Dragon racing commenced on the Bay of Cannes on Monday at the Régates Royales in a very shifty 10/12 knot easterly breeze with glorious sunshine all day.

The 10-country international fleet of 33 Dragons were grateful for some efficient race management aided by the use of GPS-controlled marks.

Martin Byrne’s Jaguar Sailing Team were in front of the fleet all day but were disappointed by the 10th place in race 1. But they made up for that with a convincing win in race 2, where they went from 6th to 1st on the first downwind leg and lead the fleet to the finish.

The Royal St George crew lie 4th overall with points at the top very close.

The two top French teams of Gerry Trentesaux, 3rd at the recent Gold Cup, and current French National Champion Jean Breger are 1st and 2nd overall after today's racing.

Switzerland’s Dirk Oldenburg is 3rd overall. Byrne leads the Corinthian, non-professional, Division.

Daniel Murphy’s Fortitude with new Irish Dragon Champion, Cameron Good helming, is 12th overall with an 11th and 10th scored.

Joey Bergin’s Sir Ossis with Declan Gordon helming are 23rd overall with a 27th & 20th today.

Racing continues until Friday with light winds expected, which might shake things up.

In the post-covid era, it would appear that boat owners and their crews may have become bored with only triangular or windward-leeward courses. This year the Royal St. George Yacht Club’s End of Season match, over a more complex hexagonal course, starting with a reach, and finishing on a broad reach, was supported by over 50 entries and some 200 sailors.

The format consisted of a staggered start, with yachts and dinghies starting at one-minute intervals (based on their ECHO or PY handicaps denoting their potential speed) from six o’clock until after six thirty. In an innovation for this year, the fastest yacht, Jonathan Nicholson’s Puma 42, El Pocko, started as first and was required to sail two laps of the 3.56 nautical miles course.

Alain Deladienne and his crew of pirates in the Shipman 'Poppy' Photo: peter Richardson

All the other competitors sailed one lap around the Dublin Bay S.C. marks at Boyd, Middle, Seapoint, Merrion, West Pier and back to the committee boat. This course offered close reaches, runs, broad reaches and a beat which tested the abilities of every type of boat competing in winds of 10 to 12 knots. The ultimate winner of the Shindilla Cup was John Clarke’s Shipman 28 Jo-Slim.

Rupert Bowen and Rupert Westrup's Squib 'Sidewinder' Photo: Peter Richardson

The concours d’elegance award went to Chris Craig’s 1930-built Solent 18, Annette. All eyes were on ‘The black boat’, better known as Brendan Foley’s Allig8r, to see if she would perform as well as she did in the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta of 2019. She didn’t disappoint; with her enormous masthead spinnaker, she covered the entire course in 37 minutes 16 seconds.

A huge social event and prize giving was held in the clubhouse afterwards.

In 1931, there was no national structure to organise sailing in Ireland, so the County Dublin 12 Foot International Dinghy Association was formed to co-ordinate sailing activities in Malahide, Howth, Sutton, Clontarf, Seapoint and Dun Laoghaire under the Presidency of P.T. Walsh, and H. McCracken as Honorary Secretary and Treasurer. History tells us that that modest organisation evolved into the Irish Dinghy Racing Association in 1945, and is now known as Irish Sailing.

The first County Dublin 12 Foot International Dinghy Association championship in Dun Laoghaire was won by R.St.G. Mooney from Howth in Altair.

The following year, 1932, the championship was held in Dun Laoghaire, and in 1933 it was held in Howth.

In recent years the 12-Foot Dinghy Class have held an annual National Championship in Dun Laoghaire, but in 2022 the National Championship was relocated in Lough Ree Yacht Club, as part of Clinkerfest, so their event in Dun Laoghaire, hosted by the Royal St. George Yacht Club, on 28th August, was the 4th. County Dublin 12 Foot Championships.

Four races were held inside the harbour in light winds from the north–east.

In race one against a foul tide, Margaret Delany in Cora opted to start at the pin end and despite George Miller in Pixie pointing higher, Cora reached the first mark at the head of the fleet and maintained her lead to the leeward mark where the race was shortened to a single lap.

In race two the wind dropped to about four knots, but with the fleet staying close together the race was allowed to run over two laps. At the first leeward mark the order was: Cora, Pixie and Gail Varian and Gavin Johnson’s Dublin Bay rigged Albany in third place. Albany overhauled Pixie on the second beat to finish second.

It was time for a lunch break, so the fleet went ashore for a hearty lunch and social get- together in the Royal St. George Y.C.

