In spite of a healthy entry of over 300 boats for July's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, organisers have extended the early bird entry incentive discount (due to close yesterday) for another two weeks.

Current Entries to the country's biggest sailing regatta stand at 320. There are  61 yacht clubs represented and over one third of the boats entered are visitors to Dublin Bay.  Entries have been received rom Denmark, Germany, France, England, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, N.Ireland.

Royal Cork Yacht Club sailors have lifted two national titles at the 2011 Mitsubishi National Youth Sailing Championships this afternoon in a series cut short today by gale force winds on Dublin Bay. SCROLL DOWN FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S PRIZEGIVING PHOTOS.

Local knowledge offered no advantage as Dun Laoghaire co-hosts the Royal St. George YC, the National Yacht Club and the Royal Irish YC won none of the five national titles inspite of strong turnouts fielded by each of the waterfront clubs.

With winds gusting up to 25-30 knots and easterly winds causing a big swell, sailing for the final day of the ISA Mitsubishi National Championships was cancelled leaving the 300 sailors ashore. However all classes had completed sufficient races to complete the series.

The event was an important test event for Dun Laoghaire organisers of the Youth Worlds which will be held in the same venue from 12 -21 July 2012.

In a show of strength from the regions the three other titles went to other east coast clubs at Howth, Ballyholme and Courtown.

Immediately after the prizegiving, (photos below) Olympic Team Manager James O'Callaghan named the Irish team for the 2011 ISAF Youth World Championships in Croatia in July based on the weekend results. Listen to the podcast with the team manager, talking about the stand out performances of the weekend,  the current strength of youth sailing in Ireland and the prospect of a top finish in Croatia.

Royal Cork YC achieved two national titles with Laser 4.7 event favourite Seafra Guilfoyle winning the title having previously dominated the Optimist fleet in previous years.

Brother and sister team Patrick & Chloe Crosbie also from Royal Cork won the 420 National title and Patrick was awarded the Training Grant for the most promising sailor at the event.

This event was the national trials for the Optimist class which was won by Tralee Bay sailor Sophie Browne who will travel to New Zealand in December to compete in the Optimist World Championships.

Irish optimist sailors are performing well internationally at the moment finishing fourth and fifth at the Braassemermeer Easter regatta. Other events during 2011 where there will be Irish representation include the European Championships in Portugal and the National Championships in Germany and the UK.

Top three results below. Click the links for full results class by class.

Laser Radial - full results here
National Champion: Philip Doran (Courtown Sailing Club)
2nd  Robbie Gilmore (Strangford Lough YC)
3rd Eoin Keller (Lough Derg YC)
1st Girl Sophie Murphy Quoile Yacht Club

Laser 4.7 - full results here
National Champion: Seafra Guilfoyle (Royal Cork YC)
2nd Darragh O'Sullivan (Kinsale YC)
3rd Finn Lynch (NYC/Blessington SC)
1st Girl: Sian Kneafsey (National YC)

420 - full results here
National Champions:  Patrick Crosbie & Chloe Crosbie (Royal Cork YC)
2nd Aodh Kennedy & Daniel Browne (Kinsale YC & Tralee Bay SC)
3rd Emma Geary & Niamh Connolly (Royal Cork YC & Baltimore SC)

Feva - full results here

National Champions: D Johnston & L Flynn Byrne (Howth YC)

2nd C Totterdell & S Craig (National YC/Royal St. George YC)

3rd  C Mollard & J Harris (Howth YC)

Topper - full results here
National Champion:  T Brow (Ballyholme YC)
2nd Laura Gilmore (Strangford Lough YC)
3rd  Andrew Penney (East Antrim BC)

Optimist (Championship fleet)
1st Ben Walsh (Skerries SC)
2nd Ross Quirke (National YC)
3rd Colin O'Sullivan (Malahide YC)

Optimist National Trials
Sophie Browne (Tralee Bay SC) won the trials and took the option of travelling to New Zealand in December 2011 to represent Ireland at the Optimist World Championships.

