The 2023 Squib Easterns at the weekend hosted by Howth YC and sponsored by Challenge, the Medical Insurance Company, provided an event held with light breezes, but basking in the glow of the recently unfamiliar glare of glorious sunshine. The fleet of 23 boats included sailors from all over Ireland, with the leading boats in particular apparently taking a leaf out of classes such as the International 29er in having different sailing centres provide the basis of the two-handed racing teams. This can surely only help in enhancing understanding among the various tribes of our socially-complex sport.

Saturday morning’s clearing fog left Principal Race Officer Derek Bothwell with no option but to delay for a short time before the pea soup diluted, and the fleet snaked out of the harbour.

Once the breeze settled, Derek promptly sent the competitors on their way, with a long-held early lead by the host club’s Kerfuffle - Emmet Dalton of Howth crewed by Royal Cork’s Neal Merry - being eventually overtaken by the Granat team of David Stewart & Brian Hare from the Royal Irish YC to seal the Race 1 deal. Howth’s Cool Beans (Class Captain Tom O’Reilly and Phil Merry) pocketed a tasty second place as Dalton & Merry kerfuffled their way down to fourth on the line, where Robert Marshall of Killyleagh was ahead in third.

The Spit Mark in Howth Sound is one to be avoided when the tide is strong, except in a complete flat calm when it makes for a handy mooring as you wait for the sea breeze. Photo: Emmet Dalton

“DROVE HER LIKE SHE WAS STOLEN”

The bit was now between Granat’s teeth, and they drove her like she was stolen to dominate Race 2, but Kerfuffle was back in touch with second, while third was Dogwatch (Terry Rowan from Royal North of Ireland YC, with total personnel mixing on board as his crew was HYC Puppeteer 22 Class Captain Crew Paul McMahon). Speed was of the essence to rein in Granat and Kerfuffle as they hit the hyperspace button for a Race 3 win. The second swift RIYC boat Ruby Blue (Aidan O’Connell & Ben O’Donoghue) followed, with Blue (David Hanna & Brian Kelly from Killyleagh YC) taking 3rd.

FRIED BRAINS

The delayed start to the first day and fried brains from the downwind legs sent the fleet ashore for recuperation and a dinner arranged in a characteristically weird Tetras layout (Afloat.ie Webmaster’s Note: This “weird” was in the report as posted by the Squib Association) Kerfuffle was leading Granat by a single point as the balmy and convivial night set in. Yet while Sunday morning may have seen the fleet being “spat out of the harbour and sent up the Sound on Sunday morning by a strong flood tide”, the near-zero breeze caused some boats to moor by a line the Spit Mark at Ireland’s Eye to wait for the fun to begin. Once the wind appeared, the Race Management team wasn’t long opening the traps for Race 4.

That magic moment when a developing sea breeze becomes a racing proposition – Emmet Dalton’s Kerfuffle coming to life with justified anticipation. Kerfuffle laid her claim to that race, chased by multiple championship winners Quickstep III (Gordon Patterson & Ross Nolan from RNIYC), with third going to the fleet’s oldest boat, Squib 24 Femme Fatale (multi-club Vincent Delany & Jamie Fenton representing RStGYC and Arklow SC)

BATTLE ROYALE

At this stage, Kerfuffle and Granat were locked in a battle royale, and the two boats knew the championship outcome would depend on one leading the other over the line in the final two races. Sacrificing a maybe, coulda-woulda-been Race 5 win, the Howth boat made sure the Dublin Bay boat didn’t escape. It was maths at play. Femme Fatale took that race win ahead of Quickstep III, with third going to Howth’s Durt (Fergus O’Kelly & Robert Stanley).

SHOWDOWN AT HOWTH SOUND

Last race…. Granat had to beat Kerfuffle by 5 places to take the title. Pre-start match racing was the order of the day, but the Howth boat shook off its rival at a bumpy start line and kept the points gap high enough to take the silverware and keep the trophy on the Peninsula. Kinsale’s Outlaw” (Ian Travers & Keith O’Riordan) demolished the fleet in this final race, chased by Quickstep III and Durt, a performance which rocketed the Kinsale boat up the rankings “Outlaw” to nip into second overall and split Kerfuffle” and Granat overall while Cool Beans (Tom O’Reilly & Phil Merry) took the Silver Fleet honours just ahead of Howth’s Tears in Heaven (Tom McMahon & Jill Sommerville)

At the tea and medals ceremony, Commodore Neil Murphy acknowledged the work put in by Class Captain Thomas O’Reilly, Fergus O’Kelly, Ronan MacDonell and Emmet Dalton for pulling the event together. Derek Bothwell went away well balanced with a bottle of his favourite tipple for each arm and sponsors Challenge were given a warm round of applause from the assembled sailors and supporters.

Peak Squib time at Howth – 105 boats on the starting line during the 1995 combined Irish & British Championships. Photo: Mandy Murnane

In all, the event served as a reminder of how well suited the Squib is to both Howth conditions and the volatile times in which we live, and the news that Howth YC will be staging the 2024 Irish Squib Nationals has reinforced rumours that at least two noted Peninsula sailor are scrolling through the Squibs for Sale listings.

