#WORLD RECORD - A Dutch teenager has become the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the world solo - following a court battle for the right to embark on the challenge.

Sixteen-year-old Laura Dekker sailed into harbour at Sint Maarten in the Caribbean on Saturday afternoon to complete her round-the-world voyage.

She arrived a year and two days after setting out, and beat the previous unofficial record held by Australian Jessica Watson by eight months, according to RTÉ News.

The feat is more remarkable in that Dekker sailed from port-to-port, staying at sea for at most three weeks at a time, whereas Watson voyaged non-stop.

But the adventure almost didn't happen, as Dekker and her father had to fight in a court in Utrecht for the right to attempt the record, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

Dekker has originally planned to set out a year earlier, at the age of 14, but the court ordered her placed in the care of welfare officers on the grounds that she was too young to guarantee her safety at sea.

She finally won the court battle in July 2010 and set sail from Gibraltar the following month, though a change to her planned course saw the challenge officially begin in Sint Maarten in January 2011 instead.

However, the record will not be officially recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records nor the World Sailing Speed Record Council, which does not classify records by age.

RTÉ News has more on the story HERE.

#CLIPPER–The ecstatic Derry-Londonderry crew have sailed into in Batam, Indonesia, after securing second place in Race 7 in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race. It is the team's first podium finish of their campaign.

The crew arrived in Nongsa Point Marina just after Gold Coast Australia who secured their sixth victory of the 15-race competition. They will wait here for the other eight 68-foot yachts competing in the world's longest ocean race before all ten cross the Singapore Straits to Marina at Keppel Bay, Singapore, for a ceremonial arrival there on Saturday 28 January.

As he arrived in the marina at 0730 local time (0030 UTC), Derry-Londonderry's skipper, Mark Light, described his joy at securing the team's first pennant of the competition.

"It feels amazing to come in second. It was a long race. We've been dying for a podium position and I knew we had it in us. To finally get it confirmed was brilliant. I just can't wait to get on the stage and accept the pennant," he said.

Explaining the pressure the team was under as they led the fleet in the South Pacific, Mark continued, "It is worse leading, I think. We are always looking over our shoulder and making sure we are doing the right things. Gold Coast Australia are quick and we knew they were going to be close and they just got us at the end."

Gold Coast Australia's skipper, Richard Hewson, paid tribute to the team who represent the UK City of Culture 2013, describing the atmosphere on board his yacht as both crews closed in on the finish line.

"It was really exciting. Towards the end I called a meeting around midnight and got everyone around. I said, 'We've got 30 miles to go and we are neck and neck with Derry-Londonderry. We either go hard now and win, or we take it easy and there is a chance that we come second.'

"The guys really pitched in and we did a 'super-watch' for a good five or six hours and in the end we only won by a bit over an hour. I think if we hadn't done that then Derry-Londonderry could have well taken us."

Gold Coast Australia finished just 79 minutes ahead of Derry-Londonderry in the 4,600-mile race from the Gold Coast.

Michelle McCann from Greencastle, Co. Donegal, said, "The race was fantastic; the best one yet. We had everything, we had plenty of wind at the start and we did really well with the right plan, strategy and tactics. Everything just worked for us.

"We deserve first I think, because we raced so well, but we just got pipped to the post. However, coming second to Gold Coast Australia, which is the fastest boat in the race, is brilliant. Just brilliant!" she beamed. "This is the start of our collection – that's how we're thinking of it!"

Clipper 11-12 is the eighth edition of the event which is 'raced by people like you'. Michelle, a teacher, and her fellow crew who include a student, an engineer, an airline pilot, a pharmacist, a project manager, a children's centre manager and a retired nutritionist, have put their everyday lives on hold to compete in the challenge of a lifetime.

Demand for berths on forthcoming editions of the race is at unprecedented levels and several hundred people have already committed to taking part in Clipper 13-14, which will see the introduction of a brand new fleet of 12 state of the art 70-foot yachts.