The following sailors were selected by the trial process to represent Ireland at the European Championship which will be held in Portugal in July 2011: Sean Donnelly, HYC, Peter McCann RCYC, Harry Whitaker RCYC, Eoin Lyden RCYC, Jil McGinley RCYC  Cliodhna Ni Shuilleabhain KYC and Megan Parker SSC

The team selected to travel to the German National Championships include Robert Dickson HYC , Daire Cournane KYC, Sean Waddilove Skerries SC,  Richard Hogan HYC, Adam Hyland RSGYC, Ronan Cournane KYC, Sean Gambier Ross KYC and Fergus Flood HYC, Aoife Hopkins and Alacoque Daly Tralee Bay SC.

In addition 10 sailors were chosen for the Irish under 12 squad who will compete in the Optimist UK National Championships.

All our youth sailing news aggregated here

Prizegiving photos by Gareth Craig below. For daily on the water action: Day one photos here. Day two photos here. Day three photos here.

More testing, ideal sailing conditions greet youth sailors this morning on Dublin Bay for the fourth and final day of competition at the Mitsubishi Youth Championships.

Up for grabs are places on the national youth team to represent Ireland at the World Championships in Croatia in three months time.

Yesterday started with ideal sunny conditions with winds 10-12 knots dropping during the day. Day three photos from Gareth Craig here. The overall results are as follows:

Yellow Course (Laser Radial, Laser 4.7, 420)

Laser Radial : (8 races completed) 1. Philip Doran (Courtown SC)  2. Robbie Gilmore (Strangford Lough YC) 3. Eoin Keller (Lough Derg YC)

Laser 4.7: (8 races completed) 1. Seafra Guilfoyle (Royal Cork YC)  2. Darragh O'Sullivan (Kinsale YC)  3. Finn Lynch (NYC/Blessington SC)

420: (8 races completed) 1. Aodh Kennedy & Daniel Browne (Kinsale YC & Tralee Bay YC)  2. Emma Geary & Niamh Connolly (Royal Cork YC & Baltimore SC) 3. Patrick Crosbie & Chloe Crosbie (Royal Cork YC)

Blue Course ( Optimist National Trials, First leg completed in Kinsale )

Optimist (11races completed) 1. Sophie Browne (Tralee Bay SC) 2. Sean Donnelly (National YC) 3. Peter McCann (Royal Cork YC)

Orange Course (Topper & Optimist & Feva)

Feva: (6 races completed) 1. D Johnston & L Flynn Byrne (Howth YC) 2. C Totterdell & S Craig (National YC/Royal St. George YC) 3. C Mollard & J Harris (Howth YC)

Topper: (8 races completed) 1. T Brow (Ballyholme YC) 2. Laura Gilmore (Strangford Lough YC) 3. Andrew Penney (East Antrim BC)

Optimist: (Championship fleet, 5 races completed) 1. Ben Walsh (Skerries SC) 2. Ross Quirke (National YC) 3. Colin O'Sullivan (Malahide YC)

A 'tough opener' is how Commodore Peter Ryan has described the first ISORA offshore sailing race of the season from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire yesterday. Inspite of the difficult conditions though there was little change at the top of the leader board. Skerries domination of Irish Sea racing continues with the Sigma 400 Raging Bull maintaining his winning form.  It was a very hard race with usual flukey conditions trying to leave Dublin Bay at 8am on Saturday morning (Afloat.ie followed the fleet out of the bay on twitter). Strong winds followed for the beat to the M2 buoy before another long leg and a short beat to Holyhead. The sea conditions on the 60-mile course were trying for many crew who were out for the first time this season.

ISORA has formed three classes this season, the aim is to give better competitive sailing between similar boats. First race results below.