It would have been easy to make two quick assumptions in advance of the past weekend’s sailing. The first would have been the reasonable expectation that Storm Betty, accurately forecast as she was, and sweeping right across Ireland in an almost personally-vindictive and very focused way, would have made any racing - and particularly a national championship – more or less meaningless.

That’s despite the fact that the name “Storm Betty” doesn’t really carry the necessary air of menace. In the same way, can you imagine a lethal “Storm Jimmy”? Nevertheless, doubtless some day we’ll have to gear ourselves up to face Storm Jimmy, and treat him with proper seriousness despite his equally unthreatening name.

The Optimists in action at Ballyholme – concerned parents can rest assured there is a boat in there somewhere. Photo: Simon MacIlwaine

Betty moves out, and the ILCA/Lasers move in, storming along towards the steep island of Ireland’s Eye whose presence off Howth often makes sailing possible in otherwise impossible conditions. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

BETTY BELIES AMIABLE NAME

But that’s all in due course. Meanwhile, we’ve seen Storm Betty come and go, and despite her amiable moniker, she was a vicious one, with a literally deadly sting in her tail. Yet close on either side of her, there were sunny days with great if decidedly brisk sailing that might put you in mind of summer, if you can remember that we used to have such a season.

Be that as it may, with patience and the strength of mind needed to take the long view, experienced Race Officers were able to carve great championships out of the sailable conditions that was there to be found around the closely-monitored mayhem-creating progress of this sweetly-named piece of very foul weather.

The ILCA 4.7s start to find their feet at Howth, with Craig O’Neill (Royal Cork) ahead. Overall winner of the ILCA 4 class was Lucy Ives of Carlingford SC. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

And one club can take all the credit for producing Race Officers of the required calibre to handle Betty. Let’s hear it for Sutton Dinghy Club. There, the continuing challenge of providing good racing in the mouth of a south-facing drying creek on the exposed north side of Dublin Bay has produced a cadre of elite race officers.

SUTTON DC’S SPECIAL EXPERIENCE BENEFITS ALL IRISH SAILING

These are seasoned experts for whom the challenge of organising worthwhile racing at more versatile venues last weekend, such as Ballyholme Bay on Belfast Lough, or Howth with its extensive race area tucked in behind Ireland’s Eye, was something to be done with accomplished style.

With judicious use of high water to get extra racing space, Race Officer Scorie Walls found the ILCA Championship some extra sheltered water along the Portmarnock shore. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

For it was Ruan O’Tiarnaigh – originally of Sutton but now northern-based – who successfully called the shots (and when not to shoot) for the 116-strong fleet racing the Irish Open Optimist Nationals at Ballyholme. And back home, it was Scorie Walls – who lives right on high water mark beside Sutton DC, and can tell you a thing or two about what a real southwest gale is like – who came over the Hill of Howth like Queen Maeve on campaign to ensure that the ILCA Irish Opens 2023 went through to a real result at Howth Yacht Club.

Optimists getting the best of a challenging weather pattern on Belfast Lough. Photo: Simon MacIlwaine

HOWTH RESTING ON “CLUB OF YEAR” LAURELS?

At Howth, we might find a reasonable assumption by outsiders that the recent hand-over of the MG Motor “Sailing Club of the Year 2023 ” award has resulted in a certain resting on the laurels. And perhaps it has. But thanks to the enthusiasm of the large and varied junior sailing establishment in this numerically enormous club, the senior Howth YC pillars of society have been able to do a certain amount of laurel-reclining while the Young Turks afloat have been shaking the trees to ensure that the tastiest fruits of success have continued to fall neatly beside the HYC Flag Officers for gracious consumption at their Lordships’ leisure.

DUNNE DEAL FOR HOWTH AT BALLYHOLME

In the Optimists at Ballyholme, young Harry Dunne of Howth was on top form, getting ahead and staying ahead to win clearly overall by 13pts to the 22 of Gemma Brady of the National and Lough Derg, with Charlotte Crosbie of the special Cork-Spain/Javea linkup third with 25.

Full results here

CLOSE-RUN LASERS

But the Lasers back home in Howth went right to the wire, with Jamie McMahon of the host club eventually wearing down a seemingly unassailable early lead established by visiting Australian star Isaac Schotte of Brisbane. In an eight-race series, things went pear-shaped for Schotte with a BFD in Race 6, but he was back in possible contention with a first to the second of McMahon in Race 7.

Tom Coulter of East Antrim BC, Irish ILCA 6 National Champion 2023. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

Thus in classic style it came down to the final race, which McMahon clinched to total 12 with Schotte second on 13 and Royal Cork’s Jonathan O’Shaughnessy – always there or thereabouts in the overall frame – taking fourth and third overall on 19.

Results here

COUNTRYWIDE FLEET SPREADS

With fleets of this size, a more leisurely study of the wide-ranging results lineup is always educational, as it shows the in-depth national strength of two long-established classes, indicating the power of their national associations.