#YACHT CLUB OF THE YEAR – The National Yacht Club of Dun Laoghaire is the Mitsubishi Motors/Irish Independent "Sailing Club of the Year" 2012 in celebration of an impressive and continuous level of activity in sailing, with the highly-praised hosting of events for international competitors and Irish sailors, and the efficient running of a hospitable clubhouse, boatyard and dinghy park operation which caters for the waterborne and shoreside activities of an enthusiastic and loyal membership and their visitors.

The adjudicators recognise that the National is particularly fortunate in its location in the southeast corner of Dun Laoghaire harbour. Whether approached by sea or land, the clubhouse complex provides a secluded haven from the busy life of the harbour and the town. Not that the club is in any way a sleepy spot. On the contrary, from its serene premises it provides a hive of activity for sailors of all ages, and boats of all shapes and sizes.

It's not the first time the NYC has won this award. They've been on the top of the podium in 1981, 1985, 1993 and most recently in 1996. But in the remarkable pace set by Irish sailing even in times of recession, the inter-club competition is friendly but fierce. Thus the National has usually been in the frame, but during the past 12 months several factors have combined to make it tops.

That said, successful seasons don't pop up suddenly. Rather, they're part of a continuous process, and when Peter Ryan stood down as Commodore back in the spring to be succeeded by Paul Barrington, he left in place the concepts and structures for a remarkable summer.

Ryan's own special enthusiasm was for offshore racing, and his energy in reviving the Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association was to everyone's benefit. Then too, the biennial Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race is the invention (in 1993) of leading National sailors Martin Crotty and Peter Cullen, and during 2011 it was deservedly one of the highlights of the season. NYC boats may have made up one of the largest club contingents in the record fleet, but their instinct for hospitality is such that they ensured it was Martin Breen from Galway who was overall winner with his Reflex 38.

The club took on the hosting of two major international events for solo sailors. They provided the Irish stopover for the formidable challenge of the Figaro Single-handed Race from France, and the staging of the Topper Worlds for junior sailors. In a fleet of 177 Topper dinghies, David Crosbie of Cork was best Irish in third, while Laura Gilmore of Strangford was first girl and fifth overall.

The success of this regatta underlined the National's high level of event proficiency. It is recognition of this that one of the club's leading race officers, Jack Roy, has been recruited to the 16-man Olympic Race Management Team for this summer's Olympiad.

The National will of course have a leading member on the other side of the Olympic fence – Laser sailor Annalise Murphy, who has already won a Bronze in the pre-Olympic trials last summer - will be a real Irish hope for a medal.

This strength of sailing right across the board continues to draw on a large and active junior section, where Ruth Shanahan has taken over from Cathy MacAleavey to encourage the sailors of tomorrow. Cathy meanwhile is focusing on traditional boats – with husband Con Murphy, she's involved in this year's 125th anniversary of the Dublin Bay Waterwags.

Success at home and abroad in boats which range from state-of-the-art to vintage - that's the way it is with the National YC. They deserve their success.

#COMMODORES CUP – Although Ireland is officially slated by the Royal Ocean Racing Club to be defending its 2010 title won on the Solent there is still no details of the compostion of an Irish team for July's Commdore's Cup.

Ireland face an uphill struggle to mount a credible defence, though Antony O'Leary's Antix is most likely to be a key part of any team, which is a major asset, there is still the job of completing the three boat line-up. A call to interested parties was made late last year by the Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA).

ICRA Commodore Barry Rose says that despite the current difficult environment ICRA remains hopeful of mounting a serious defence and have waited until last October to allow the maximum time to those who may consider supporting the challenge but since then there has been no further news of the team.

The Commodores Cup takes place from 21st to 28th July 2012 based in Cowes. Ireland first won this prestigious International Trophy in 2010 .

Captain of the winning team Anthony O Leary told Afloat.ie: 'We finally won this great event in 2010 with a well organised campaign. Let's hope we
can return to defend it in 2012 learning further from that experience'.

Interest from teams wishing to stake a claim on the prestigious Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup is running high with challenges from several nations including: England, Netherlands, France, Ireland and Hong Kong. Eddie Warden Owen, Chief Executive of organisers, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), is very happy with the way things are shaping up for the 11th biennial event:

"It would appear that the new format of allowing teams to be made up of three boats of any size and the availability of good boats to charter, has prompted interest from outside of Europe too. The Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup is shaping up to be a very competitive regatta."