Boat Name	Sail No.	Type	IRC Rating	Finish Time	Time elapsed	Corrected	Place	Place
			(provisional)			Time	Class	O/A
English Mick	GBR4771R	Beneteau 47.7	1.130	19:18:26	40706	45997	2	8
GFT Adventurer	GBR23161	Beneteau 45	1.101	19:54:46	42886	47217	3	9
Quite Correct	IRL 5405	DS54	1.095	RET	-	-	-	-
African Challenge	IRL 2649	Fast 42	1.077	RET	-	-	-	-
Tsunami	IRL 4007	First 40.7	1.061	18:48:01	38881	41252	1	4
Lancastrian	GBR 7682T	Starlight 14.5m	1.059	20:27:00	44820	47464	4	10
Rebellion	IRL 6001	Nicholson 58	1.054	RET	-	-	-	-
Orna	IRL 532		1.047	DNS	-	-	-	-
Madam Wen	GBR1417L	Sweden 42	1.04	RET	-	-	-	-
Aztec 3	IRL29832	A35	1.034	18:59:30	39570	40915	3	3
Raging Bull	IRL 9666	Sigma 400	1.027	18:42:30	38550	39590	1	1
Jedi	IRL 8088	J109	1.029	RET	-	-	-	-
Sgrech	GBR9319R	J109	1.026	19:01:52	39712	40744	2	2
Miss Scarlett	IRL 4763	Sunfast 40.3	1.025	RET	-	-	-	-
Lula Belle	IRL 3607	First 36.7	1.019	19:35:55	41755	42548	5	6
First of September	IRL 8581	First 43.5	1.017	DNS	-	-	-	-
Dinah	IRL 3508	JOD 35	1.016	19:36:22	41782	42450	4	5
Adelie	FRA 9631	First 34.7	0.988	21:26:00	48360	47779	2	11
Mojito	GBR 4184	Bravaria 39	0.988	20:36:22	45382	44837	1	7
Mistral of St Helier	K 8337	Sigma 38	0.984	RET	-	-	-	-
Yahtzee	IRL 1068	Oceanis 411	0.983	02:23:00	66180	65054	3	12
Obsession	IRL 4513	Sigma 33	0.905	RET	-	-	-	-
Sarnia	IRL 2260		0.891	RET	-	-	-	-

Colin Byrne sailing Xtravagance won in both IRC and ECHO handicap divisions in this afternoon's first Dublin Bay Sailing Club Saturday race of 2011. The Royal Irish Yacht Club entry beat the Commodore's yacht Gringo (Tony Fox) for the top slot in Class One in an afternoon that blew away the winter cobwebs.

Today's 15 knot Easterly breeze was the perfect antidote to the disappointment of the abandonment of the first race last Thursday due to lack of wind.

In other fleets, Keith Kiernan's Cor Baby won class 2 and the Sonata Jammie Dodger (Dermot O'Neill) won class three, currently the Bay's biggest cruiser class with over 30 entries.

On the one design courses Joe Coughlan's Ash beat Frank Burgess's Snow White in the first race of the Flying Fifteen's, a result that was reversed in the second race.

DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 30 APRIL 2011

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne), 2. Gringo (Tony Fox), 3. Something Else (J.Hall et al)

CRUISERS 1 - ECHO 1. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne), 2. Gringo (Tony Fox), 3. Adrenalin (Joe McDonald)

CRUISERS 2 - ECHO 1. Cor Baby (Keith Kiernan et al), 2. Kamikaze (P.Nash/B.McIntyre), 3. Peridot (Jim McCann et al)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Cor Baby (Keith Kiernan et al), 2. Red Rhum (J Nicholson), 3. Jawesome 11 (V.Kennedy/M.Dyke)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Jammie Dodger (J.H & D.O'Neill), 2. Carrabeg (D.Martin/R.Deasy), 3. Supernova (K.Lawless et al)

CRUISERS 4 - 1. Ghrazel (Charles Pearson)