Bringing it all back home…2023 ILCA 7 Irish Champion Jamie McMahon of Howth clinches the deal. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

For as four times Olympic Gold Medallist Paul Elvstrom observed after he’d failed to introduce a very promising new boat many years ago, if you’re up against a well-run and determined class association with global spread and an established and slightly comparable boat, then you’re on a hiding to nothing with any bright new boat idea.

The Optimist is arguably unique. But there are some boats which might think they deserve comparison with the ILCA/Laser. However, the ILCA/Laser is something very special. It is the only sailing class which is greater than its Olympic status. In fact, the Olympics need the ILCA/Laser more than the ILCA/Laser needs the Olympics. And an event like the Storm Betty ILCA Nats at Howth showed us why.

The Howth Yacht Club (HYC) hosted International Laser Class Association (ILCA) National Championships and saw sailors from three different clubs take the top spots across the three fleets.

Despite losing a day of racing due to strong winds and rough seas, the remaining two days provided plenty of action.

On Saturday, the start of the races was delayed due to the remnants of Friday's storm, but the wind eventually moderated to 15-23 knots, allowing the ILCA 7s to complete four races and the ILCA 6 and 4 fleets to complete three races each. The choppy conditions from the south-easterly breeze made it a challenging race course.

Sunday saw more manageable conditions, with a 12-20 knot breeze welcoming the sailors to the race course. Scorie Walls and her team completed four races for each of the fleets.

Local sailor Jamie McMahon, who had just returned from a summer in the USA, took the crown in the ILCA 7s, narrowly beating Australian Isaac Schotte by one point.

Jonathan O'Shaughnessy from the Royal Cork Yacht Club (RCYC) had remarkably consistent results and came in third, while Ballyholme's Colin Leonard was the first master and came in fourth.

In the ILCA 6s, East Antrim's Tom Coulter won by one point from RStGYC's Fiachra McDonnell, despite McDonnell's storming day two with three of four race wins. HYC's Sienna Wright was first lady and secured her spot to represent Ireland at the World Sailing Youth Championships.

Carlingford Sailing Club's Lucy Ives showed the rest how it's done in the ILCA 4s, winning the fleet, followed by Liam Duggan (RCYC) and Patrick Foley (RStGYC).

The team trophy was awarded to the club with the best result across the three fleets, which went to RCYC for the second year in a row. HYC and RStGYC were also contenders, but RCYC was the strongest across the fleets.

The event was sponsored by Rooster, who provided prizes for the event, as well as bibs for competitors. HYC played host well, providing food and entertainment ashore for all sailors, with photos from the day's racing displayed on a big screen and music playing, creating a great atmosphere for all involved.

Results here

Although the announcement that Howth Yacht Club had become the latest MG Motor “Sailing Club of the Year 2023” was made at the beginning of the year following outstanding achievements at home and abroad by the club and its members throughout 2022, the actual presentation of the time-honoured ship’s wheel trophy for this informal annual contest – which dates back to 1979 - can be made at any time during the season in which the winning club holds the title.

However, setting a date for this first full post-pandemic awards ceremony was a complex matter of co-ordinating many moving targets, as Howth Yacht Club in 2023 – with new Commodore Neil Murphy leading his 2000-plus members in the usual kaleidoscope of activities – is as busy as ever afloat and ashore, at home and away in Ireland, and in international racing competition. That’s all in addition as voyaging and cruising achievement to the highest levels, thereby continuing the process of active sailing which had reached new heights in 2022.

Added to this was the fact that sponsors MG Motor found themselves rapidly moving into fresh levels of success with their innovative and developing range of Electric Vehicles as the new year gathered pace. The announcement that the new MG E4 had been chosen as The Irish Times “Car of the Year” 2023 coincided with the accolade for Howth Yacht Club, and it contributed to an already rapidly-expanding marketing operation at MG Motor Ireland, part of the Frank Keane Group.

A sailing club and its community – Howth Yacht Club has played a key role in the transformation of Howth Harbour since the 1980s

MG MOVE TO TOP LEADERBOARD ON ELECTRIC VEHICLE SALES

Thus having the awards ceremony in August at Howth Yacht Cub enabled Andrew Johnson, National Sales Manager with MG Motor, to announce that 2023 had seen MG Motor leading electric vehicle sales in Ireland in July, with a better than 200% year-on-year increase.

Howth sailing has played its part in this, as HYC world sailing Gold Medallist Eve McMahon became an MG Brand Ambassador early this year, and the “Club of the Year” gathering had something of the air of an MG Owners Club about it, as several members – including at least one former Commodore and his wife – have concluded that this new incarnation of the MG marque, with its historical and distinctive symbol, provides the best route into greener motoring.

Moving us into green motoring. Natasha Maher (left, Marketing & PR Manager MG Motor Ireland), and Elaine DeVries (Digital Marketing Executive) with the venerable ship’s wheel Club of the Year trophy, and the all-electric MG4 Exclusive. Photo: Brian Turvey

MAINTAINING THE SAILING PACE AND CLUB VITALITY

Much of Howth YC’s enviable sailing pace during 2022 was achieved under the Commodoreship of Paddy Judge, while his predecessor Ian Byrne, Commodore in the depths of the pandemic years, skillfully steered the club through the lockdown regulations with an analysis of what was and was not permissible afloat. He did this in such a detailed and authoritative way that it proved of value to every club in the country.