In the afternoon the wind increased to about 8 knots, and the tide had turned, so the race was increased to three laps. Andrew and Francis Johnson in Scythian got the best start, but unfortunately, some Sailing School boats were towed crossed the fleet obstructing all but Pixie. At the second leeward mark the order was Cora, Scythian, Pixie and Albany. On the third beat a port and starboard incident left Pixie looking embarrassed, so she immediately retired.

The final race was also of three laps, Pixie made up for her earlier infringement, and led the fleet from the windward mark. Cora swapped places with her on the off-wind legs, but at the finish the order was Pixie, Cora, Albany Scythian.

Margaret Delany being presented with a history of the 12 foot class 'Twaalfvoetsjol 100 jaar klase 1914-2014'

At the prizegiving, the class President Vincent Delany complimented the competitors, and observed that on the day of ‘Women at the Helm’, that it was appropriate that the leading International 12 Foot Dinghy was steered by a Margaret Delany, and the leading Dublin Bay 12 Foot Dinghy was steered by Gail Varian. He advised that we expect to have at least eight 12 Foot Dinghies for next year’s championship.

Royal St George Yacht Club organisers expect up to 200 entries for this year's bumper Irish Optimist National Championships at Dun Laoghaire Harbour from 11-14 August.

Over 190 entries have been received, with several dozen boats coming from the UK.

The Main Fleet is now at capacity at 130 entries, with a further 20 Regatta Fleet entries expected between now and the close of entry.

The event is sponsored by Avolon, Grant Thornton and Seachange Now.

This year, IODAI are breaking from the traditional format for the Regatta Fleet and introducing a coached and non-coached racing event for these participants. Coached Regatta Fleet sailors will remain in the confines of Dun Laoghaire harbour, while non-coached Racing Regatta Fleet sailors will sail outside the harbour, weather permitting. This will enable those sailors to experience something closer to Main Fleet racing on a slightly larger race course than they are typically used to while remaining with their peers. The idea is that these sailors will look to progress to Main Fleet in the distant future.

As well as a superb racing format, under the watchful and experienced eye of chief race officers David Lovegrove and David Bolger, the Royal St George has laid on a complete social itinerary to keep sailors and families entertained for the duration of the four-day event. One hotly anticipated item is a Q&A session with past national champions.

Event information can be found here

A record ILCA/Laser fleet is expected in Dun Laoghaire on July 23-24 for the Leinster Championships 2022, hosted at the Royal St. George Yacht Club and proudly supported by MGM Boats.

Organisers of the ILCA Ireland Leinster Championships are expecting a record attendance at next weekend’s event. With over a week to go, already over 30 visiting boats have registered and more are expected in advance of the early bird entry closing on Sunday evening.

Competition across all fleets is expected to be intense, with most focus on the Radial (ILCA 6) fleet where Howth Olympic campaigner Aoife Hopkins will be the one to watch across the two-day event.

Meanwhile, in the Master’s category, local champion Sean Craig will be eager to maintain his winning ways and demonstrate to some of the younger sailors that age is no barrier to success in a Laser.

The 2021 National Champion in the Radial fleet, Royal Cork’s Jonathan O’Shaughnessy has recently transitioned to the Standard (ILCA 7) rig and is eager to make his mark here. Young Daniel O’Connor from the host club has shown some consistency already this year in the 4.7 (ILCA 4) fleet, but he can expect some stiff competition from visitors from across the country.

While many will be focused on the competition at the top of each fleet, this year’s event recognises the stiff competition that takes place right through the racecourse. The organisers have indicated that honours will be awarded across 8 categories broken down by fleet (ILCA 4, ILCA 6 & ILCA 7), gender (Female, Male) and age (U30, Master).

This year’s sponsor MGM Boats is supporting the extension of prizes from the traditional fleet-only approach.

Speaking at the announcement of the event Ross O’Leary, Sales Director at MGM Boats said, “We’re delighted to be able to support the Royal St. George Yacht Club in broadening out the competition and recognising abilities right across the national fleet.”

ILCA Ireland has recently announced that sailors between the ages of 18 and 30 can participate in all regional and national events at no cost for the 2022 season. The Leinster Championships team is expecting a larger volume of young adult sailors to Dun Laoghaire for this event. In recognition of this a full food and entertainment package is being laid on by the host club to ensure there are lasting memories of the event both off and on the water.

Further details of the event are available on the ilcaireland.com website with early bird entry closing on Sunday, July 17.

The Royal St. George Yacht Club Jaguar Sailing Team of Martin Byrne, Adam Winkelmann and John Simms lead overall by three points going into the final two races of the Dragon class Edinburgh Cup in Falmouth today.

