Displaying items by tag: youth sailing
First Optimist Race Abandoned at Youth National Championships When Fleet Sails to Wrong Mark at Ballyholme
On the first day of racing at the 2022 Irish Youth Sailing National Championships at Ballyholme Yacht Club on Belfast Lough on Thursday, the event got off to a staggered start with four of the six classes racing.
A 50-strong Optimist contingent had, what organisers termed 'a false start of sorts' when the fleet sailed to the wrong first mark and the first race had to be abandoned.
In the following two races, Caoilinn Geraghty-McDonnell of the Royal St. George YC emerged as overnight leader from Royal Cork's Oisin Pearse with a slim two boat lead.
Three races had been planned originally for all four classes but the fresh breeze dropped off mid-afternoon.
Nevertheless, two races were enough for Jonathan O'Shaughnessy (Royal Cork YC) to establish a six-point lead over no fewer than five Dublin boats tied for second place amongst the 38 Laser/ILCA6 single-handers.
The group includes Howth's Eve McMahon, the Under 17 World ILCA6 World Champion who was beaten into third place in the opening race right at the finish by O'Shaughnessy and would otherwise have edged ahead in the standings.
"We got two races, it didn't rain so I think everyone's pretty happy," said Olympian and International Umpire Bill O'Hara who is on the race management team this week. "When we went out we were expecting it to be full-on with 15-16 knots and some gusts to 20 and we didn't have any reason to think it wouldn't drop til five o'clock. But the forecast is brilliant (for the next few days) with wind from the northeast and nice, big rolling waves."
In the eight boat 29er skiff event, the lead is tied between Ben O'Shaughnessy with Eimer McMorrow Moriarty and James Dwyer with Andrew Conan both from the Royal Cork YC in Crosshaven.
Jack McDowell with Henry Thompson (Malahide Yacht Club) proved most consistent for the day in the 420 event with two race wins in the eleven-boat class. Racing continues on Friday with all classes due on the water from 11 am.
2022 RYA Youth National Champions Are Crowned on the Irish Sea
The RYA Youth Sailing National Championships returned to Pwllheli, North Wales, over the Easter break as the 2022 champions were crowned across seven youth fleets.
Last hosting the premier youth sailing regatta in 2016, Plas Heli welcomed 280 youngsters from all over the country (and from across the Irish Sea) for five days of racing from 9-15 April.
As Afloat reported earlier, there was a fine showing from Northern Ireland female sailors and there was a Republic of Ireland wild card presence in Wales too (See the full results link below)
With the 2021 Youth Nationals spread across two weekends and two venues, the 2022 edition saw all the youth fleets together in one place for the first time as the kite foilers joined the iQFOiL, 420, Nacra 15, 29er and ILCA6 in competition.
Despite contending with unstable wind and weather conditions throughout the week, everyone but the kite and board fleets came very close to completing their full schedules in tough race conditions that varied from sunny to foggy.
Although enduring a tougher week onshore, the iQFOiL and kite sailors still completed enough races to confirm their national champions.
Mark Nicholls, the RYA’s Youth Racing Manager, said: “Year after year at the Youth Nationals I am amazed by the strength and resilience of our nation's young sailors.
“They have had a few tough years, as has everyone, and the start of the regatta was no different. But, yet again, they dealt with everything thrown at them with fortitude.
“There was some great racing as always and congratulations to all the winners, but as well as medals we also give out spot prizes for British Youth Sailing values and behaviours, and this was the hardest job for us.
“As regatta organisers it is fantastic to see these young sailors coming together to help each other and support each other. It’s so heartening to know the future of our sport is in such good hands.”
The Youth National Championships is the flagship event of British Youth Sailing, which aims to develop and retain the world's best young dinghy racers, windsurfers and kitefoilers.
British Youth Sailing also sets young people up for a lifetime in sailing, whether in Olympic classes, club dinghy racing or yachts, or as coaches and race officials and teaches them valuable skills and behaviours to take into their adult lives.