Volvo Ocean Race skipper, Bouwe Bekking has been announced as Captain of the Dutch team, with the possibility of two Dutch teams and talk of a combined Benelux team of Dutch and Belgian boats.

"The Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup (BDCC) is a great event. It is giving owners and their predominantly amateur crews, the ability to sail for their own country and in a real team event. The BDCC is nearly the only national team event left in offshore racing. It will provide tough competition and in addition, racing in the Solent will give the event that extra dimension that owners are looking for. For me, it will be the first time as Team Captain for the Netherlands. It sounds more prestigious than the role actually is. The fact is that the three boats have to perform well individually in order that the team can do well overall. But there are a lot of small aspects which can help make them a better team in my opinion. I will try to give them that extra support and insight from all the experiences I have learned from all the Admiral's, Commodores' and Sardinia Cups I have participated in," commented Bekking.

John van der Starre from The Dutch Class Organisation, Noordzeeclub based in The Hague: "We are very pleased that Bouwe will be Team Captain. He has great experience and will drive the team. We will have more news on boats and teams in February, but already have six yachts hoping to compete: Baraka GP, Display, Captain Jack, Redan, J Xcentric and TeamVanVuuren."

The Dutch selection procedure will take place during the two first big IRC events of the year, with trials at the Van Uden Reco Stellendam Regatta (21-22 April) and the Delta Lloyd North Sea Regatta (15/20 May), including the Vuurschepen Race (25/28 May) and RORC North Sea Race.

Teams from the Netherlands have competed in the biennial Commodores' Cup since its inception in 1992, only missing out in 2000 and 2010. They have not yet won the Commodores' Cup but finished on the podium in 1998 and 2002.

Strong Interest from GBR teams

In early January the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Selection Committee met with owners and representatives of 19 boats who were interested in participating in trials for the English teams to compete.

"We were delighted with the turnout for the initial meeting which was much better than I expected and great for the event, as well as for sailing in the UK," said Stacey Clark, the new Chairman of the RYA Council and Chairman of the Commodores' Cup Selection Committee.

John Derbyshire, RYA Racing Manager/Performance Director:"I am delighted to see so much interest, both from previous competitors and potential new team members in being selected for one of the GBR teams. This should provide an excellent trials series from which a team that can win the Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup should emerge - as well as providing a competitive base for future events. There was a great atmosphere at the meeting and we look forward to taking on teams from around the world!"

The Selection Trial events have been confirmed for RYA Team GBR:

Offshore - the RORC Morgan Cup starting on 5th May.  A 24-36 hour race round buoys in the Channel, starting and finishing in Cowes. Inshore - a Commodores' Cup rating band class in the Vice Admirals Cup on 18th -20th May, organised by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club in Cowes.

The rules allow for up to four teams per country and one place has already been offered to Scotland who have until the end of February to confirm a team entry. If the Scottish sailors decide not to take the opportunity, then an additional three boats could make up a four team challenge from England.

In 2008 RYA Team GBR won the Commodores' Cup and narrowly missed out to Ireland in 2010. This year, the aim will be to pick four teams who have the potential to win this Summer as well as in future years.

2012 marks the 3rd consecutive challenge from Hong Kong for the Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup and the sailors in this southern most part of China are working hard to put together a strong team which will emulate or better their runners-up placing in 2010.

Possibly making a return to the fray is long-time stalwart of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC), Keith Jacobs, who sailed in several Admiral's Cups with his Dubois-designed Bimblegumbie and has recently returned to the club from Australia. This time Keith is a co-owner of the Kerr 40, Signal 8 which has just launched in Hong Kong and is headed up by co-owners Jamie McWilliam and Patrick Pender, the latter of whom who will drive the boat.

Likely to skipper a boat as well is Nick Burns who campaigned the Mills 40 Mandrake in the Hong Kong 2010 team, and well known Cowes Etchell sailor, Ante Razmilovic - now living in Hong Kong - is also working to put together a crew with Chris Opielok who skippered the small boat Rockall in 2010. Also donning wet weather gear in the Solent this summer will be RHKYC Vice Commodore Joachim Isler, who will return for his third campaign on one of the boats along with his Hong Kong boat partner, Aussie Andrew 'Drew' Taylor.