The only Irish contestants at the British Championships scored a three and a four to take the lead from Andy Beadsworth's Provezza Dragon.

Race three started with a cloudy NNW breeze and a keen TUR 1212 and GBR 764 were called over the line. Dragons were noticeably picking either the left or right of the course for their long tack.
The windward mark made for exciting viewing as the main pack of Dragons all converged, in breeze and current, to make the spreader mark.

The dark blue hull of Bluebottle edged forward to take the race three win ahead of Jerboa GBR 761. Third place in the race went to Richard Davies’ Flotation GBR 790 after a superb display of shift selection and downwind sailing. Hot on the heels were Jaguar Racing Team IRL 201 and Pageboy XI GBR 792 in fourth and fifth.

As the Dragons prepared for the start of race four the wind swung more to the North and increased and combined with a disturbed sea saw all sailors on the side heading up the first beat.

Fei-Lin’s Flirtation GBR 633 picked the winning side of the racecourse and after the second downwind leg had opened a considerable lead. It was safe to say everyone was happy to see Ron and his stunning Dragon take the race win.

A consistent race from GBR 761 saw them take another second place and a firm position in the top five. IRL 201 went one better securing third place with GBR 763 and TUR 1212 crossing in fourth and fifth places.

Martin Byrne said after racing “I am optimistic for the next races. We have remained consistent, but it is remarkably close racing. We still have some work to do and will give it all we have till the end.”

Everyone is interested to see how the day pans out and how the scoreboard is shuffled around once the discard is applied. Anyone of four boats has the potential to take the Edinburgh Cup. Could Graham Bailey win his fourth Edinburgh Cup in Bluebottle, or Andy Beadsworth take his first win as a helm, it could go to SW Champions Jaguar Racing Team, or team Jerboa attain their first win and only the second time a lady helm has won the Cup.

Top five Edinburgh Cup overall results after four races sailed and no discard 

1st Jaguar Racing Team IRL 201 Martin Byrne Royal St George YC16.0
2nd Provezza Dragon TUR 1212 Andy Beadsworth Bodrum Offshore SC 19.0
3rd Bluebottle GBR 192 Graham Bailey Royal Yacht Squadron 21.0
4th Fei-Lin’s Flirtation GBR 633 Ronald James Royal Forth YC 24.0
5th Jerboa GBR 761 Gavia Wilkinson-Cox Royal Torbay YC  26.0

Royal St. George's Henry Start finished the best of the Irish at the 2022 Waszp UK nationals held in the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) in Portland late in June.

The sailing area is claimed to be one of the best in the world for foiling as it is sheltered on three sides by land, and has an outer pier wall protecting the side open to the sea.

Wind conditions were nevertheless challenging throughout the whole competition, with lots of sailors capsizing, every race was a battle.

Start, Class Chairman of Ireland and RStGYC captain of the foiling dinghy class, had a consistent first two days with no race worse than a 10th, which allowed him to take 10th place overall and first Irish boat.

Max Goodbody (RIYC) won the speed demon competition with a top speed of 23.9 knots and also was third junior.

It was Andrew Conan's (RStGYC) first time competing in the Waszp and he came third in the 6.9 m class.

It was great to get the practice in with some of the best sailors in the world, before our Irish sailors head to Lake Garda the World Championships in July 9-16th.

RStGYC are again hosting the Waszp nationals this year, on August 6-7th, which promises to be an exciting event for all Ireland's Waszp sailors.

Results here 

Royal St. George's Martin Byrne sailing with Adam Winklemann and John Simms has won the International Dragon Class Southern Area Championships at Royal Cornwall Yacht Club.

A warm-up event for Tuesday's prestigious Edinburgh Cup at the same venue in Falmouth saw Ireland's Jaguar Sailing Team six points clear of the Royal Yacht Squadron's Graham Bailey at the helm of the Duke of Edinburgh's classic Bluebottle on 18 points. 

Six races were sailed with one discard in a 22-boat fleet. Simon Barter of Cowes Corinthian YC was third. 

Although Byrne did not win a race, the Irish trio counted five results in the top three in a consistent display that bodes well for the first races of the British National Championship for the Edinburgh Cup today. 

2022 Edinburgh Cup

They will be the only Irish team competing – and a Corinthian team to boot – and up against some stiff UK competition just arrived in Falmouth Harbour, including the pre-regatta favourite, Andy Beadsworth's Provezza. 

As regular Afloat readers will know, victory at the Edinburgh Cup is nothing new for Byrne and Winkelmann; the Dun Laoghaire crew lifted the Cup back more than a decade ago in 2011.

