Conditions were tough for dinghy sailors in Monkstown Bay in Cork Harbour on Saturday, the final day of the club’s October Dinghy League, with strong, gusty winds and heavy, driving rain showers.

The Race Committee decided conditions were too strong for Class 2, so racing for the smaller dinghies was cancelled. After a postponement, six of the senior sailors in Class 1 got in a race to close the season for Class 1.

The determined group of five Lasers and a 505 battled the challenging conditions. Ewen Barry and John Coakley, sailing the 505, won the race, the seventh of the series and won the league overall. Second was Daniel Mallon in a Laser Radial, who also finished second overall. Third on Saturday, in a Laser II, were Judy Moynihan and Therese Loesberg who placed fourth overall in the series.

Third overall in the league was David O’Connell, the Laser veteran of the club, who finished fourth on Saturday. In the club’s overall league results for the season, he is top sailor, leading Class 1 where Judy Moynihan and Therese Loesberg finished second. Charles McCarthy and Rory O’Connor were third for the season, sailing a 505.

Five races decided Class 2 October League, won by Olin Bateman, with Ethel Bateman second, both sailing Laser 4.7s. Isobelle Clarke Waterman and Conor Donald Kelly were third in an RS Feva XL. Waterman was season’s Class 2 overall winner. Second were Isobel O’Connor and her father, Tim, racing their Mirror and third Tony Geraghty and Daragh Killeen in another RS Feva XL.

Changing from solo sailing a Laser, Ronan Kenneally, who won Monkstown Bay Sailing Club’s September dinghy league in Cork Harbour, is helming a National 18 in the October league.

After four races, sailing National 18 M2 with crew Robert O'Sullivan and Jack Horgan, the trio are in third place overall on 16 points.

Laser sailor Brendan Dwyer is the league leader. He has eight points overall. Second, six points behind him on a total of 14, are Ewen Barry and John Coakley, in a 505.

In Class 2, 4.7 Lasers are in the top two positions, sailed by Ethel Bateman first and Olin Bateman second.

Laser sailor Brendan Dwyer leads the Monkstown Bay Sailing Club October League after two races sailed in the Cork Harbour club's first races of its October League on Saturday.

Medium westerlies gave some exciting racing to the combined fleet of 12 mixed dinghies comprising National 18s, five 505s, RS Aero and five Laser dinghies.

Race officers were John and Judy Moynihan.

Lasers filled the podium in Class One, with Daniel Mallon second and Cove Sailing Club's Kieran Dorgan in third.

Laser sailor Daniel Mallon racing at the Monkstown Bay Sailing Club October League Photo: Bob Bateman

In Class Two, the Bateman siblings are at the top of a five-boat division.

Ethel leads her brother Olin after two races with Isobelle Waterman and Conor Kelly lying third in an RS Feva,

MBSC October League 2022 Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

At Monkstown Bay Sailing Club in Cork Harbour on Sunday, RS Feva dinghies raced their club championships.

There were six races, with five to count, allowing for one discard. Ten Fexa XLs raced. Ben and Charles Dwyer won the first three races, but did not compete in the others.

The overall winners were Tony Geraghty and Daragh Killeen who had three-second places, a third and ensured their victory with a first in the last race, for a total of ten points. Second were Isobel McCarthy and Alec Garrett on 22 points and third Amy and David Doherty on 27.

MBSC SEPTEMBER LEAGUE

The club’s September dinghy league, sailed on Saturdays, was led to the last race in Class One by overall leader, Laser sailor Ronan Kenneally, on 11 points, winning races five and six. Second was Laser veteran David O’Connell with a total of 18 points. Third was the Laser II two-handed version of this dinghy sailed by Judy Moynihan and Terese Loesberg, finishing with 30 points. Nineteen boats raced in the league at its various stages.

Class Two finishing leaders were RS Feva XL crew Ben Dwyer and Donagh Leahy on 8 points, well ahead of the rest of the fleet. Alexa Creighton sailing a Topaz Uno was second on 31 points. Third were Ellen and Ayda Bruen in another RS Feva XL on 33. Thirteen boats raced in the league.

55 dinghies competed across the fleets at Monkstown Bay Sailing Club 'At Home' 2022 regatta in Cork Harbour on Saturday.