Paddy Judge – as Club Manager and then as Commodore, he kept the show on the road for Howth Yacht Club through the Pandemic. Photo: Brian Turvey

Howth’s Eve McMahon on her way to another inspirational Gold Medal for Ireland in 2022

But while 2022 saw sailing gradually resuming at full pace as the regulations fell away, much of 2023 has been plagued by poor weather. Yet it was typical of the serendipity of this award ceremony that it was held in pleasant conditions in late afternoon on Wednesday, neatly timed to permit those whose boats raced on Wednesday evening to make the starting line and enjoy a warm breeze which kept up to provide good racing for regular contenders, and the newcomers who are being introduced to Howth sailing by the best method – active participation in the regular club racing programme.

TOUGH TIMES FOR HOWTH SAILORS IN EUROPE

In Europe at the moment, sailing conditions are tougher for Howth sailors racing in the big pre-Olympic regatta on the North Sea at The Hague in The Netherlands, where they’re still recovering from onshore gales which have served as a reminder that this can be one very grown-up sailing venue.

For Howth’s three Gold Medals star of 2022, Eve McMahon, the sense of being under global analysis is challenging, but it is encouraging for the club that rising talents such as Sienna Wright – winner of two Silver Medals in 2023 already - are stepping forward to keep up the pace.

Maintaining the pace in 2023 – Howth’s Sienna Wright receives a Silver Medal in Poland

Both Sienna and her high-achiever brother Rocco will be active on home waters in a week’s time when Howth stages the ILCA Nationals from August 18th to 20th. And the club features again on the national stage from September 8th to 10th, when its hosts the 2023 Irish Cruiser Racing Association Nationals in the full knowledge that ICRA’s current “Boat of the Year” is the Howth-based J/99 Snapshot (Mike & Richie Evans).

Piling on the points….Mike & Richie Evans J/99 Snapshot from Howth on her way to a very close second overall and top Irish boat in the 2022 Round Ireland race. Photo: Afloat.ie/David O’Brien

But a significant element in the strength of Howth’s sailing is found in the fact that the same attention is given to providing first-class racing to the club’s indigenous One-Design classes. Thus the Howth 17s – having hit the headlines already with their notably-successful 125th Anniversary Fastnet Rock-rounding visit to West Cork ports under the leadership of Class Captain David O’Shea –are back on home waters with their annual Championship this weekend, with Scorie Walls as Race Officer. And the totally Howth-minded Puppeteer 22s will be staging their 2023 championship “at the only port they know” from 26th to the 27th August.

Now that’s how you celebrate a 125th birthday – the Howth 17s Anita (David O’Connell) and Rosemary (Davy Jones) salute the Fastnet Rock at the end of June 2023. Photo: Ann Kirwan

The sheer joy of sailing is captured in this image of David O’Connell’s rebuilt Howth 17 Anita in her way to North Harbour on Cape Cear Island in West Cork after rounding the Fastnet Rock in celebration of the class’s 125th birthday. Photo: Karolina Batz

HOWTH’S LARGEST SAILING SECTION

Yet despite the high profile the racing receives, the largest sector in Howth sailing attracts little in the way of headlines. When the new clubhouse was opened beside the marina on St Patrick’s Day 1987, the then Commodore Tom Fitzpatrick had already set the wheels in motion for an HYC Cruising Group to be formed with Gary McGuire as co-ordinator.

Ian Malcolm, who has played a central role in the continuing vitality and growth of the 125-year-old Howth 17 Class, with HYC Vice Commodore Kevin Monks. Photo: Brian Turvey

A significant number of boats in the club are purely used for cruising, and in its quiet way the Cruising Group has become the successful silent giant, going on its friendly way with regular winter gatherings in the clubhouse, and cruises-in-company in summer. 2023’s was to Scotland when the weather was still good, following on to a similar quietly busy yet worthwhile programme in 2022.

INTERACTING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY

With sociable sub-sections such as this, positive interaction with the local community is second nature to Howth Yacht Club, and this interaction is dynamic to all levels, and across all areas to the national stage.

Welcome visitor – the presence of Eithne Fenlen, Deputy CEO of Fingal County Council, spoke of the dynamic interaction and friendly relations between Howth YC and the local authority. Photo: Brian Turvey

Thus it was entirely normal for Howth sailing that a welcome guest on Wednesday was Eithne Felten, the Deputy CEO of Fingal County Council, as Fingal recognises the key role that Howth Yacht Club has played in the transformation of Howth from a very workaday fishing harbour, which was also home port to a few yachts and a small club, into a notably attractive and picturesque destination sailing/fishing port, renowned for its seafood restaurants with a modern yacht club/marina complex that provides the base for the numerically largest sailing club membership in the country.