BYS Behaviours and Values Award winners:
‘Courage and Determination’
George and Tom Blunt – 420 (male) - Whitstable YC
Endeavour Award
George Creasy – 420 (male) - West Kirby SC
Warsash Plate – Youngest Helm
Joseph Jones – 420 (male) - Burghfield SC
Harken Competition winner
Toby Smith – 29er (male) - Royal Hospital School
The winners in each class were:
420 (female)
Megan FARRER (Emsworth SC) and Ellie RUSH (Nottinghamshire County SC)
420 (male)
Henry HEATHCOTE and Hector BENNETT (both Royal Lymington YC)
420 mixed
Alice DAVIS (Draycote Water SC) and Oliver RAYNER (Yorkshire Dales SC)
29er (female)
Ellen MORLEY and Hazel MCDONNELL (both Hollowell SC)
29er (male)
Santiago SESTO-COSBY (Royal Lymington YC) and Leo WILKINSON (Maidenhead SC)
29er mixed
Annabelle VINES (Royal Lymington YC) and Raulf BERRY (Hayling Island SC)
Nacra 15
Sam STEWARD (Brading Haven YC) and Isobel SMITH (Starcross YC)
Kite foiling (female)
Francesca MAINI (BKA)
Kite foiling (male)
Adam FARRINGTON
ILCA6 (female)
Honor PROCTER
ILCA6 (male)
Tommie GRITT (Royal Hospital School)
iQFOiL (female)
Lucy KENYON (Parkstone YC)
iQFOiL (male)
Charlie DIXON (Blackwater YC)
Full results from the regatta can be found here.
Northern Ireland Girls Shine at RYA Youth Nationals in Pwllheli
Northern girls shone at the RYA Youth Nationals last week with Ellen Barbour of County Antrim Yacht Club at Whitehead and East Antrim BC at Larne making her mark in the Women’s ILCA/Laser 6 fleet with a convincing third overall.
There was a huge fleet of around 300 competitors across seven classes in this big event in Pwllheli, North Wales.
Ellen’s scores were never lower than 10 except for a UFD (a premature start) in the first race which was one of her discards, but with five first places she proved a force to be reckoned with in the 13-race event.
Ellen Barbour - 3rd in the ILCA 6 fleet
Also, up there in the top half of the 23 strong fleet was Zoe Whitford from East Antrim who had impressive scores in the top dozen except Race 7 for which she had to count 24 for a DNE (disqualification) – and she actually was the first finisher in that race.
Zoe Whitford - 7th in the ILCA 6 fleet
Eleventh in the 39 strong 29er fleet was the Royal North/Newcastle duo, Lauren McDowell and Erin McIlwaine whose best races were two fifths.
Erin McIlwaine and Lauren McDowell (pictured centre) in the 29er fleet
Tom Coulter of East Antrim finished 17th in the ILCA (Men) with a varied set of results, his best performances being a seventh, eighth and ninth in the 61-boat fleet.
Tom Coulter of East Antrim finished 17th in the ILCA (Men)
The next big event for some of the Pwllheli competitors will be the Irish Youth Sailing Nationals at Ballyholme on Belfast Lough for which Olympian Finn Lynch's top tip to competitors is to "not focus on the result but to try learn as much as possible!" And local sailor Liam Glynn who has recently retired adds that as having grown up sailing in Ballyholme, warns that the wind can often be very shifty and gusty and since it’s close to the land, it’s hard to see what’s coming down towards you. Therefore, sailors will need to react quickly and sail their own race with whatever they’ve got in front of them, not what somebody else has on the other side of the racecourse!
The 190-strong fleet at the RYA Youth Nationals hosted by Pwllheli Sailing Club in North Wales this week should be a good run-up to the Irish Youth Sailing Nationals next week at Ballyholme Yacht Club on Belfast Lough where around 200 competitors are expected.
So far, the best performances have been delivered by Zoe Whitford of East Antrim BC in the ILCA 6 Women’s class and Ellen Barbour of County Antrim YC/EABC in the same fleet.
Lying fourth in the 23 strong fleet after six races and scoring two first places, Barbour is just one point better than Whitford at fifth so with two more days to go the contest between them is hotting up.
Sailors from East Antrim, County Antrim and Carrickfergus at the RYA Youth Nationals
Making their mark in the 29er fleet are Erin McIlwaine and Lauren McDowell from Royal North and Newcastle Yacht Clubs who are seventh overall after today’s racing.