As regular Afloat readers will know, the event was postponed from earlier in the season when strong winds cancelled the first 'At Home' attempt in late June.

The Monkstown Bay Sailing Club Regatta had three fleets of dinghies competing Photo: Bob Bateman

In Class 1, Laser full rig sailor Ronan Kenneally won from Fred Cudmore, Sandy Rimmington and Brian Dineen, sailing a penultimate National 18. The third was Harry Pritchard in a Laser Full rig

Fred Cudmore, Sandy Rimmington and Brian Dineen, sailing a penultimate National 18 Photo: Bob Bateman

Class 2 overall was won by Mirror duo Tim and Isobel O'Connor. 

Father and daughter Mirror duo Tim and Isobel O'Connor

The first Junior team was Isabelle McCarthy/Ben Dwyer in an RS Feva. Second junior was Alexia Creighton in a  Topaz Uno dinghy. The third junior crew were Anna Daly/Sarah Hallissey.

In the Optimist Class, Ruadhan Jackson won from Eoin Jones with Donnagh Jackson third. 

Video clips by Mary Malone

An Optimist start at the Monkstown Bay Sailing Club 'At Home' 2022 Regatta 

Bob Bateman's Monkstown Bay Sailing Club 'At Home' 2022 Photo Gallery

Lasers are dominating Class 1 of Monkstown Bay Sailing Club’s August dinghy league.

Philip Doherty in his Laser Radial has built a five-point lead on a total of 5 after four races sailed at the time of writing, with Judy Moynihan and Therese Loesberg second in their Laser II on 10 points. Third is John Moynihan, in another Laser, just one point behind on 11.

Isobel and Tim O’Connor, in their Mirror on 3 points from three first placings in the four races sailed, are again topping Class 2, which they won last month. Ellen and Ayda Bruen in their RS Feva XL are in close pursuit on five points.

Philip Doherty in his Laser Radial is leading Monkstown Bay Sailing Club’s Class 1 in the August dinghy league after three races on a total of 5 points. Second is John Moynihan on 11 points, in another Laser and third is the duo of Judy Moynihan and Therese Loesberg in their Laser II on 12 points.

Ellen and Ayda Bruen are leading Class 2 in an RS Feva XL ahead of second-placed Isobel and Tim O’Connor, who won the July league. Third are Tony Geraghty and Daragh KIleen in another RS Feva XL.

Laser sailor David O’Connell won Cork Harbour's Monkstown Bay Sailing Club July league in Class One after nine races on 10 points with Judy Moynihan and Therese Loesberg second in their Laser Two on 27.

Charles McCarthy and Barry O'Connor were third in their 505 on 38.

Isobel O'Connor and Tim O'Connor brought their Mirror to overall success in Class Two on seven points.

Isobelle Clarke Waterman was second and Tony Geraghty/Daragh Killeen third.

David O’Connell, Laser, has increased his lead at Monkstown Bay Sailing Club’s July Dinghy League in Class 1, winning Race 7 to have just 5 points overall.

Double-handed Laser sailors Judy Moynihan and Therese Loesberg, continue second on 18 points, the gap between first and second having increased to 13. In third place the 505 (Charles McCarthy and Barry O’Connor) on 25 are now seven points behind.

With the last race of the league this week, O’Connell’s overall win seems certain and second and third look like remaining the same.

It is tighter in Class 2, where Isobel and Tim O’Connor, first in their Mirror, are two points clear of second, on a total of 7, Isabelle Clarke Waterman’s RS Feva XL on 9 with Tony Geraghty and Daragh Killeen in another Feva in third on 11.

After five races and with one discard allowed, Laser sailor David O’Connell continues to hold a big lead in Class 1 of the Monkstown Bay SC July dinghy league in Cork Harbour on a total of four points.

Second is a double-handed Laser sailed by Judy Moynihan and Therese Loesberg, trailing him by 10 on a total of 14 points.

Third place is held by a 505 sailed by Charles McCarthy and Barry O’Connor with 19 points.

Applying the discard after the fifth race has moved the Mirror, the smallest dinghy in the Class 2 fleet, sailed by Isobel and Tim O’Connor, up to first place on 6 points, displacing Isobelle Clarke Waterman’s RS Feva XL to second on 7, with another Feva XL, sailed by Tony Geraghty and Daragh Kileen in third on 8 points.