Lara Jameson and her mother Daire – the Jameson family have been actively involved in Howth sailing since pre-club times in the 1880s. Photo: Brian Turvey

THE STORY OF THE MG MOTOR “SAILING CLUB OF THE YEAR” AWARD

Although it was possible to find a winner for the “Club of the Year” award right through the Pandemic, the highly-sociable nature of the awards ceremony has meant that it has only been possible this year to resume completely normal service, which makes it timely to consider this informal contest’s history, and what is involved:

MG MOTOR "Sailing Club of the Year" Award

This unique and informal competition was inaugurated in 1979, with Mitsubishi Motors becoming main sponsors in 1986, and MG Motor taking over in 2022 The purpose of the award is to highlight and honour the voluntary effort that goes into creating and maintaining the unrivalled success of Ireland's yacht and sailing clubs.

In making their assessment, the adjudicators take many factors into consideration. In addition to the obvious one of sailing success at local, national and international level, considerable attention is also paid to the satisfaction which members in every branch of sailing and boating feel with the way their club is run, and how effectively it meets their specific needs, while also encouraging sailing development and training.

Former Howth 17 part-owner Georgina Campbell with Class Captain Dave O’Shea, whose inspired leadership of the class to West Cork for their Quasquecentennial Cruise-in-Company is already one of the highlights of 2023. The breadth of Howth sailing interests is reflected by the fact that of the six Afloat.ie “Sailors of the Month” for July 2023, the two from Howth were Sienna Wright and Dave O’Shea. Photo: Brian Turvey

The successful staging of events, whether local, national or international, is also a factor in making the assessment, and the adjudicators place particular emphasis on the level of effective voluntary input which the membership is ready and willing to give in support of their club’s activities.

The importance of a dynamic and fruitful interaction with the local community is emphasised, and also with the relevant governmental and sporting bodies, both at local and national level. The adjudicators expect to find a genuine sense of continuity in club life and administration. Thus although the award is held in a specific year in celebration of achievements in the previous year, it is intended that it should reflect an ongoing story of success, and well-planned programmes for future implementation

Over the years, the adjudication system has been continually refined in order to be able to make realistic comparisons between clubs of varying types and size. With the competition's expansion to include class associations and specialist national watersports bodies, the "Sailing Club of the Year" competition continues to keep pace with developing trends, while at the same time reflecting the fact that Ireland's leading sailing clubs are themselves national and global pace-setters.

Afloat.ie’s W M Nixon (left) co-ordinator of the adjudication for the MG Motor Sailing Club of the Year Award, outlining the 2023 award with Andrew Johnson of MG Motor. Photo: Brian Turvey

SAILING CLUB OF THE YEAR WINNERS

• 1979 Wicklow SC
• 1980 Malahide YC
• 198l National YC
• 1982 Howth YC
• 1983 Royal St George YC
• 1984 Dundalk SC
• 1985 National YC

(SPONSORSHIP BY MITSUBISHI MOTORS BEGAN iN 1985-86)

• 1986 Howth YC
• 1987 Royal Cork YC
• 1988 Dublin University SC
• 1989 Irish Cr. C
• 1990 Glenans Irish SC
• 1991 Galway Bay SC
• 1992 Royal Cork YC
• 1993 Cumann Badoiri Naomh Bhreannain (Dingle) & National YC

(after 1993, the year indicated is one in which the trophy is held)

• 1995 Howth Yacht Club
• 1996 National Yacht Club
• 1997 Royal Cork Yacht Club
• 1998 Kinsale Yacht Club
• 1999 Poolbeg Yacht & Boat Club
• 2000 Royal Cork Yacht Club

(in 2000, competition extended to include class associations and specialist organisations)

• 2001 Howth Sailing Club Seventeen Footer Association
• 2002 Galway Bay Sailing Club
• 2003 Coiste an Asgard
• 2004 Royal St George Yacht Club
• 2005 Lough Derg Yacht Club
• 2006 Royal Cork Yacht Club (Water Club of the Harbour of Cork)
• 2007 Dublin Bay Sailing Club
• 2008 Lough Ree YC & Shannon One Design Assoc.
• 2009 Howth Yacht Club
• 2010 Royal St George YC
• 2011 Irish Cruiser Racing Association
• 2012 National Yacht Club
• 2013 Royal St George YC
• 2014 Kinsale YC
• 2015 Royal Cork Yacht Club
• 2016 Royal Irish Yacht Club
• 2017 Wicklow Sailing Club
• 2018 National Yacht Club
• 2019 Howth Yacht Club
• 2020 Royal Cork Yacht Club
• 2021 Dublin Bay Sailing Club

(SPONSORSHIP BY MG MOTOR BEGAN IN 2021-2022)

• 2022 Lough Ree YC & Shannon OD Association
• 2023 Howth Yacht Club

A timeless symbol for our times

First staged in 1904, Howth YC’s annual Lambay Race claims to be unique in offering keelboats of all types a taste of the offshore racing experience while remaining within safe coastal limits. It could be argued that the race round the Fastnet Rock during Calves Week at Schull in August offers something similar. But that’s exclusively for cruiser-racers, whereas at Howth – where this year’s annual Lambay challenge is on Saturday June 3rd – the fleet will include the venerable Howth 17s celebrating their 125th Anniversary with this special race which has been part of their programme since its inception in 1899, and the Squibs - now back up to 14 in Howth - which likewise began Lambay racing from their first year in Howth in 1979.