Tom Coulter (213562) at the RYA Youth Nationals in Wales
The best placing in the ILCA 6 (Men’s) is Tom Coulter from East Antrim BC at 14th.
Other NI competitors are Lucas Nixon (Ballyholme), Matthew McClernon (East Antrim and Carrickfergus) and Daniel Corbett (County Antrim YC). Another East Antrim competitor, Kelly Patterson had entered under GBR.
The rising young stars in Ireland's ILCA 6 aka Laser class have had a very successful outing to the seasonal opener of the XVII Andalusian Olympic Week in southern Spain. In a hugely popular win for the times that are in it, the convincing victor was Andrii Verdysh of Ukraine on a scoreline for Gold in which he discarded a third, and came in with four firsts and two seconds.
Royal Cork's Jonathan O'Shaughnessy discarded a 7th from a scoreline of 2,2,4,2,2, and 4 to take Silver, while Howth's Rocco Wright took the Bronze on very improving form as it was he who pushed Verdysh into his two concluding seconds by taking a couple of wins, his other scores with a sixth discarded being 4,5, 6 & 6.
Fiachra McDonnell of Royal St George was next best of the Irish on 6th overall.
450 Sailors from 69 Countries Ready for Action at the Allianz 2022 Youth Sailing World Championships
Over 450 of the world’s very best youth sailors from 69 countries have confirmed their participation in the Allianz Youth World Sailing Championships 2022. Taking place off the coast of Scheveningen in The Hague, The Netherlands, from 8-15 July 2022, the Championships are open to young sailing stars up to the age of 19.
Competitors at the Championships represent their respective countries as they do at the Olympic Games, as the only entrants in their class. The prestigious event is seen as the stepping stone to the Sailing World Championships and a major indicator of future success in the sport. Almost all current Olympic champions have competed in previous editions of the Youth Sailing World Championships.
Kiteboarding has been included for the second time, reflecting the growth of the Kite class in recent years. The discipline will make its long-awaited debut as an Olympic event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and many of the young sailors competing in The Hague will have an eye on making the transition to the Formula Kite class ahead of the forthcoming Olympics.
David Graham, CEO, World Sailing, said, "The Allianz Youth Sailing World Championships is a prestigious event in the World Sailing calendar and we are looking forward to the event in The Hague. The combination of a natural beach and the North Sea winds will make for an exciting competition, and a true test of sailing skills for the world’s brightest prospects."
Tournament Director, Dorian van Rijsselberghe, two-time RS:X Windsurfing Olympic champion, said, "I am really looking forward to this role and to giving something back to the sport that has given me so much. I'm not talking about the medals, but the fun, the camaraderie, the road to get there and the enjoyment to be had. We will make sure that all participants will not forget The Hague and that the whole sports-loving Netherlands can watch and enjoy the action from close by. Fun and performance go hand in hand, and where better for that to happen than in Scheveningen."
For the sailors taking part, the Allianz Youth Sailing World Championships is much more than just a sailing competition. With a daily entertainment and social schedule, the event aims to create lifelong friendships across borders, nurturing lifelong friendships and opportunities to learn from each other.
The Hague will also host the Sailing World Cup over two weeks in August 2023, also from the port of Scheveningen. The event is expected to see 1,400 sailors from 90 countries compete for the world titles in the ten Olympic and three Paralympic sailing classes.
The Eric Twiname Junior Championships are Back in the UK!
The Eric Twiname Junior Championships is back after a two-year absence – and entries are now open.
The RYA’s iconic “battle of the regions” pits young sailors from across the country against each other, representing their RYA Region or Home Country.
But the regatta is so much more than just a competition – it’s as much about nurturing young sailors in a racing environment and empowering them to learn and develop.
The Eric Twiname Junior Championships, lovingly known as the ETs, will once again return to long-term hosts Rutland Sailing Club from April 30 to May 2.
It takes place in the British Youth Sailing recognised junior classes – Optimist, RS Tera Sport, RS Feva, Topper and ILCA 4 dinghies plus four different rig sizes of Bic Techno windsurfer.
