Displaying items by tag: youth sailing
Rian Collins in Charge of Big Topper Fleet at Cork Harbour Youth Sailing Nationals
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.
Howth Sailors Top in Laser Radial Battle at Cork Harbour Youth National Championships
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.
Racing on the Curlane Bank race area, close to Crosshaven, shifting winds eventually permitted three races to be completed.
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 & 6 Day Two Youth Nationals Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman
Four Wins for Malahide's McDowell & Thompson Puts Them in 420 Class Lead at Youth Sailing Championships
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.
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 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.
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 Youth Nationals Day 2 Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman
Royal Irish Yacht Club's Norwood & Van Steenberge Lying Seventh at 29er Euros on Lake Garda
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 Dwyer Matthews & O'Shaughnessy Eye Podium Finish at 29er Euros on Lake Garda
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.
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
More Race Wins for Ireland at 29er Euros on Lake Garda
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
Race Win for Royal Cork's Dwyer Matthews & O'Shaughnessy at 29er European Championships
Royal Cork's James Dwyer Matthews and Ben O'Shaughnessy are lying sixth overall after two races sailed at the 2021 29er European Championship on Lake Garda.
The youth duo opened the championships with a race win on Saturday and followed it up with a seventh in race two of a massive two hundred boat fleet. (Download the results sheet below).
Dwyer Matthews and O'Shaughnessy previously recorded a top 15 finish at the 29er World Championships in Spain in September.
Mixed Italian pairing of Federica Contardi and Giorgio Mattiuzzo lead from the UK's Leo Wilkinson and Sam Jones. Third is Hungary's Toth Attila and Borda Levente.
Five Irish boats are racing in Italy.
The Royal Irish Yacht Club's Tim Norwood and Nathan Van Steenberge are currently lying 25th. Royal St. George's Emily and Jessica Riordan are 77th. Lauren O' Callaghan and Fiona Ferguson of the National Yacht Club lie 97th and Clementine van Steenberge and Chiara Carra are 100th. (Download the results sheet after two races below).
Prizes will be awarded for the Eurocup final series and the European Championship.
60 Youth Sailors Gather at Lough Ree For Inaugural Double Handed Sailing Symposium
Garrett Leech reports on the inaugural Youth Double Handed Sailing Symposium was held at Lough Ree Yacht Club last weekend.
Just over 60 sailors from all over Ireland descended on the Club Saturday morning for this anticipated event, many not really understanding what lay in store for them but liking the sound of what they had heard! There were 31 boats and the fleets consisted of 420, 29er, Mirror & RS Feva. Event organiser, Garrett Leech had dreamed up the concept during the Summer and it began slowly to take shape. Most Youth fleets have the opportunity to receive coaching, normally the Coach sets out the objectives for the on-the-water activity to the group, it is then executed on the water and there is normally a debrief ashore to discuss how things went.
The Symposium was not supposed to be this, it was conceived firstly to bring together the main double-handed Youth fleets, as a larger sailing family & to promote mutual appreciation of each other’s classes. Single-handed dinghy sailing is relatively safe in Ireland with the Laser & Topper’s, commanding large fleets at events, double handed racing probably needs a bit more attention.
The next objective of the gathering was to try and address the more fundamental issues that arise in competitive racing and then specifically, double handed racing whilst getting the participants to think through the issues. What else could be done but to gather the best Coaches in Ireland to Lough Ree! The inimitable David Harte, late of FMOEC, Schull, immediately bought into the concept and took the lead. As did Graeme Grant, Honorary Irish man, and Life Coach! Graeme travelled from Germany to attend. Olympic Sailor, Robert Dickson who arrived in from Marseille on the Friday evening, travelled down, joined by Cara McDowell (Malahide Yacht Club) who is well known for her dedication in promoting/coaching double handed racing, in particular, the 420 fleet.