From time to time, other classes from elsewhere like to make the Lambay a feature of some special season, and the Ruffian 23s in their Golden Jubilee Year will be out in force from their main bases in Dun Laoghaire and Poolbeg, while the E-Boats from Clontarf and Skerries will be making the pilgrimage, either north round The Baily or south from St Patrick’s Island, to savour some sailing in waters very different from their drying home bases.

Great sailing but no sun – Class 2 off Lambay’s North Coast in the 2019 race

CLUBHOUSE CATERING AVAILABLE ALL DAY

With other classes being augmented by visiting boats which may be trailing significant distances, the Howth Yacht Club marina/clubhouse complex will be fully operational from an early hour for this full-day event, and the Club’s hospitality team will be on hand from early morning to provide pre-sailing tea, coffee and breakfast rolls. After sailing, competitors will be greeted with a barbeque on the Club deck area with music from a DJ in the bar area. Into the evening, the restaurant and bar will cater for all with music provided by a live band.

THE PROGRAMME AFLOAT

The starting areas will be in the vicinity of Howth Harbour, and boats will race north to round Lambay Island before returning to finish beside Ireland’s Eye after a course that, depending on wind direction, might be as short as 15 miles but is always posing challenges. Local features such as headlands, inlets, high ground and a range of water depths and tidal directions require decisions about which should be sought or avoided but, while they are being debated, those aboard can enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Fingal coast and the islands that mark the north and south ends of the racecourse.

The boat mix is always fascinatng – the classic Half Tonners King One and Mata battle it out with the X class Xebec. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

2023 will be the first time the race will run as a standalone event since pre-pandemic 2019. In 2022 it was part of the Wave Regatta, but for 2023 HYC hope to exceed the 2019 entry of just over 100 boats, so newcomers will be welcomed, and visiting boats will be much appreciated. Racing will be provided for all types of keelboats, whether racing on handicap or as one-designs. Crews intending to compete in the 2023 ICRA Championships will also get the opportunity to study the waters on which that event will be raced in September.

CLOSE COMPETITION EXPECTED

The Handicap Classes will see close competition between Snapshot, the 2022 Boat of the Year, which will be seeking to retain primacy over both its bigger and smaller sisters, the J109s and the J97s, while a locally based J111 will be trying to show them that size does matter. The X302s will be the boats to beat in Class 2, while In Class 3, the mix will include some quick Sigma 33s, Impalas, a newly refurbished and modified Bolero, and a Laser 28, all of them looking to take their first silverware of 2023. The Whitesails Class may have the biggest spread of boat sizes competing, although HYC’s Bite the Bullet and MYC’s White Pearl have shown that a well-sailed Elan 33 is hard to beat in a race like the Lambay.

Lambay is an ideal challenge – big enough to be interesting, small enough to be manageable, and a beautiful islamd with it

In the One-Design category, we will have dedicated races and trophies for visiting Classes, including the Ruffian 23s, who are celebrating 50 years of sailing, and the E-Boats from Clontarf Y&BC and Skerries SC. They will be joining the Howth YC-based One Designs, including the Howth 17s, celebrating the 125th anniversary of their adoption as a Howth icon, the Puppeteer 22 Class that has recently expanded further with three more boats joining the Club’s fleet of 30+ and the Squibs, which continue their fleet revival and now have 14 boats racing from Howth.

TWO STARTING AREAS

Racing is arranged with two starting areas, each with their own Committee Vessels and under the direction of our most senior Race Officers. This will allow the extended list of Class starts to be completed promptly, with boats sent off to Lambay from two directions to minimise congestion. The prize list includes an extensive range of trophies and prizes for IRC, handicap and one-design racing. Class specific trophies for the Sigma 33s and Shipman 28s are provided although both will also be competing in Class 3. A photographer will be there to capture the action afloat and to ensure that the formal prize giving later in the afternoon is properly recorded.

The cliffs on Lambay’s northeast coast provide interesting windward work for Howth 17s. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

Further details can be accessed here and entries can be made online via the link provided at that address. Owners are encouraged to enter before 22.00 on Sunday, May 28th, after which a late-entry fee will apply.

Those seeking berthage or craneage can contact the HYC marina team, either by phone at 01 839 2777 or by email at [email protected]

At day’s end after racing round the rugged island, the fleet returns to all mod cons at Howth Yacht Club

Paddle hard and paddle fast was the name of the game as the first annual 'The Eye Race' took place in the waters of Howth Sound and Ireland’s Eye last weekend.

Event 7 in The Irish Winter SUP Race Series, organised by Discover SUP and hosted at Howth Yacht Club, this brand new stand-up paddle boarding competitive event attracted 26 entrants from all over
the island of Ireland, ranging from members of previous Irish World Championship teams to first-timers.

Following an unusual week of intense easterlies and resulting swells, on race day the weather gods conspired to deliver low winds and relatively calm waters with small bumps, providing perfect conditions for an exciting and testing SUP race.

Twenty-four boards lined up at the start, divided into two classes - Class 1 for touring and race boards 11ft+, Class 2 for all-round boards 11ft and less.