This year, ETs entry for the ILCA 4 and RS Tera Sport classes is open to all young sailors. Entry for the Optimist, RS Feva, Topper and Bic Techno is by invite, through British Youth Sailing’s Regional Training Groups.
Chris Atherton, RYA National Performance Manager, said: “After a two-year forced absence we are absolutely delighted to see the Eric Twiname Junior Championships back with a bang.
“Huge thanks go to Rutland Sailing Club, long-term supporters of this much-loved event, who have once again made this year’s event possible with their backing and generosity.
“We can’t wait to see everyone at Rutland over the early May bank holiday for a long weekend of great sailing and racing, and lots of fun.”
The first event took place in 1986 and has seen thousands of young sailors compete, including Olympians past and present. Sailing stars Ben Ainslie and Iain Percy were among the early winners of the regatta before going on to Olympic greatness.
The regatta, named in memory of legendary sailor, author and journalist Eric Twiname, is regarded by many young racers as a rite of passage as they continue their journey to become top-level racers.
Twiname made his name in sailing winning numerous national titles in a range of dinghy classes, as well as in team racing where he captained the British Universities Sailing Association.
He was also greatly influential in shaping the Racing Rules which govern racing in the UK, sitting on the RYA’s Racing Rules Committee and working as the Racing Rules Advisor to the British Olympic Association.
For more information, and to enter, click here.
2022 RYA Youth Sailing Nationals Returns to the Irish Sea
The RYA Youth Sailing Brititsh National Championships is making a much-anticipated return to Wales in 2022 – and entries are now open for the Irish Sea event.
The week-long regatta heads to Plas Heli, the Welsh National Sailing Academy in Pwllheli, North Wales, for the first time since 2016.
The regatta will take place from April 9 to 15 against the backdrop of the beautiful Cardigan Bay, and will be the first time that all current British Youth Sailing youth pathway classes have competed at the same event.
A full foiling compliment of iQFOiL and kitefoil classes will feature alongside the ILCA 6 and 7, the 420, 29er and Nacra 15.
The site also contains all the information you need about the regatta, including entry fees, a class-specific schedule and the Notice of Race.
"The regatta will take place from April 9 to 15 against the backdrop of the beautiful Cardigan Bay"
The RYA Youth National Championships app will also be returning for 2022. Available from the App Store and Google Play, it will be the main channel of communication to competitors and can be used to access important regatta information as well as submit documents, requests and protests.
Mark Nicholls, the RYA’s Youth Racing Manager, said: “We are really happy to be heading back to Plas Heli for the 2022 RYA Youth National Championships.
“It’s a stunning location and we know from past regattas there that it can deliver outstanding, world-class racing.
“What’s more, all of the current British Youth Sailing youth pathway classes will be showcased this year in what’s set to be a real spectacle of youth racing.”
Gerwyn Owen, CEO of RYA Cymru Wales, added: “We're delighted to be working with the RYA and the Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre, Plas Heli, in Pwllheli, North Wales. There will be a warm Welsh welcome to everyone I'm sure, and they will experience one of the best sailing waters in the world.
“To see the most talented youth sailors from across the UK come together will really be a great celebration of our sport. Croeso i Gymru a phob lwc, welcome to Wales and good luck to everyone.”
Entries received before February 21 will be eligible for a reduced fee of £180 for single-handers and £240 for double-handers. The standard entry fee is £210 for single-handers and £280 for double-handers.
Entries after March 19 will be subject to a late entry fee.
The RYA is also on the hunt for volunteers, both shore-based and on-water, to help make the event a success. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact [email protected].
To enter the regatta head to the event’s dedicated website youthnationals.rya.org.uk.
30 Young Sailors Converge on Tralee Bay for New Year Dinghy Clinic
Dinghy Performance teamed up with Tralee Bay Sailing Club to bring back the Tralee Bay New year clinic onto the 2022 calendar.
The clinic's concept is to have all the main junior and youth classes in the same venue, allowing the older sailors to interact with the up and coming talents and giving the younger kids an idea of what comes next.
Over 30 young sailors from 7 clubs trained over the four days in Optimist, ILCA4, ILCA6 and 29ers, with local Riona Moriarty joining the final day in her Topper and the three resident dolphins of Tralee Bay enjoying and joining the action.
