Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: 20x20

The National Yacht Club has signed up to the 20×20 initiative to encourage more women and girls to get involved in sport.

Increasing the visibility of women in sport is the focus of 20x20, and so far over 600 clubs across Ireland have signed up to the initiative.

The NYC says it is “thrilled to celebrate the longstanding achievements of its women members and to encourage more women to get involved in sailing at all levels”.

This begins at the earliest stages, where the junior section “keeps a keen eye on ensuring that girls get involved”, while the Women on the Water network “has been encouraging beginners and rusty sailors back into dinghy and keelboat sailing for over six years, generating a vibrant and supportive community across the club”.

The NYC adds: “Across all levels and ages, women members are valued boat owners, helms and crew members, and are involved in leadership roles in sailing, including race management in the club and in DBSC.”

Highlights include NYC’s involvement in running the Irish Sailing Pathfinder Women at the Helm regatta in 2019 and being selected to run it a second time in 2020, while the NYC’s women are also represented in ISORA racing and the recent Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race.

“Strength, fitness, inclusion, respect, leadership: these are key values of 20×20. What better role models than NYC members, Olympic silver medal winner and Tokyo 2020 competitor Annalise Murphy and Commodore of the Dublin Bay Sailing Club, Ann Kirwan.”

Published in National YC
Tagged under

Irish Sailing

The Irish Sailing Association, also known as Irish Sailing, is the national governing body for sailing, powerboating and windsurfing in Ireland.

Founded in 1945 as the Irish Dinghy Racing Association, it became the Irish Yachting Association in 1964 and the Irish Sailing Association in 1992.

Irish Sailing is a Member National Authority (MNA) of World Sailing and a member of the Olympic Federation of Ireland.

The Association is governed by a volunteer board, elected by the member clubs. Policy Groups provide the link with members and stakeholders while advising the Board on specialist areas. There is a professional administration and performance staff, based at the headquarters in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

Core functions include the regulation of sailing education, administering racing and selection of Irish sailors for international competition. It is the body recognised by the Olympic Federation of Ireland for nominating Irish qualified sailors to be considered for selection to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games. Irish sailors have medalled twice at the Olympics – David Wilkins and Jamie Wikinson at the 1980 games, and Annalise Murphy at the 2016 games.

The Association, through its network of clubs and centres, offers curriculum-based training in the various sailing, windsurfing and powerboating disciplines. Irish Sailing qualifications are recognised by Irish and European Authorities. Most prominent of these are the Yachtmaster and the International Certificate of Competency.

It runs the annual All-Ireland Championships (formerly the Helmsman’s Championship) for senior and junior sailors.

The Association has been led by leading lights in the sailing and business communities. These include Douglas Heard, Clayton Love Junior, John Burke and Robert Dix.

Close to 100 sailors have represented Ireland at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Membership of Irish Sailing is either by direct application or through membership of an affiliated organisation. The annual membership fee ranges from €75 for families, down to €20 for Seniors and Juniors.