From early on, Class 1 was led out by the current series leaders in their respective categories, Ross McGarry and Mary Dowling, as they took on their 11.5km course. In Class 2, current male series leader Paul Kiernan had a fight on his hands before he secured his lead position, while Sinead Murphy, brand new to the racing scene, took the 5.5km course in her stride as the only female in her category.

Inaugural 'The Eye Race' at Howth Yacht Club - twenty-four boards lined up at the start, divided into two classes - Class 1 for touring and race boards 11ft+, Class 2 for all-round boards 11ft and less. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

The choice of board style was a critical decision given the off-shore nature of the courses. The pay-off in choosing faster and narrower flatwater boards didn’t come to pass for those riding them, as they
fought to stay upright in the bumps of Howth Sound.

Event 7 in The Irish Winter SUP Race Series was organised by Discover SUP and hosted by Howth Yacht Club Photo: Annraoi Blaney

In the end, 23 boards crossed the finish line as rain and hail came down in short bursts. But that didn’t put pay to the energy and positive vibe as the fleet came ashore again to refuel in the comfort
of HYC.

Stand-up Paddle Board 'The Eye Race' at Howth Yacht Club Results 

Class 1 - Female
1 - Mary Dowling - 01:34:20
2 - Carla Milne - 01:48:56
3 - Melanie McGimpsey - 02:00:57
RET - Maria McGivern

Class 1 - Male
1 - Ross McGarry - 01:14:41
2 - Patrick McCormack - 01:22:08
3 - David Mangan - 01:27:07
4 - Ryan Vekins - 01:46:10
5 - Gary Mcclure - 01:48:17
6 - Patrick Murtagh - 01:49:46
7 - Ed Ruane - 01:51:23
8 - Steven Bishop - 01:52:37
9 - Darren Cox - 01:55:27
10 - Pierre Schneider - 01:56:42
11 - Noel Munnis - 02:03:14
DNS - Karl Walsh

Class 2 - Female
1 - Sinead Murphy - 59:57

Class 2 - Male
1 - Paul Kiernan - 47:10
2 - Colm Kenny - 49:12
3 - Roy McHugh - 49:31
4 - Conor Battigan - 51:05
5 - Martin Rowe - 56:18
6 - Ciaran Shorthall - 57:39
7 - Gary O Connor - 57:41
8 - Iain Hall - 58:35
DNS - Sean Halpin

Whether it be football or sailing, the people of Larne in County Antrim have plenty to celebrate, for the football club won the Irish League Cup on 15th April and East Antrim Boat Club’s ILCA 6 sailor, Tom Coulter began his Irish Youth Nationals competition by winning the opening ILCA 6 race at Howth Yacht Club’s four-day jamboree Investwise Youth Sailing Nationals for nearly 200 young sailors from all over Ireland. Tom went on to take third overall and his clubmate Zoe Whitford clocked an excellent 7th to take first the first girl place in the same class.

Zoe Whitford - in the ILCA 6 fleet

And on the County Down coast, Ballyholme is celebrating a decisive win by Tom Driscoll in the 40-strong Topper class and a close second by two points was his clubmate, Cormac Byrne. 

Tom Coulter was one of the 30 competitors from Northern Ireland making the shorter trip (compared to the long drive to Baltimore for the Munster ILCAs the week before) to the Howth club, north of Dublin. In a class in which the Howth sailor and ILCA 6 Bronze European champion, Rocco Wright continues to shine, it was always going to be a fight for Tom, but he did start with a win and just before being black flagged in the last race, clocked up another, having taken three runner up slots and never falling below sixth, Tom (and EABC) will be encouraged by his performance.

Tom Driscoll in the Topper

In the top ten ILCA 6s also were Lewis Thompson (BYC) at fifth, Zoe Whitford, also from the Larne club was 7th and first girl, and Bobby Driscoll, representing Royal North on Belfast Lough was 8th. Tom, Zoe and another BYC competitor, Charlotte Eadie, had trained in Schull from 1st April, before racing at Baltimore and then going on to Howth. As Zoe’s Mother, Lucy confessed, “it has been a busy Easter”.

Although Ballyholme’s Charlie O’Malley’s score of 22nd in ILCA 6 wasn’t outstanding, what was pleasing was that his daily efforts to help competitors haul their boats up the slip was noticed, and he was given a Spirit of the Event award.

A consistent set of results in the Toppers assured Tom Driscoll of 1st overall, but only two points behind was the Strangford Sailing Club/Ballyholme sailor, Cormac Byrne. In this class too, Emily McAfee at 5th was second girl and another BYC sailor, Katie Brow was 7th and third girl.

The Carlingford SC sailor, Lucy Ives, took 10th overall in the ILCA 4 class despite a DSQ and a DNE and the only northern entries in the 29ers, Hannah Dadley-Young, Toby Huges, Joseph Robinson and Henry Nelson from BYC in the 29er Class made credible efforts in challenging breezes for their first event in a boat requiring a steep learning curve.

RYANI was very pleased with the contingent’s performance. “All our sailors did us proud in a range of challenging conditions, including drifting with many course changes, right up to 20 knots in bitter cold wet breeze”.