"Hong Kong's sailors love the world's best big-boat team event and are determined to keep coming back until they win it," says Team Coordinator, Laurence Mead who was helmsman of Mandrake in the 2010 Hong Kong challenge.

Hong Kong has taken part in the Commodores' Cup three times in 1992 (7th), 2008 (5th) and 2nd in 2010.

#ALL IRELAND SAILING – The All Ireland Sailing Championships are set for a revamp following an Irish Sailing Association decision to overhaul its Senior, Junior and Girls competition.

The review follows comments about the system used for participation in 'Ireland's most prestigious sailing event'. Now an ISA review group is to look at all aspects of the 'ISA All Ireland Sailing Championships'.

On this website last October Wayfarer National Champion Trevor Fisher who was not invited to attend wrote 'many dinghy class national champions were not invited to take part'. The full article is here. The Fisher article provoked a lot of comment.

The article was read over 2,000 times and drew further pertinent remarks from many key sailing stakeholders, inlcuding past Presidents of the Association.

For example West Cork's David Harte said: "I believe there should be two All Ireland Sailing sailing championships, one Dinghy Championship and one Keelboat Championship. The Keel boat event should be held in the J80 and what I am offering is the Dinghy event be held in the TR3.6 of which we have 25 identical boats that would cover all National Champions in all Dinghy classes that hold a national championships, similar to the Endeavour Trophy"

To read more of the comments made at the time click here and scroll to the bottom of the article.

Some of those involved in seeking the review are now aiming to make recommendations on how these events might be restructured to best obtain tangible benefits for the ISA and Irish Sailing.

The members of the review group are Flor O'Driscoll (current J24 National Champion and regular participant in the Championship), Ciara Peelo (Ireland's representative in the Laser Radial at the 2008 Olympics), Ed Alcock (ISA Racing Manager). The Group will be chaired by Malahide sailor Neil Murphy, former ISA President.

A short online survey has also been designed and will be circulated shortly to classes and former participants in the event. The survey will also be open to all ISA members. The Group will also consider any points that sailors wish to make about the events and how they might be adapted to follow developments in the sport.

The ISA are seeking contributions but give just over two weeks (February 4th) for submissions.

#TALL SHIPS – The port city of Aalborg, Denmark, will host Sail Training International's annual Tall Ship conference in November 2013. The agreement was signed today by Aalborg Mayor Henning G Jensen and Sail Training International's President and Chairman Nigel Rowe.

The two day event is expected to bring close to 400 delegates from about 40 countries to the city for a series of plenary and work-shop sessions on a range of topics relating to sail training for young people and Tall Ships races. Half the delegates will be from ports around the world that host Tall Ships events. Half will be the owners and operators of sail training vessels. Aalborg has hosted Sail Training International's Tall Ships Races several times in the past, most recently in 2010. It is contracted to do so again in 2015. Aalborg also has a long-standing reputation as a 'sail training friendly' port and supports its two local sail training vessels Jens Krogh and LOA.

"It is very unusual for us to contract with a host city for our conference so far in advance; but the opportunity to do so with Aalborg now was one we were very keen to take", says Nigel Rowe. "Aalborg has been a highly successful host port for our Tall Ships Races in the past, and a great supporter over many years of sail training and Sail Training International in other ways too. 2013 will be Mayor Henning G Jensen's last year in office and we welcome this opportunity to thank him for his support in the past, and the community of Aalborg too."

"Aalborg has a strong maritime tradition and our community has developed a great affection for the Tall Ships over the years," says Mayor Henning G Jensen. "The Tall Ships Races give us an opportunity to show-case our city and Danish hospitality to an international fleet and thousands of young people and media from around the world. They give our own community an opportunity for a family-friendly party ... and they bring economic benefits to the city as well. Hosting this important and prestigious international conference is an honour and will be great for our city."

#BOATS FOR SALE – Two 40-foot sailing cruisers have gone on sale on the Afloat boats for sale site today one priced at €249,500 and the other at €74,950. They're on sale through popular Cork broker Crosshaven Boatyard who currently has 63 yachts on offer on the boats for sale site. 

