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Displaying items by tag: Kitesurfing

A kitesurfer who sustained serious injuries in an incident in Co Wexford on Sunday (28 May) is expected to make a full recovery.

As the Wexford People reports, the casualty had been kitesurfing on Lady’s Island Lake south of Rosslare around lunchtime when it’s understood he collided with rocks.

Ambulance crew who attended the scene called on the Waterford-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 117 to airlift the casualty from the scene for further treatment.

Published in Rescue

British kite foiler Ellie Aldridge bagged herself another international medal taking silver at the 2021 Formula Kite World Championships in Torregrande, Sardinia.

With two European titles to her name, Aldridge has now added a world podium to her growing collection of silverware in the new Olympic class.

The world championships in Sardinia is the first since World Sailing announced the kites would get two sets of individual medals as opposed to a single mixed event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Ahead of Aldridge, American Daniela Moroz once again proved too strong for the international field claiming her fifth consecutive title. France’s Lauriane Nolot completed the podium in third.

Aldridge, 24 from Poole, Dorset, said: “It feels pretty good to come away with second. I was super lucky to qualify directly into the finals in second place because the winds on the final day were crazy, like the most unstable breeze I’ve ever kited in.

British kite foiler Ellie AldridgeBritish kite foiler Ellie Aldridge

“It was a full-on week with wind from almost every direction, so we definitely had the variety you’d want at a world championships.

“Unfortunately I didn’t do enough to take the title away from Daniela this time, but I got a few bullets from her so that’ll keep me happy until next year.”

Aldridge was one of three British female riders to make it through the qualifying series although she had the luxury of going straight through to the final in second place.

Teammates Maddy Anderson and Katie Dabson had the unenviable task of trying to make it through a tough semi-final process in which only one of six could go through to the final showdown from each of the two groups.

Placed in the same group, neither Anderson and Dabson could advance finally finishing their championships in 10th and 13th respectively.

Anderson, 26 from Weymouth, Dorset, said: “We’ve had all sorts of conditions this week, perfect really for a world champs, so in the end I’m really pleased that I managed to put together a decent series, especially after putting in some deep scores on day one.

“I learned heaps this week round the racecourse and also learning to reset after setbacks; I’m motivated and excited to make some big gains over the winter with the team.”

From the other British interests in the fleet, Jemima Crathorne finished in 20th while Lily Young was fifth in the silver fleet on her return from injury.

In the men’s competition, both Connor Bainbridge and Guy Bridge fell just short of a chance for a medal going out at the semi-final stage.

Both posted top ten finishes in qualifying to make the semi-finals but couldn’t get through what is proving to be a very tough route to a medal.

Bainbridge eventually finished sixth with Bridge just behind in seventh.

All results can be found here

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The Formula Kite World Championships will take place in Torregrande, Sardinia, from October 13 to 17. The event is part of the Open Water Challenge, which celebrates board sports including kite, wing foil and SUP.

A whole host of British athletes will be hitting the water. In the women’s fleet, two-time European champ Ellie Aldridge is joined by Katie Dabson, Maddy Anderson (pictured), Jemima Crathorne and Lily Young, who makes her return to competition following injury. The men’s fleet will see 2019 world bronze medallist Connor Bainbridge and 2020 European bronze medallist Guy Bridge look to come home with some silverware.

"It’s the first Formula Kite World Championships to take place since World Sailing voted to change the competition from a mixed relay to individual fleet racing"

It’s the first Formula Kite World Championships to take place since World Sailing voted in June to change the proposed competition format from a mixed relay to individual fleet racing. That means at Paris 2024 there will be two sets of kite medals, rather than just one. Up until this decision athletes had to team up with another athlete of the opposite sex. Now it’s all down to the individual rider. Athletes will compete in an opening series to determine the top 14 riders, who then go forward into the knockout medal series.

Published in Kitesurfing
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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved Men's and Women's Kiteboarding (Formula Kite) for the Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing Competition, bringing the curtain down on the highly anticipated mixed offshore sailing event.

The Men's and Women's Kiteboarding Events will replace the Mixed Kiteboarding and Mixed Offshore Events that were democratically selected by World Sailing's members and remained World Sailing's first-choice events for Paris 2024.

In December 2020, the IOC advised World Sailing that a further review into the Mixed Offshore event would be undertaken to properly assess key considerations.

