The championship flag has been raised in Dún Laoghaire as sailors from 45 nations prepare for the opening races of the 2026 ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship on Dublin Bay.
The championship flag has been raised in Dún Laoghaire, signalling the end of years of preparation and the imminent start of racing at the 2026 ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship on Dublin Bay.
Sailors from 45 nations gathered for Monday evening’s opening ceremony ahead of the first races on Tuesday, with the National Yacht Club and Royal St George Yacht Club co-hosting one of the strongest international fleets assembled on Irish waters.
The opening ceremony was led by event chairman Con Murphy and attended by Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Cathaoirleach Cllr Barry Saul, National Yacht Club Commodore Rosemary Cadogan and Paul Molloy, Commodore of the Royal St George Yacht Club and ILCA World President Mark Lyttle. Also in attendance from the Dun Laoghaire waterfront was Royal Irish Commodore Winifred Kelleher and Derek Gill, DMYC Commodore along with a range of local dignatories and County Councillors.
Monday afternoon’s practice race also gave the Race Committee an opportunity to test the new Vakaros starting system, which was confirmed as fully operational ahead of the championship racing.
As Afloat has reported in its championship build-up, 141 sailors are entered, including double Olympic champion Matt Wearn of Australia, defending World Champion Willem Wiersema of the Netherlands and Ireland’s 2021 World Championship silver medallist Finn Lynch.
World Stage – International flags provide the backdrop as sailors, officials and guests gather in Dún Laoghaire for the official opening of the 2026 ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship. Photo: Michael Chester
Harbour Opportunity
Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Cllr Barry Saul spoke about the opportunities presented to Dún Laoghaire Harbour by staging a major international sailing championship.
Minister for Health and local TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill spoke of the pride in Ireland hosting the championship before giving the signal for the championship flag to be raised.
“We’re so thrilled to welcome 141 sailors from 45 countries to Dún Laoghaire to celebrate a magnificent championship,” Minister Carroll MacNeill said.
For championship organiser Con Murphy, the ceremony marked the culmination of years of work to bring an Olympic-class World Championship to Dublin Bay.
The event is the first Olympic-class sailing World Championship staged in Ireland for 25 years and begins three weeks of international ILCA competition in Dún Laoghaire, with the ILCA 6 Women’s World Championship following in September.
Shared Waters – National Yacht Club Commodore Rosemary Cadogan at the ILCA 7 World Championship opening ceremony, where she stressed both the importance of competition and the friendships formed between sailors from 45 nations. Photo: Michael Chester
National Yacht Club Commodore Rosemary Cadogan reflected on the importance of winning at World Championship level, but also emphasised the friendship and camaraderie generated by bringing sailors from 45 nations together.
Cadogan also spoke of the National Yacht Club’s pride in co-hosting the championship with its Dún Laoghaire neighbour, the Royal St George Yacht Club.
From Mississippi to Dún Laoghaire
Worlds Reunion – Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill joins Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Cathaoirleach Cllr Barry Saul, ILCA World President Mark Lyttle and championship organiser Con Murphy at the opening ceremony. Lyttle and Murphy both represented Ireland at the 1983 Laser World Championships in Dún Laoghaire. Photo: Michael Chester
ILCA World President Mark Lyttle brought a particularly personal perspective to the occasion.
The Dún Laoghaire sailor recalled competing at his first Laser World Championship in the United States in 1983 and spoke about the stature of today’s ILCA 7 as the men’s Olympic single-handed class, attracting some of the finest sailors in the sport.
Home Worlds – ILCA World President and Dún Laoghaire sailor Mark Lyttle addresses the opening ceremony as the world’s leading ILCA 7 sailors prepare to race on Dublin Bay. Photo: Michael Chester
There was an added symmetry to Lyttle’s recollection.
Standing on stage with him on Monday evening was Con Murphy, who was also a member of the Irish team at those 1983 Laser World Championships in Gulfport, Mississippi.
Their sailing journeys subsequently took different directions.
Lyttle became Ireland’s first Olympic Laser sailor when the class made its Games debut at Atlanta 1996, where he won a race, and is now World President of ILCA.
Murphy went on to become an International Race Officer and, 43 years after the pair competed together at a Laser Worlds, is one of the driving forces behind bringing the World Championship to their home waters.
Lyttle described the 141-strong fleet as “the best sailors in the world, in the biggest class, and perhaps the most competitive class”, while highlighting their role in inspiring younger sailors internationally.
Ready To Race – The Army band, guests and championship officials mark the formal opening of the ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship in Dún Laoghaire, with the international fleet turning its attention to Tuesday’s first races. Photo: Michael Chester
With the championship flag now flying over Carlisle Pier, the years of planning and preparation are over.
Racing begins on Dublin Bay on Tuesday, with the first warning signal scheduled for 12 noon. The Race Committee intends to run three races on the opening day.