And their pre-event training reveals the depth of their ambitions to hold the Cup for Ireland again.  

Byrne's last event was pre-Covid at Abersoch in 2019, when they finished runners-up to Mike Budd.

"It is almost a decade since we won the Edinburgh Cup in 2011, and we have had a couple of near misses since then".

Over the winter, the Jaguar team competed in a series of events in Portugal; four events in Vilamoura and one practice week in Cascais. Last month they competed in La Baule, France and at June's National Yacht Club regatta on Dublin Bay.

Ireland has won the Edinburgh Cup 13 times in its 73-year history. 

Dragon UK South coast results here

The finale of the waterfront's 2022 regatta season at Dun Laoghaire Harbour was presented on Saturday by the Royal St. George Yacht Club with its biennial Frank Keane BMW Regatta.

Approximately 150 boats across 30 separate racing divisions competed in the two-race programme, even though the IRC cruiser programme was cut short by a lack of wind in the afternoon.

The Frank Keane BMW George Regatta brought to a close the regattas for 2022 at Dun Laoghaire, which began on June 12 with the DMYC Regatta and was followed a week later by the Davy NYC Regatta.

Some of the sponsor's car ranges are displayed outside the Royal St. George Yacht Club on regatta day Photo: Afloat

After the disappointment of the blowout of last weekend's (June 25) RIYC Regatta, the Royal St George big event on Saturday, July 2, was much anticipated on Dublin Bay.

And bathed in July sunshine – and avoiding some of the heavy showers that hit other parts of Dublin – the country's biggest yacht club did not disappoint afloat or ashore.

A packed onshore programme gave a great day of fabulous food, family entertainment, and the excitement of racing on the water.

The Royal St. George Yacht Club on regatta day - July 2 2022 Photo: Afloat

Among the racing divisions out on Dublin Bay, the typical fleet size numbered about seven boats, but there were exceptions, with Cruisers IRC One boasting 14 and the Flying Fifteen One Designs making 11.

As per the forecast, light westerly winds with plenty of shifts off the land presented many opportunities on the race courses in the northwest and north Bay areas.

The first race for the cruisers divisions had two and a half hours, and with it, plenty of change was on the leaderboard, especially as the wind got very light in the approach to the top mark. 

Nicely positioned marks gave the boats some powered-up, tight-reaching legs with plenty of gusts under the darker clouds.

Cruisers Zero

Royal Irish JPK10.80 Rockabill VI (Paul O'Higgins) had a new challenger in the seven-boat Cruisers IRC Zero division.

Cruisers Zero winner - the JPK10.80 Rockabill VI (Paul O'Higgins)

Early leader on the water in IRC Zero - Jonathan Nicholson's El Pocko is a  2004 41-footer yacht, a German Frers Puma 42 Photo: Afloat

Dan O'Grady's brand new Cape 31 Aja from Howth made her debut but could not match the pace of the French design in the patchy conditions and finished second.

Dan O'Grady's brand new Cape 31 Aja from Howth took second in IRC Zero Photo: Afloat

Third was National Yacht Club regatta winner a fortnight ago, Pete Smyth's Sunfast 3600, Searcher. 

Pete Smyth's Sunfast 3600, Searcher from the National Yacht club, was third Photo: Afloat

Cruisers One

IRC One winner - Colin Byrne's XP33 Bon Exemple Photo: Afloat

Colin Byrne's XP33 Bon Exemple was the winner of the 14-boat Cruisers One IRC fleet; the RIYC skipper beat Tony Fox's A35 Gringo from the National Yacht Club. 

A great fleet of ten J109s raced as part of a 14-boat IRC One division Photo: Afloat

Third was Tim Goodbody's White Mischief, the first of ten J109s competing.

Second in IRC One - Tony Fox's A35 Gringo from the National Yacht Club Photo: Afloat

Third was Tim Goodbody's J109 White Mischief Photo: Afloat

Cruisers Two 

Norbert Reilly's new Half Tonner Ghost Raider (ex-Checkmate) from Howth Yacht Club beat clubmate Jonathan Wormald, sailing No Excuse to take the Cruisers Two IRC crown.

Dick Lovegrove's Sigma 33 Rupert Photo: Afloat

Third, in the ten boat turnout was the Royal St. George's Dick Lovegrove sailing the Sigma 33 Rupert.

Howth Yacht Club X-Yacht, No Excuse Photo: Afloat

Cruisers Three

Royal Irish Quarter Tonner Cartoon (Sybil McCormack) topped the Cruisers Three division. Myles Kelly's Maranda was second and Frazer Meredith's Asterix third.