Further updates from the IOC in April 2021 specified that the proposal continued to be reviewed, consistent with the approach taken for other sports, and highlighted challenges for the Mixed Offshore Event existing in the areas of Field of Play security, scope and complexity, broadcast cost and complexity, and World Sailing not having the opportunity to deliver an Offshore World Championship.

Whilst the final IOC assessment of the Mixed Offshore Event continued, World Sailing was requested to put forward alternative event proposals for sailing's 10th medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

World Sailing's Council approved the Men's and Women's Kiteboarding (Formula Kite) and Men's and Women's Two Person Dinghy (470) as the first and second alternative event proposals following their meeting at the 2021 Mid-Year Meeting.

The decision was taken at the meeting of the IOC Executive Board today, Thursday 10 June 2021 in Lausanne, Switzerland following a recommendation from the IOC Programme Commission.

David Graham, Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The World Sailing community selected the Mixed Offshore Event and our slate of events gave a true representation of the depth and breadth of our sport.

"Throughout this process, the Mixed Offshore Event remained our first choice event, with the entire offshore community putting considerable time and effort into the discipline. Today's news will be upsetting for the thriving offshore community, but we will continue to ensure the growth and long-term sustainability of offshore sailing.

"The IOC provided us with clear guidance and their decision-making is consistent with other sports and events. The World Sailing community acted at pace to propose alternative events and we are delighted the IOC have followed our guidance and selected our first alternative proposal of Men's and Women's Kiteboarding.

"Men's and Women's Kiteboarding will bring huge opportunities in terms of universality, developing women's sailing and the media appeal of these exciting events. We now look forward to supporting our athletes on the journey to Paris 2024 and showcasing the sport on the beautiful Marseillaise waters in the south of France."

President Quanhai Li said, "The World Sailing community had limited time to decide on the alternative event for the IOC's consideration. I would like to thank our Council, Member National Authorities, my Board of Directors and management for their big efforts to ensure we had a democratically decided alternative event within a short time frame. I also thank the IOC for their support within the process."

A new voluntary organisation has been set up to represent Kitesurfing in Ireland.

"Kitesurfing Ireland was formed earlier this year after it was clear that without representation it is difficult to have a voice", says KI's spokesperson Linda O’Dwyer.

The aim of Kitesurfing Ireland is to represent kitesurfers by promoting responsible kitesurfing, ensure access to kitesurfing locations and kitesurfing activities are in harmony with all beach, lake and water users through working with all the relevant bodies, government, local authorities, NGO'S and other like-minded organisations.

Kitesurfing Ireland is working with Water Safety Ireland to provide the local authorities with signage with Kitesurfing information for the public along with kitesurfers for the 2021 bathing season.

The Kitesurfing Ireland website is here

Published in Kitesurfing
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Kitesurfers made the most of the fine August conditions at Garrylucas (White Strand) in Kinsale today writes Bob Bateman.

15 to 20-knot winds from the south-west gave the Kinsale kiting community some great conditions near the Old Head of Kinsale as the photos below show.

Kitsesurf Kinsale1Kitsesurf Kinsale1Kitsesurf Kinsale1Kitsesurf Kinsale1Kitsesurf Kinsale1

Published in Kitesurfing
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#Lifeboats - Bundoran’s RNLI crew assisted a surfer safely to shore on Saturday afternoon (10 November).

The volunteers launched after a member of the public raised the alarm, having spotted someone they thought to be in difficulty and waving their arm off Rougey Point in Bundoran.

The Irish Coast Guard requested the inshore lifeboat to launch at 3.28pm and 10 minutes later the lifeboat, helmed by Killian O’Kelly, was at sea.

Weather conditions at the time were blowing a light south-easterly wind and there was a three-metre swell.

Once on scene, the lifeboat crew observed that the surfer, while not in difficulty or in any immediate danger, was in a challenging part of the sea and some distance away from the shore.

The crew made the decision to take the teenager onboard and transport him safely back to Bundoran Lifeboat Station.

Speaking following the callout, O’Kelly said: “We would like to commend the member of the public who raised the alarm this afternoon — that is always the right thing to do if you see someone you think or know to be in difficulty.

“While this surfer was not in any immediate danger, he was some distance from shore so we made a call to assist him safely back to shore.”

Elsewhere, a person who went missing while kitesurfing off Ballybunion in Co Clare yesterday evening (Sunday 11 November) was found on land several hours later, as RTÉ News reports.