BENETEAU 31.7 - , 3. Thirty Something (Gerry Jones et al)

BENETEAU 31.7 ˆ ECHO 1. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson), 2. Thirty Something (Gerry Jones et al), 3. Kernach (Eoin O'Driscoll)

FLYING FIFTEEN ˆ RACE 2 1. Ash (Joseph Coughlan), 2. Snow White (Frank Burgess)

FLYING FIFTEEN - 1. Snow White (Frank Burgess), 2. Ash (Joseph Coughlan), 3. PFO (Valerie Mulvin)

MERMAID - 1. Jill (P.Smith/P.Mangan), 2. Lively Lady (G O'Neill & M Hanney)

PY CLASS - 1. P Keane (Laser 1), 2. Sean Flanagan (Laser)

PY CLASS - RACE 2 1. Sean Flanagan (Laser), 2. P Keane (Laser 1), 3. Desmond McCarthy (Laser 1)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Diane ll (Bruce Carswell), 2. Cresendo (L Balfe), 3. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy)

SHIPMAN - 1. Gusto (C Heath), 2. Whiterock (Henry Robinson)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Popje (Ted McCourt), 2. Pippa lV (G.Kinsman/K.Blake/M.O'Brien)

SQUIB - 1. Kookaburra (P & M Dee), 2. Anemos (Pete & Ann Evans), 3. Little Demon (Marie Dee)

SQUIB - RACE 2 1. Kookaburra (P & M Dee), 2. Little Demon (Marie Dee), 3. Tais (Michael O'Connell)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS ˆ ECHO 1. Arwen (Philip O'Dwyer), 2. Calypso (Howard Knott)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Arwen (Philip O'Dwyer), 2. Calypso (Howard Knott)

At its Annual General Meeting today, Dublin Port Company which operates Ireland's largest port, handling over half of Ireland's trade, announced it will pay a €6.5 million dividend to the State in June 2010 based on its Financial Results for the year ended 31 December 2010 together with a special dividend of €10 million. This will bring the total dividend payments to its shareholder to €36.6 million over the last five years.

At today's AGM the Annual Report for 2010 was presented to the Shareholders in advance of publication later this year after it has been laid before the Oireachtas.

Dublin Port Company also outlined its trading outlook for the remainder of the year after a return to growth in throughput in 2010 following two years of decline in trade. These results showed an increase of 6.1% on the previous year to 28.1 million tonnes which is just 9% lower than the historic high of 30.9 million tonnes in 2007.

Addressing Dublin Port Company's AGM, Ms. Lucy McCaffrey, the company's chairperson, said; "I was pleased to report to our shareholders, the representatives of the Minister for Transport and Minster for Finance, that Dublin Port Company will pay a dividend of €6.5 million in respect of the 2010 financial out-turn along with a payment of a special dividend of €10 million. The €16.5m paid this year will bring total distributions to €36.6 million in a five year period. In addition to paying a dividend to our shareholder we remain committed to investing in the port's infrastructure to ensure that Dublin Port remains the efficient modern competitive port it has become. We recently launched a major consultation exercise with all our stakeholders to create a Masterplan for the future development of Dublin Port to ensure that it can continue to serve the trading needs of the city and country for generations to come."

Speaking about the financial performance of Dublin Port Company for 2010, Dr. Leo Varadkar TD, Minister for Transport said; "I congratulate the company on its strong financial performance for 2010 which has enabled it to pay a further dividend to the State. It is encouraging that the company remains a profitable enterprise which continues to pay a dividend to the State, in line with current Government policy in relation to the commercial State companies. Furthermore, it is encouraging that the financial strength of the company will allow it to invest significantly in the future development without recourse to exchequer funding. This country's return to economic prosperity will be export-led and Irish ports will play an important role in facilitating that trade. In this regard the current Masterplan consultation process the company has embarked on is a timely and necessary exercise in preparing for the future."

