#optimist – Royal Cork's James McCann built on his fine European Optimist performance in Dun Laoghaire a month ago by winning the Irish Optimist dinghy class title on his home waters of Cork Harbour yesterday writes Claire Bateman.

Scroll down for photo gallery of the event below by Bob Bateman.

The wind gods left the best wine for last and it certainly tasted good on the last day of racing at the CH Marine Irish Optimist National and Open Championships wirtes Claire Bateman. The wind was up to about 15 knots most of the time and the sun was shining most of the time. What more could anyone ask! PRO David O'Brien again set the course for the Senior and Junior Fleets on the Eastern Bank and to cater for the north west wind set the committee boat close to the Aghada shore. Two races were sailed for both Senior and Junior fleets and it was all over by 14.30hrs to allow competitors make their way home. However a number of protests were received and the Protest Committee was convened for hearings.

Meanwhile , PRO Eddie Rice's Regatta Fleet again sailed on the Curlane Bank. Not all of the 52 competitors in this fleet sailed today as the conditions were a bit trying for the inexperienced.

The scene after racing had finished was a veritable hive of activity as the competitors, their families and helpers rushed to get away after the prize giving. However, it soon became apparent this was not to be as a protest was going ahead and meant a delay was unavoidable. As many people had ferries to catch and long journeys this meant they could not wait for the prize giving and among these was the new Open Senior Champion Vita Heathcote RIYMYC.

The array of prizes handed out was huge and as the prizes for today were also sponsored by CH Marine Nicholas Bendon MD of the company was there to do the honours in presenting these prizes.

In the Regatta Fleet the overall champion is Moss Simmington RStGYC .

1st Junior Silver Rory O'Sullivan RCYC. 2nd Junior Silver Conor Gorman NYC. 3rd Junior Silver James Hassett RCYC. Best Local Sailor Silver Fleet Sophia McKeown RCYC. Junior Silver First Girl Kate Fahy LDYC/RStGYC.

1stJunior Gold, National and Open Champion.Michael ÓShuilleabháin KYC. Best under 11 and Best Local Sailor Junior Gold Fleet Robert Keal RCYC. Best under 10 Eve McMahon. Best under 9 Trevor Bolger.\

Iriah Senior National Champion James McCann receiving his award from Admiral Pat Lyons

It was then the turn of the Senior Fleet to receive their prizes:
1st Senior Silver Jack Fahy LDYC/RStGYC. 2nd Silver James Spillane RCYC. 3rd Senior Silver Emily Whitaker RCYC.

Vita Heathcote First Senior Gold and Open Champion. Pic Robert Bateman
1st Senior Gold and Open Senior Champion Vita Heathcote RIYMYC. 2nd Senior Gold Emilia BoyleRIYC, 3rd Senior Gold, Irish Senior National Champion and Best Irish sailor at Optimist European Championships James McCann. Senior Gold First Girl and best under 13 Irish Clare Gorman NYC.

Rear Admiral Dinghies Celine McGrath, making a presentation to Adam D'Arcy in recognition of his Silver Medal win at the International Topper Class World Championships, Pic Robert Bateman

The 2015 Irish Optimist National and Open Championships will take place at Skerries Sailing Club

See Irish Optimist Sailing Gallery by Bob Bateman below. Full Results HERE

#optiEuros2014 – Royal Cork's James McCann & Dublin Girls Clare Gorman, Alix Buckley & Gemma McDowell have made the gold fleet cut after a full opening series of the Optimist dinghy Europeans was completed off Dun Laoghaire this afternoon.

The big Irish success today  is that James McCann from Royal Cork Yacht Club bounced back magnificently after yesterday's disappointment to make the gold fleet cut tomorrow. With 11th and 5th in today's races, together with discarding his 28th place, the Munster youth sits on a total of 41 points and placed 13th.

James was the only Irish boy to qualify for the Gold fleet but four of his teammates qualified for the Silver: Jamie McMahon, Loghlen Rickard and Peter Fagan all from Dublin as well as Harry Bell from Co. Down.

In the overall standings French sailor Enzo Balanger from Guadeloupe tops the leader board with results of 1, 1, 3, 3, 1 totalling 9 points. Fourteen points behind at this early stage is Pablo Lujan of C.N. Javea, Spain while Swedish lake sailor Kasper Nordenram of Rörviks Sailing Club lies third.

The Irish girls fared much better in making the cut for the Gold fleet. Clare Gorman from Dun Laoghaire gained eight places today to rank 24th. Also qualifying are two fellow Dubliners; Alix Buckley of Skerries and Gemma McDowell of Malahide.

After another first place today Iset Segura from the Catalan club of Arenys de Mar remains at the head of the fleet followed by Ebru Bolat of Romania and Brazilian Olivia Belda.