The kitesurfer, who had come ashore at Kilkee, was said to be suffering the effects of cold after spending as much as two-and-a-half hours at sea and was taken to hospital.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Dun Laoghaire RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was called out twice yesterday (Thursday 16 March) to separate instances of kitesurfers in distress.

The first callout was to Dollymount Strand on Bull Island across Dublin Bay, in which the casualty was landed ashore to Howth coastguard volunteers.

The second was off Sandymount, with the kitesurfer involved landed to the care of Dun Laoghaire’s Irish Coast Guard unit.

No medical attention was required in either incident.

#Kitesurfing - Raising awareness of this country's perfect conditions for wave-riding – and some of the best local practitioners of the sport – is the aim of a new video series by the Irish Kitesurfing Project.

As Surfer Today reports, the first clip showcases Robert Sayer, Wojciech Piotrowski and Alan Kavanagh braving the winter chill to show off their skills in some seriously strong surf. Here's looking forward to more from this exciting project!

Published in Kitesurfing

#RNLI - Ballycotton RNLI rescued a kitesurfer who got into difficulty on Ballycotton Bay on Monday afternoon (2 November).

The volunteer crew were requested to launch both their all-weather and inshore lifeboats by the Irish Coast Guard at 12.30pm and go to the assistance of a kitesurfer who was in difficulty but in no immediate danger in Ballycotton Bay on Co Cork.

The alarm was raised by a member of the public who spotted the kitesurfer struggling due to a lack of wind. Weather conditions at the time were described as overcast and calm.

Once on scene, the lifeboat crew assessed the situation before bringing the kitesurfer on board the inshore lifeboat and safely back to shore.

Speaking following the callout, Ballycotton RNLI coxswain Eolan Walsh said: "We would like to commend the member of the public who raised the alarm today. Their quick thinking ensured the lifeboats were launched and that there was a positive outcome."

Published in RNLI Lifeboats
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The Irish Coast Guard

The Irish Coast Guard is Ireland's fourth 'Blue Light' service (along with An Garda Síochána, the Ambulance Service and the Fire Service). It provides a nationwide maritime emergency organisation as well as a variety of services to shipping and other government agencies.

The purpose of the Irish Coast Guard is to promote safety and security standards, and by doing so, prevent as far as possible, the loss of life at sea, and on inland waters, mountains and caves, and to provide effective emergency response services and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

The Irish Coast Guard has responsibility for Ireland's system of marine communications, surveillance and emergency management in Ireland's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and certain inland waterways.

It is responsible for the response to, and co-ordination of, maritime accidents which require search and rescue and counter-pollution and ship casualty operations. It also has responsibility for vessel traffic monitoring.

Operations in respect of maritime security, illegal drug trafficking, illegal migration and fisheries enforcement are co-ordinated by other bodies within the Irish Government.

On average, each year, the Irish Coast Guard is expected to:

  • handle 3,000 marine emergencies
  • assist 4,500 people and save about 200 lives
  • task Coast Guard helicopters on missions

The Coast Guard has been around in some form in Ireland since 1908.

Coast Guard helicopters

The Irish Coast Guard has contracted five medium-lift Sikorsky Search and Rescue helicopters deployed at bases in Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo.

The helicopters are designated wheels up from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours and 45 minutes at night. One aircraft is fitted and its crew trained for under slung cargo operations up to 3000kgs and is available on short notice based at Waterford.

These aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains of Ireland (32 counties).

They can also be used for assistance in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and aerial surveillance during daylight hours, lifting and passenger operations and other operations as authorised by the Coast Guard within appropriate regulations.

Irish Coastguard FAQs

The Irish Coast Guard provides nationwide maritime emergency response, while also promoting safety and security standards. It aims to prevent the loss of life at sea, on inland waters, on mountains and in caves; and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

The main role of the Irish Coast Guard is to rescue people from danger at sea or on land, to organise immediate medical transport and to assist boats and ships within the country's jurisdiction. It has three marine rescue centres in Dublin, Malin Head, Co Donegal, and Valentia Island, Co Kerry. The Dublin National Maritime Operations centre provides marine search and rescue responses and coordinates the response to marine casualty incidents with the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Yes, effectively, it is the fourth "blue light" service. The Marine Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) Valentia is the contact point for the coastal area between Ballycotton, Co Cork and Clifden, Co Galway. At the same time, the MRSC Malin Head covers the area between Clifden and Lough Foyle. Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Dublin covers Carlingford Lough, Co Louth to Ballycotton, Co Cork. Each MRCC/MRSC also broadcasts maritime safety information on VHF and MF radio, including navigational and gale warnings, shipping forecasts, local inshore forecasts, strong wind warnings and small craft warnings.

