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Displaying items by tag: Olympians

Malahide Yacht Club has unveiled two Roll of Honour Boards in its clubhouse to mark the achievements of its six Olympians who competed at nine Olympic Games – including David Wilkins’ Silver Medal in 1980 - and nineteen members who won 27 National Championships in its 52-year history.

Successes in major UK championships have also been highlighted and a separate honour board lists the seven winners (to date) of the Club Person of the Year Award for the ‘Ossie Bachmann Trophy’, instituted in 2003.

Between 1972 and 2008, MYC was represented at nine Games by Robin Hennessy, David Wilkins, cousins Robert and Peter Dix, David Burrows and most recently Ciara Peelo. Burrows competed in three Games while Wilkins’ five appearances constitutes an Irish Olympic sporting record. He is also one of the few Irishmen to win an Olympic medal when he and crew Jamie Wilkinson took Silver at the Moscow Games in 1980.

The first National Championship success was in 1963, five years after the club’s formation, when John Crawford and crew Robin Hennessy took the Enterprise Class title and the most recent was Richard Arthurs who won the Topaz Class Nationals two years ago. In between, twelve MYC helmsmen won titles in seven dinghy classes.

The new Roll of Honour Boards were unveiled at a Reception in the clubhouse by the club’s two longest-serving members Kingsley Long and Dermot Hegarty.

“We are immensely proud of these achievements and of the contribution of members of our small club to Irish sailing,” said Club Commodore Martin Clancy. “With these boards, we have recorded for all time these successes and hope it will act as an incentive for our young members to want to join them.”

 

Published in News Update

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.