The €249,000 boat is the American built Sabre 426. Built in 2004 and commissioned in 2005, this Sabre 426 is a moderate displacement cruising yacht with 'excellent performance' according ot the broker. The boat comes with cherry interior, two heads, 55HP Yanmar, Bow Thruster, 2010 fully battened mainsail, plotter, radar and heating. There has only been one owner since new. 

Sabre's attention to detail as a boat builder is well known. Whether it be the style and grace of the 426's shear, the details of the deck tooling or the details found in the hand crafted interior joinery. The full advert is here.

The €74,950 yacht is a 1987 German Frers designed Beneteau Idylle 13.50. This boat has also had one owner since new. This yacht sleeps seven and has been well maintained. She had a major refit in 2010/2011, including a new engine, standing rigging and sails. All the details here.

#royalcork – Outgoing Admiral Paddy McGlade took Royal Cork Yacht Club through a packed agm last Monday as Peter Deasy was elected Admiral to the oldest yacht club in the world writes Claire Bateman. Pat Lyons will serve as Vice Admiral at the Crosshaven club and Pat Harte will fill the role of Hon. Secretary/Treasurer. Ronan Enright remains as Rear Admiral Keelboats, with John Roche becoming Rear Admiral Cruising and Darren O'Keeffe Rear Admiral Dinghies. Yvonne Durkan will chair the Bar House and Catering Committee and Cathal Conlon wll chair the Marina and Facilities Committee.

Peter Deasy previously chaired the 2010 Cork week regatta committee.

The new Royal Cork Yacht Club Executive pictured L. to R. Front: Vice Admiral Pat Lyons, Admiral Peter Deasy, Hon Sec/Treasurer Pat Harte. Back Row L. to R. Rear Admiral Keelboats, Ronan Enright, Chair Marina and Facilities, Cathal Conlon, Chair Bar House and Catering, Yvonne Durkan, Rear Admiral Dinghies, Darren O'Keeffe and Rear Admiral Cruising, John Roche. Picture Robert Bateman

#FROSTBITE – The second Dun Laoghaire frostbite race of 2012 was sailed in blustery, breezy and shifty conditions in Dun Laoghaire’s harbour on Sunday 15^th January. A very healthy turnout of 17 boats contested a 5 lap race which saw the on the water results transformed by multiple OSC entries on the score sheet posted in DMYC’s clubhouse.

Four transgressors of the starting procedure were caught, including the day’s winners on the water Messrs Neil Spain and Hugh Butler. This left the legal winners on the water as Kenny Rumball and Conor Kinsella, followed home, a boat length later, by Noel Butler and Stephen Oram.  

Alaistair Court & Gordon Syme took third and after two races in this half of the series, these three fill the top three places overall with Rumball/Moran & Butler/Oram tied in 1^st place.

Two all-lady combinations sailed the day with Cariosa Power & Marie Barry (Class Treasurer) finishing 6^th two spots ahead of Louise McKenna & Hermine O’Keefe. This performance was enough to give Power & barry the day’s mugs which is all the more commendable as they saild a conservative race by keeping the spinnaker in the bag.

Crash gybes, to avoid collisions, caused Frank Cassidy & John Hudson and Owen Laverty & Ed Butler to take a swim on the day, but the latter combination recovered to finish 5^th. Noel Butler also reports that the may have been a “T-boning” incident between a Fireball and a RS400 and Luke Malcolm ended up as the walking wounded with a bad gash on his knee after a toe-strap broke, causing him to be thrown into the gunwhale.

All told, an adventurous day on the water in what were somewhat colder conditions that we have had thus far.

(Race notes with the assistance of Noel Butler).

#IFDS – The IFDS World Championships have drawn to a close and Ireland's sailors John Twomey, Anthony Hegarty and Ian Costello have finished seventh overall, a disappointing outcome for the Kinsale trio given they were tied for the top spot at the midpoint of the event.

Over ten races sailed Twomey counted a 1 3 6 4 7 9 [12] 6 9 8 in his 12-boat fleet at International Association for Disabled Sailing (IFDS) event at Laishey Park Marina. Results sheet below.

Twomey's preparations for the London Paralympics continue with Miami World Cup next week.