The Irish Coast Guard handles about 3,000 marine emergencies annually, and assists 4,500 people - saving an estimated 200 lives, according to the Department of Transport. In 2016, Irish Coast Guard helicopters completed 1,000 missions in a single year for the first time.

Yes, Irish Coast Guard helicopters evacuate medical patients from offshore islands to hospital on average about 100 times a year. In September 2017, the Department of Health announced that search and rescue pilots who work 24-hour duties would not be expected to perform any inter-hospital patient transfers. The Air Corps flies the Emergency Aeromedical Service, established in 2012 and using an AW139 twin-engine helicopter. Known by its call sign "Air Corps 112", it airlifted its 3,000th patient in autumn 2020.

The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is responsible for the Northern Irish coast.

The Irish Coast Guard is a State-funded service, with both paid management personnel and volunteers, and is under the auspices of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. It is allocated approximately 74 million euro annually in funding, some 85 per cent of which pays for a helicopter contract that costs 60 million euro annually. The overall funding figure is "variable", an Oireachtas committee was told in 2019. Other significant expenditure items include volunteer training exercises, equipment, maintenance, renewal, and information technology.

The Irish Coast Guard has four search and rescue helicopter bases at Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo, run on a contract worth 50 million euro annually with an additional 10 million euro in costs by CHC Ireland. It provides five medium-lift Sikorsky S-92 helicopters and trained crew. The 44 Irish Coast Guard coastal units with 1,000 volunteers are classed as onshore search units, with 23 of the 44 units having rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) and 17 units having cliff rescue capability. The Irish Coast Guard has 60 buildings in total around the coast, and units have search vehicles fitted with blue lights, all-terrain vehicles or quads, first aid equipment, generators and area lighting, search equipment, marine radios, pyrotechnics and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Community Rescue Boats Ireland also provide lifeboats and crews to assist in search and rescue. The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the Garda Siochána, National Ambulance Service, Naval Service and Air Corps, Civil Defence, while fishing vessels, ships and other craft at sea offer assistance in search operations.

The helicopters are designated as airborne from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours, and 45 minutes at night. The aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, on inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains and cover the 32 counties. They can also assist in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and can transport offshore firefighters and ambulance teams. The Irish Coast Guard volunteers units are expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time of departing from the station house in ten minutes from notification during daylight and 20 minutes at night. They are also expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time to the scene of the incident in less than 60 minutes from notification by day and 75 minutes at night, subject to geographical limitations.

Units are managed by an officer-in-charge (three stripes on the uniform) and a deputy officer in charge (two stripes). Each team is trained in search skills, first aid, setting up helicopter landing sites and a range of maritime skills, while certain units are also trained in cliff rescue.

Volunteers receive an allowance for time spent on exercises and call-outs. What is the difference between the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI? The RNLI is a registered charity which has been saving lives at sea since 1824, and runs a 24/7 volunteer lifeboat service around the British and Irish coasts. It is a declared asset of the British Maritime and Coast Guard Agency and the Irish Coast Guard. Community Rescue Boats Ireland is a community rescue network of volunteers under the auspices of Water Safety Ireland.

No, it does not charge for rescue and nor do the RNLI or Community Rescue Boats Ireland.

The marine rescue centres maintain 19 VHF voice and DSC radio sites around the Irish coastline and a digital paging system. There are two VHF repeater test sites, four MF radio sites and two NAVTEX transmitter sites. Does Ireland have a national search and rescue plan? The first national search and rescue plan was published in July, 2019. It establishes the national framework for the overall development, deployment and improvement of search and rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue Region and to meet domestic and international commitments. The purpose of the national search and rescue plan is to promote a planned and nationally coordinated search and rescue response to persons in distress at sea, in the air or on land.

Yes, the Irish Coast Guard is responsible for responding to spills of oil and other hazardous substances with the Irish pollution responsibility zone, along with providing an effective response to marine casualties and monitoring or intervening in marine salvage operations. It provides and maintains a 24-hour marine pollution notification at the three marine rescue centres. It coordinates exercises and tests of national and local pollution response plans.