One Design Keelboats

The seven-boat Beneteau 211s was won by Peter Carroll's Yikes ahead of the Royal Irish's Pat Shannon in Beeswing. Third was a former national champion, James Conboy Fischer, in Billy Whizz.

Michael Blaney's Royal St George 'After You...' was the Beneteau 31.7 winner Photo: Afloat

Michael Blaney's After You... of the host club led the nine-boat Beneteau 31.7s. Second was Michael Bryson's Bluefin Two from the National Yacht Club. Eoin O'Driscoll's Kernach was third.

Ken Dumpleton's Flying Fifteen Rodriquez from the National Yacht Club took the win with a 2,1 scoreline in the 11-boat fleet. In second place was Adrian Cooper's Rockafellas with a 1,5 and third Niall Coleman with a 4,3.

Ger Dempsey's SB20 Venuesworld.com won on tie break Photo: Afloat

In a five-boat SB20 contest, Ger Dempsey's venuesworld.com finished with three points, as did James Gorman's Black, but the win was settled in Dempsey's favour using the tiebreak rule. Royal Irish Commodore Jerry Dowling was third, counting two third places.

Irish national Dragon champion, the Royal St. Geroge's Peter Bowring sailing Phantom counted a 2, 1 to be top of the four-boat fleet ahead of Denis Bergin's Legatum. Third was Ronan Murphy's Serafina.

Michael Cutliffe's Ruffian 23 Ruffles Photo: Afloat

Two wins from two races made Michael Cutliffe sailing Ruffles the winner of a seven-boat Ruffian 23 fleet beating Brendan Duffy in Carmen. Third was the national champion boat Bandit, entered by Brian Cullen.

Glen One Design keelboat racing on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

Ailbe Millerick's restored Glenluce was the winner of the seven-boat Glen One Design keelboat fleet. Second was Pterodactyl (David and Roddy McCaffrey). Brian Denham was third in Glendun.

In the seven-boat Shipman class, John and Neill Masterson's Curraglas won from David Freeman's Twocan. Fergus Mason's Viking took third. 

In the restored Dublin Bay 21s, Fionan de Barra's Estelle beat Tim Pearson sailing Garavogue.

Dinghies

With just six weeks to go for the world championships on Lough Derg, a seven-boat Fireball fleet contested the Royal St. George Regatta, and the club's own Louise Mc Kenna won overall, beating Frank Miller's Ballderdash on the tie break. Third was the current DBSC series leader Neil Colin in Elevation, counting two third places.

Royal St. George's Theo Lyttle was the winner of the eight-boat ILCA 7/Laser fleet from clubmate Ross O'Leary. Third was Sean Bowden. In the ten-boat ILCA 6/Radial division, Brendan Brendan won from 
Judy O'Beirne with  Mary Chambers in third.

The five-boat RS Aero class was won convincingly by Royal St. George's Brendan Foley sailing Minty with two firsts. Damien Dion was second in Apero. Third was Stephen Oram.

IDRA 14 dinghies took the top three places in the six-boat PY dinghy fleet. Pierre Long's Dart had two wins from Brian Murphy in Diane. Third was John Fitzgerald sailing Doody. 

The Water Wag Regatta race, held last Wednesday, was won by Cathy Mac Aleavey, as Afloat reported here.

2022 Frank Keane BMW Royal St. George Yacht Club Regatta Results

Wednesday night's regular Water Wag races also served as the fleet Frank Keane BMW George Regatta races at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. 

A 26-boat fleet sailed one light airs in-harbour Jubilee Cup race won by Wag number 45 Mariposa sailed by Cathy Mac Aleavey and Con Murphy of the National Yacht Club. 

In a tight finish (see vid below) Vincent Delany and Emma Webb of the Royal St. George Yacht Club in number 3 Pansy were second. The Royal Irish's Swift number 38 Guy and Jackie Kilroy finished third.

Water Wag number 1 Ethna finished fifth Brendan Briscoe

The RSTGYC prize winners were Mariposa (Div 1A), Mary Kate (Div 1B) Mike and Ian Magowan, Chloe (Div 2) Kate and Guy O’Leary.

As Afloat reported previously, after the disappointment of the blowout of last weekend’s (June 25) RIYC Regatta, this weekend’s Royal St George big event on Saturday 2 July is much anticipated on Dublin Bay.

The George Regatta brings to a close the annual waterfront regattas for 2022 at Dun Laoghaire, which began on 12 June with the DMYC Regatta and was followed a week later by the Davy NYC Regatta.

Online entry is still available for the event, which comes with an equally packed onshore programme that promises a great day of fabulous food and family entertainment along with the excitement of racing on the water.