Typically the start of the Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) is a traditional season highlight on the capital's waters but there's so much sailing slated for Dublin Bay the weekend it's hard to know where to start.

There could be anything up to 500-boats afloat for events right across the bay and out in to the Irish Sea.

Joining the 390 boat DBSC fleet for its 128th season is a gathering of over 300 dinghies in Dun Laoghaire for the Mitsubishi Youth National Championships at the Royal St. George and National Yacht Clubs. It's an important event because it is a dry run for next year's ISAF Youth Worlds on Dublin Bay.

The National Yacht Club is also host for the first race of the 2011 ISORA offshore season. Up to 17 starters from a possible ISORA entry list of 40 are confirmed for the first race to Holyhead. First gun for ISORA is at 0755. An Early one!

Across the bay in Howth there is a competitive fleet assembled for the SB3 Eastern Championships. A notable feature of the event is the inclusion of Olympic campaigner Annalise Murphy.

Ashore, Réalt na Mara Dun Laoghaire RNLI's new D-class lifeboat is to be officially named during a ceremony on the East Pier in Dun Laoghaire this Saturday at 12 noon. The lifeboat is to be named by Mr and Mrs Pat and Kathy Kenny. RTE presenter Pat Kenny and his wife Kathy have been long-standing supporters of the Dun Laoghaire RNLI lifeboats.

Mid week forecasts show good sailing winds for the weekend. Met Eireann is forecasting Southeast to east force 2 to 4 breezes, light enough for a gentle start to the season but there's still a chance of stronger for Saturday afternoon. Listen to Eddie English's weather prediction from Cork Harbour.

 

A turnout of two dozen marked a successful start to the 2011 Dublin Port sponsored Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) dinghy season tonight.

Making its debut for the first time under the club burgee was an International Moth dinghy. The ultra fast hull was airborne at just eight knots of breeze, making even the trapezing Fireballs look slow. But despite the pace the new fangled dinghy did not feature in the overall Portsmouth Yardstick (PY)  results. See below.

A healthy turnout of six 'balls, urged on by the fact that the class World Championships is in Sligo in 46 days time, got some trapezing gusts and some planing waves downwind in a north-easterly breeze of 6-8 knots. S. Oram took the winning gun from Louis Smyth sailing Licence to Thrill.

Single handed Lasers boasted twice the Fireball turnout to be the biggest class racing in Scotsman's bay tonight. It's a show of strength from a class surely worthy of its own start if this kind of turnout can be maintained.

Sean Craig won the Laser race from Peter Craig but the overall PY result went to E. Ryan's RS400.

Two Dublin Bay Mermaids and disappointingly, a single IDRA 14, No.124, Squalls also competed.

DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 26 APRIL 2011

FIREBALL - 1. nn (S Oram), 2. Licence to Thrill (Louis Smyth), 3. Incubus (C Power/M Barry)

MERMAID - 1. Lively Lady (G O'Neill & M Hanney), 2. Jill (P.Smith/P.Mangan)

PY CLASS - 1. E Ryan (RS400), 2. Sean Craig (Laser), 3. Peter Craig (Laser)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty), 2. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey), 2. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Cor Baby (Keith Kiernan et al), 2. Red Rhum (J Nicholson), 3. Free Spirit (John O'Reilly)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Grasshopper 2 (K & J Glynn), 2. Pamafe (Michael Costello), 3. Papytoo (M.Walsh/F.Guilfoyle)

CRUISERS 4 - 1. Maranda (Myles Kelly), 2. Ghrazel (Charles Pearson), 3. Artemis (J.Giles)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Diane ll (Bruce Carswell), 2. Icicle (C & J Murray), 3. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Rupert (R.Lovegrove/P.Varian), 2. Pippa lV (G.Kinsman/K.Blake/M.O'Brien)

SQUIB - 1. Tais (Michael O'Connell), 2. Periguin (N.Coakley/J.Redahan)

More DBSC News here.

