Irish First Won Endeavour Trophy 57 Year Ago

6th October 2025

WM Nixon

Celebrating victory at the 2025 Endeavour Trophy – winners Ballyholme's Michael Sims & Rob Gullan (505) with Edwin Buckley (Race Officer) Credit: PB Sports Photography

Following Ireland's dominance on Sunday at the 2025 UK Champion of Champions Endeavour Trophy, Ireland's history of winning the celebrated trophy goes back 57 years.

Raced in Enterprise Dinghies at Burnham-on-Crouch in 1968, Malahide's Robin Hennessy and Robert Michael registered a historic overall win.

Hennessy subsequently went on to score in the Gold Cup in the Dragon Class racing Alphida, and raced in the Olympics, while Robert Michael became Commodore of Howth YC and registered many successes in cruiser-racing.

As Afloat reported earlier, the 2025 event was a tour de force for Belfast Lough and Cork Harbour crews with Northern Ireland's Michael Sims of Ballyholme Yacht Club and Rob Gullan, representing the 505 class, finally notched up a string of top results, which left them able to secure the Endeavour Championship trophy. Monkstown Bay Sailing Club's Chris Bateman of Cork Harbour and Lucy Loughton (B14) sailed an impressive series, including a final race win, to take second overall.

Cokr Harbour's Chris Bateman & Lucy Loughton (B14) second at the 2025 Eneavour Trophy– photo Roger Mant

Published in Racing

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Endeavour Trophy

About The Author

WM Nixon

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William M Nixon has been writing about sailing in Ireland for many years in print and online, and his work has appeared internationally in magazines and books. His own experience ranges from club sailing to international offshore events, and he has cruised extensively under sail, often in his own boats which have ranged in size from an 11ft dinghy to a 35ft cruiser-racer. He has also been involved in the administration of several sailing organisations.

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