Read more of Afloat's coverage of the Youth Sailing nationals at Howth here

The concluding day's one extra race at the Investwise Youth Sailing National Championships at Howth Yacht Club, slotted in between the morning's sunlit near-calm and the mid-afternoons varying attempts at fog, provided some key classes with an additional discard to affect the final top places.

While Howth Yacht Club's Harry Dunne continued to play a very steady game of exemplary style in the Optimists to take a second in Race 10 and retain the overall lead, it was to be by only one point ahead of Royal St George's Caoilinn McDonnell.

Her initially stellar performance of a string of wins had been marred by two huge setback showings, so though she was back in 12th place in the final race, the availability of an extra mega-discard meant that overall she could now finish second overall by just that one point astern of Dunne, with 30 pts to his 29, while Royal Cork's Andrew O'Neill was another 9 points astern in third overall.

Results below

Rocco Wright won a home waters victory at the Investwise Youth Sailing National Championships in Howth on Sunday.

Wright took the ILCA 6 Youth National Champion title by a clear margin of ten nett points after ten races sailed across a range of conditions that concluded in light winds.

The Howth Yacht Club sailor was followed by his clubmate Luke Turvey on 25 points. One-time series leader Tom Coulter of (East Antrim Boat Club) was third on 29 points in the 33-boat fleet.

Wright, of Howth Yacht Club, adds the domestic title to his recently won bronze in the ILCA 6 Men’s class at the ILCA European Championships in Andora, Italy, as Afloat reported here.

ILCA 4 Title for Pierse

The ILCA 4 title was won by Royal Cork’s Oisin Pierse, with Krzysztof Ciborowski (Royal St George YC) and Cillian Twomey (Howth YC) in second and third place.

Results are below

With several local weather systems working themselves into lathers of various combinations, it seems that Howth in April for the four-day Investwise Youth Sailing Nationals can either provide sunshine but little wind, or a rising sou'easter but with eventually thickening grey cloud. Things were decidedly brisk by the time today's (Saturday) full third day programme was completed on an ultimately sunless sea and with the busiest classes showing nine valid race results, they already have a championship and then some.

But the Stakhanovite Race Teams are apparently planning to try to fit in another three races tomorrow (Sunday) before they call the final results.

By this stage, the overall winners in most classes are now emerging from among two or three top boats, with some instances of remarkable consistency belying the youth of the contenders, which is maybe an ageist sort of comment, but there you go.

Wright on top in ILCA 6

The ILCA 6s saw local boy Rocco Wright continue on top form to log two firsts and a second, which gives him a mighty margin as he's on 13 points OA to the 21 of East Antrim's Tom Coulter, who by the end of the day was looking astern rather than ahead, as Howth's Luke Turvey is snapping on his heels just one point astern.

O'Shaughnessy and Spain lead 29ers

The Cork/Dun Laoghaire combination of Ben O'Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain have it a bit closer in the 29ers, as they've only a couple of points in hand at the front of the fleet on Dun Laoghaire's Van Steenberge duo, the totes being 11 to 13.

McDowell and Thompson Strong in 420s

But in the 420s the combination of Malahide and Wicklow in the form of Jack McDowell and Henry Thompson appears very strong; they lead on 14 to the 20 of Malahide's Kate Campion and Amelie Soffe, who are another case of stern chase concentration, as they've only a spare point on the Blessington/Malahide combination of Cora McNaughton and Sean Cronin, who in turn are only a point clear of the might of Dunmore East and Galway Bay as combined by Max Sweetman and Roisin Mitchell Ward.

Pierce Overtakes in ILCA 4s

In the ILCA 4s, Royal Cork's Oisin Pierce has taken the overall lead by 3 points from Royal St George's Krzysztof Coborowski, with Lucy Ives third and Cillian Twomey best of the host club in fourth, but in the Optimists local sailor, Harry Dunne got through to Saturday night by taking over the overall lead with a day's result of 2, 2, 8 and 3 to put him ahead of Royal St George's Andrew O'Neill by 35 to 44, meaning that young Harry is putting together the sort of consistent series favoured by strategists, as he's always there or thereabouts, but has only recorded one race win.

Brady moves up to third in Optimists

Gemma Brady of the National in Dun Laoghaire has now moved into the Optimist frame to be third overall, just four points behind Andrew O'Neill, but the George's Caolinn McDonnnell continues to climb back up the rankings after yesterday's (Friday) upsets, her score today was 8,1,1,5, which is consistency plus, and it puts her at sixth OA after being back at 15th.

Driscoll is Topper leader

In the Toppers, Tom Driscoll of Ballyholme stays in the overall lead after Cormac Byrne of Strangford Sailing Club/Ballyholme YC retired from today's final race, with third place held by Caoimhe Corkery of Cfosshaven and Kinsale.

For the final races today (Sunday), the wind looks like being more directly and damply from the south, and at one stage there's even a suggestion that mist or even fog might intervene for a while. But the heat being generated by the intensity of competition in this roller coaster regatta will surely burn off any mist or fog in no time at all.