The first Irish Coast Guard volunteer to die on duty was Caitriona Lucas, a highly trained member of the Doolin Coast Guard unit, while assisting in a search for a missing man by the Kilkee unit in September 2016. Six months later, four Irish Coast Guard helicopter crew – Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith -died when their Sikorsky S-92 struck Blackrock island off the Mayo coast on March 14, 2017. The Dublin-based Rescue 116 crew were providing "top cover" or communications for a medical emergency off the west coast and had been approaching Blacksod to refuel. Up until the five fatalities, the Irish Coast Guard recorded that more than a million "man hours" had been spent on more than 30,000 rescue missions since 1991.

Several investigations were initiated into each incident. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board was critical of the Irish Coast Guard in its final report into the death of Caitriona Lucas, while a separate Health and Safety Authority investigation has been completed, but not published. The Air Accident Investigation Unit final report into the Rescue 116 helicopter crash has not yet been published.

The Irish Coast Guard in its present form dates back to 1991, when the Irish Marine Emergency Service was formed after a campaign initiated by Dr Joan McGinley to improve air/sea rescue services on the west Irish coast. Before Irish independence, the British Admiralty was responsible for a Coast Guard (formerly the Water Guard or Preventative Boat Service) dating back to 1809. The West Coast Search and Rescue Action Committee was initiated with a public meeting in Killybegs, Co Donegal, in 1988 and the group was so effective that a Government report was commissioned, which recommended setting up a new division of the Department of the Marine to run the Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC), then based at Shannon, along with the existing coast radio service, and coast and cliff rescue. A medium-range helicopter base was established at Shannon within two years. Initially, the base was served by the Air Corps.

The first director of what was then IMES was Capt Liam Kirwan, who had spent 20 years at sea and latterly worked with the Marine Survey Office. Capt Kirwan transformed a poorly funded voluntary coast and cliff rescue service into a trained network of cliff and sea rescue units – largely voluntary, but with paid management. The MRCC was relocated from Shannon to an IMES headquarters at the then Department of the Marine (now Department of Transport) in Leeson Lane, Dublin. The coast radio stations at Valentia, Co Kerry, and Malin Head, Co Donegal, became marine rescue-sub-centres.

The current director is Chris Reynolds, who has been in place since August 2007 and was formerly with the Naval Service. He has been seconded to the head of mission with the EUCAP Somalia - which has a mandate to enhance Somalia's maritime civilian law enforcement capacity – since January 2019.

  • Achill, Co. Mayo
  • Ardmore, Co. Waterford
  • Arklow, Co. Wicklow
  • Ballybunion, Co. Kerry
  • Ballycotton, Co. Cork
  • Ballyglass, Co. Mayo
  • Bonmahon, Co. Waterford
  • Bunbeg, Co. Donegal
  • Carnsore, Co. Wexford
  • Castlefreake, Co. Cork
  • Castletownbere, Co. Cork
  • Cleggan, Co. Galway
  • Clogherhead, Co. Louth
  • Costelloe Bay, Co. Galway
  • Courtown, Co. Wexford
  • Crosshaven, Co. Cork
  • Curracloe, Co. Wexford
  • Dingle, Co. Kerry
  • Doolin, Co. Clare
  • Drogheda, Co. Louth
  • Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
  • Dunmore East, Co. Waterford
  • Fethard, Co. Wexford
  • Glandore, Co. Cork
  • Glenderry, Co. Kerry
  • Goleen, Co. Cork
  • Greencastle, Co. Donegal
  • Greenore, Co. Louth
  • Greystones, Co. Wicklow
  • Guileen, Co. Cork
  • Howth, Co. Dublin
  • Kilkee, Co. Clare
  • Killala, Co. Mayo
  • Killybegs, Co. Donegal
  • Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford
  • Knightstown, Co. Kerry
  • Mulroy, Co. Donegal
  • North Aran, Co. Galway
  • Old Head Of Kinsale, Co. Cork
  • Oysterhaven, Co. Cork
  • Rosslare, Co. Wexford
  • Seven Heads, Co. Cork
  • Skerries, Co. Dublin Summercove, Co. Cork
  • Toe Head, Co. Cork
  • Tory Island, Co. Donegal
  • Tramore, Co. Waterford
  • Waterville, Co. Kerry
  • Westport, Co. Mayo
  • Wicklow
  • Youghal, Co. Cork

Sources: Department of Transport © Afloat 2020