The coaching team was composed of locals Paddy Cunnane and Dylan Reidy, and Cork coaches Caoimhe Foster and Chris Bateman (who was also winning in Cork Harbour on Sunday), with overall management delivered by Thomas Chaix.
Each coach was in charge of a small pod of sailors.
The magnificent sailing waters of Tralee Bay
The conditions started with a blustery Southerly keeping all the boats ashore on day 1. Day 2 was challenging too, but most of the fleet launched and managed a session East of the Marina. It certainly challenged coaches and sailors alike with many capsizes and some fast thrills.
Day 3 got cooler but delivered a great day afloat with 10-15 kts from the North. Ellie Cunnane joined the day, testing out her skills on one of the 49er FX. All groups had a solid session making up for the hours lost on day one, and parents collected cold feet and tired faces after sailing.
Superb conditions welcomed the sailors on day 4 for the New year regatta. It was still very cold, but the sun warmed up everyone so four races could be completed just west of the marina in front of Fenit Beach.
Laser racing off Fenit Harbour
The event was run under PY with all the classes battling it on the same course, a windward-leeward with a spreader mark. The light breeze proved to be a challenge for the usually fast 29ers, but overall, all the classes had races near the front, proving once more that PY is not such a bad system!
The first race was a battle between ILCA4 and ILCA6, and its winner was eventually NYC sailor Sam Ledoux who took the race win for just 4 seconds over clubmate Ella Dempsey after a 35 mins tight battle around the course.
The remaining three races were shorter (about 20 mins) which suited RCYC ace Oisin Pierse (Optimist) perfectly, building solid leads over the rest of the Optimist fleet and sufficient gaps against the other classes. Three race wins (discarding his first race) gave him the overall trophy. Sam Ledoux (ILCA6) took 2nd overall, with recent team Ireland Youth Worlds representative Ben O'Shaugnessy & James Dwyer (29er) securing 3rd.
Part of the regatta was the return of the 'Battle of the classes", counting the top 3 finishers in each class. The ILCA6 with Sam Ledoux, Ella Dempsey and Conall McThrinfhir took the silverware home.
New Year Clinic Results at Tralee Bay Sailing Club
Baltimore Sailing Club Bringing Young Sailors into 1720 Sportsboats
Baltimore Sailing Club in West Cork is, predominantly, a ‘summer club’ that is very busy when seasonal visitors arrive in the village from Cork City, Dublin and other locations. That does not limit its ambitions to develop the sport as its newly-elected Commodore Grahame Copplestone has been telling me.
The annual general meeting this week had a list of planned events that it hopes to host, starting in April and this year running possibly into October/ November. The list includes Munster Lasers – 16th-17th April; Wazsp Southerns/Foil Event – 14th – 15th May; National 18’s South Coast – 4th -5th June; 1720 Nationals – 1st, 2nd 3rd August or 8th, 9th 10th August; Baltimore Cup – August weekend; ITRA Nationals –late October/November.
1720 sportsboats are strong in Baltimore Sailing Club where class ace Robert O'Leary (left) is the club Sailing Secretary Photo: Deirdre Horgan
Grahame Copplestone takes over from outgoing Commodore Charlie Bolger who has agreed to stay on as a club committee member. Peter O’Flynn has been appointed as Vice Commodore; Tom Bushe – Treasurer; Etain Linehan – Secretary; Sheila O’Sullivan – Rear Commodore; Rob O’Leary – Sailing Secretary, with Committee Members - Ruth Field, Dee Griffiths, Pierce Ryan, Glenn MacCarthy and Fiona MacCarthy.
"The 1720 Class has become a major part of the club"
The 1720 Class has become a major part of the club and owners of these boats are encouraging a “cohort of younger sailors to join the fleet,” the new Commodore says. He told me that the club is putting a lot of emphasis on retaining younger sailors in the sport and is also intending to develop more cruiser racing.
The Heir Island Sloop raced at Baltimore Sailing Club is designed for local one-design racing and day sailing on the semi-sheltered waters of Long Island Bay and Roaring Water Bay in South West Cork
Graham Copplestone is my first podcast guest in 2022. Listen to his interview here where he outlines in detail the club plans, starting with its position as a summer club.