Over the next few days hundreds of boats will arrive in Dun Laoghaire in preparation for the Mitsubishi Youth National Championships over the May Bank Holiday weekend (29 April – 02 May).

Over 300 sailors will compete in Dublin Bay in seven different classes (Laser Radial, Laser 4.7, 420, Feva, Topper, SL16 and Optimist). For youth sailors, this event is the most important in the annual calendar as it is the decider for the top Irish sailors to compete internationally during 2011 and is the pathway for future Olympic sailors. Podcast with Olympic Team Manager James O'Callaghan here.

The 420 fleet is already in situ as the Leinster Championships were held over Easter and the girls team Emma Geary and Niamh Connolly won the event in style. This team is the only 420 crew to qualify internationally for a place on the Irish team to compete in the ISAF Youth Worlds in Zadar, Croatia and will be looking to win next weekend to secure this honour.

Dublin Bay will host the 2012 ISAF Youth World Championships and this year's ISA Mitsubishi Youth National event is an important test event with representatives from the international sailing authority visiting Dun Laoghaire to view plans and test logistics.

In addition to the 420 fleet the Laser radial fleet will also be competing to qualify to represent Ireland in Croatia. Philip Doran aged 17 from Courtown in Wexford is the current former under 17 World Champion in the Laser Radial fleet although the National title has eluded him so far. In the girls fleet it will be a toss up between Saskia Tidey (RIYC) and Sophie Murphy (Quoile YC) as both already have a national title each under their belts.

A fleet of top Optimists are expected. Photo: Bob Bateman

The younger Optimist fleet is also celebrating this week after two top 5 positions at the Easter Regatta in Braassemermeer, the Netherlands. In fact an Irish team has competed at this event for 23 years and this is the first time that Ireland has won the country prize. Sean Donnelly from Dun Laoghaire who finished fourth in Braassemermeer is also leading the Optimist fleet in the trials and will be anxious to hold on to first position during the ISA Mitsubishi Youth Nationals.

In other fleets, the laser 4.7 fleet is enjoying record numbers with many ex-Optimist and Topper sailors choosing this boat. Finn Lynch from Blessington and Seafra Guilfoyle from Cork will be firm favourites to win the class.

Overall Dublin Bay will be a spectacle of sail over the May Bank holiday weekend with light winds forecast.

Mitsubishi Motors have been a proud supporter of junior sailing in Ireland for the last 7 years. In recent years Ireland has had successes at youth level with winner of the girls under 21 Laser World Championships and a top 10 at the 2010 ISAF Youth Worlds and wins at the British National Optimist Championships.

The National Yacht Club hosted the 420 dinghy Leinster Sailing Championships over the Easter Weekend, attracting twelve boats and visiting crews travelling from Crosshaven, Kinsale, Malahide, Spiddal, Tralee and Wexford.

Emma Geary and Niamh Connolly from Royal Cork YC counted four wins and a second place in the six-race series to win the event convincingly. The girls will be aiming to repeat their success next weekend at the ISA Mitsubishi Youth Nationals in Dun Laoghaire in order to secure a nomination to the 2011 ISAF Youth Worlds, which will be held in Croatia.

Fiona and Patrick Daly of Tralee Bay SC finished second overall with a very consistent four 2^nds and two 3^rds Aodh Kennedy/Daniel Browne (Kinsale YC) who were third overall and Richard D’Esterre/Peter Stokes (CYS/Royal Munster) also recorded race wins.

Alanna Lyttle and Cian Guifoyle (Royal St.George YC) narrowly defeated fellow newcomers Emily Jones and Liadh Conway (Wexford Harbour BC) for the Silver Fleet Trophy.

PRO Larry Power and his mark laying teams provided excellent racing in sometimes challenging wind conditions while Sandra Moore ran the race office throughout the weekend.

Full results available here.