and the O’Tiarnaigh Topper Challenge.

Ireland’s number-one Topper sailor also placed second in the Irish Nationals and Winter Championships — not to mention his stellar podium performance at the Topper Worlds in China.

Fellow NYC sailor Natasha Hemeryck was presented with the overall third place trophy in the series for 2018. Over the year, Hemeryck came in first in the Winter Championships, second at the Traveller 2 and Northern Championships and fifth at the Irish Nationals.

Caoimhe Seymour (NYC) came second overall for the series in the 4.2 Rig and was presented with her trophy at Rush Sailing Club, where the NYC was well represented for the fifth Traveller and last Topper event of the 2018 calendar.

Seymour maintained a consistent place through out the series, coming in third in the Irish Nationals, Winter Championships and Northern Championships, and first in the Traveller 4.

Meanwhile, NYC sailors in Rush included Seymour (third in the 4.2 rig), Adam Irvin, Eoghan Turner (second overall), Deirdre Turner, Mathew O’Brien Holohan and Hugh O’Connor, who finished third in the U17 amid challenging, windy and gusty conditions.

Sixty-two competitors signed up for the event, which the class association said was a fantastic number for the final Topper Traveller in the 2018 series.