The nominees for next month's All Ireland Sailing Championships have been announced with top sailors from the world of dinghy, keelboat and multihull classes invited for the annual champion of champions event.

The Championships will be held in Lough Ree Yacht Club in County Westmeath in SB20 sports boats on October 5th and 6th.

Past champion Fionn Lyden will defend his title against some of the country's top sailing talent with bronze medalist in the Laser U21 World Championships, Liam Glynn one of six Northern Ireland helmsmen to be nominated.

Six keelboat sailors, nine dinghy sailors and one multihull sailor make up this year's invitation list.

Two of this month's Afloat.ie Sailors of the Month awardees make the list with Darragh McCormack of Foynes representing the Mermaids and silver medalist in the GP14 Worlds and national champion Ross Kearney also sailing.

Joining McCormack from the clinker classes are Guy Kilroy from the Water Wags and Simon Reville of the IDRA 14s and Graham McMullin of the Shannon One Designs.

SB20 National Champion Peter Kennedy gets a wildcard entry but there is no nomination for this month's European SB20 bronze medalist Michael O'Connor of the Royal St. George Yacht Club.

Despite the progress of Women's sailing in Ireland, only one is among the invitees, Jocelyn Hill representing the RS200 class from County Antrim Yacht Club.

There is no ICRA representation (usually three or four places) despite the fact ICRA Commodore Simon McGibney says 'ICRA made five nominations for the All Ireland Championships 2018'.

The competition has been running since 1947 and pits all types of sailors against each other in one type of boat.

As previously reported, the Junior All Ireland Championships will be held earlier on 29-30 September at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire using Firefly dinghies.