Ceremonies were opened by means of “Ice Breaker’s” developed by Graeme & Cara which sought to break down barriers between the diverse fleets, ages & geographic dispersion. Graeme’s enthusiasm in particular, was enough to melt icecaps! By the time proceedings kicked off, there was a relaxed atmosphere. The modules that David Harte had prepared got the kids thinking, interaction was encouraged and there were break out groups where crews discussed issues such as improving communications & how to set realistic goals for themselves, facilitated by the Coaches. The classroom-based modules included (amongst others) the following:
- Setting Individual Goals & Objectives
- The Importance of Self Coaching
- Partnership & Good Communication
- How to “Iron out issues”
- Learning to Lose, Learning to Win
Robert Dickson spoke at length about his “Journey” to becoming an Olympic Skiff Sailor with Sean. He connected well with the kids and they waited on his every word, from Rob & Sean’s many early defeats to winning the Youth Championships in 2018 and of course, the Tokyo Olympics. Many were unaware that Rob had learned to sail at Lough Ree Yacht Club. His talk neatly led into the “Learning to Lose, Learning to Win” presentation. You would have been forgiven if you thought you had walked in on an IMI Programme for kids, lots of life skills!
The on-the-water activity was also with a difference, first thing was to practice what the kids had learned in the “Importance of Self Coaching”. Then David & the Coaches had the Sailors swapping positions (Helm/Crew), so as appreciate the difference in their roles but also swapping fleets where 420 Sailors quickly learned to appreciate the importance of balance/trim! And 29er Sailors to cope with the array of strings & a symmetrical spinnaker!
The weekend culminated on Sunday with racing but of course nothing ordinary! David Harte ran two races under Average Lap Time (Portsmouth Yardstick), 30 boats off the same start line and sailing around a square directly outside the Club House! It was exciting to watch and no boats were damaged in the making of the movie! Thankfully, the wind was light (though the 29er Sailors might not have agreed!) and the overall victory went to 420 Sailors, Alex Leech & Conor Paul of Lough Ree Yacht Club.
A big thanks to the Coaches; Dave Harte, Graeme Grant, Rob Dickson & Cara McDowell. The experience that Dave & Graeme (in particular) brought to the weekend was fantastic, these guys are a lot more than sailing coaches.
The feedback from the event was very positive, it is likely that the event will be run again next year.
Young Sailors Participate in RYA Northern Ireland's Youth Forum
A group of enthusiastic young sailors have come together for the first meeting of RYA Northern Ireland's Youth Forum at Ballyholme Yacht Club.
RYA Northern Ireland identified youth engagement as a key area for the organisation, and this strand of work was carried forward by former Chair of RYA Northern Ireland, Jackie Patton. The Forum began in 2019 as a pilot project, and following its success, it has now been officially launched.
The first of its kind within RYA, youth representatives from clubs across Northern Ireland will work together as part of the organisation to help drive the sport forward whilst developing their leadership and personal skills.
At the meeting, the new participants and junior leaders were confirmed, and the group took part in ice breakers, as well as discussing their goals for the year ahead. Olympians Ryan Seaton and his wife Jena Mai Seaton also joined the group online for a Q&A session about their career and future plans.
RYA Northern Ireland Youth Forum Co-ordinator Jackie Patton is leading the Youth Forum. She said: "It is a delight to work with such an enthusiastic and dedicated group of young people on the RYA Northern Ireland Youth Forum. They are our future leaders and will ensure our sport carries on for many years, and I am confident we are in safe hands. It is fantastic to hear all of their ideas and plans, and I look forward to seeing these come to fruition over the course of the next year."
Susan McKnight, Chair of RYA Northern Ireland, said: "The RYA Northern Ireland Board was delighted to continue the RYA Northern Ireland Youth Forum this year.
"The voice of young people in our sport is paramount alongside the current committees, clubs and participants to help develop and progress the organisation."
The full list of new participants and junior leaders is included below:
New participants:
- Louise Leonard (Carrickfergus Sailing Club)
- George Turkington (Coleraine Yacht Club)
- Emily Dickson (Donaghadee Sailing Club)
- Lara Killen (East Down Yacht Club)
- Matthew Loughlin (Coleraine Yacht Club)
- Rose Kelly (East Down Yacht Club)
Junior Leaders
- Charlie O'Malley (Donaghadee Sailing Club)
- Cody Halliday (Strangford Lough Yacht Club)
- Autumn Halliday (Strangford Lough Yacht Club)
- Charlotte Eadie (Donaghadee Sailing Club and Ballyholme Yacht Club)
- Caitlyn Eadie (Donaghadee Sailing Club and Ballyholme Yacht Club)
- Holly McConnell (County Antrim Yacht Club)