Not many were surprised when the Irish Sailing Youth National Championships, which have been taking place at the Royal Cork Yacht Club since Thursday, concluded early due to the landing of Storm Kathleen and a deteriorating forecast for the following day.

After four classes managed to complete their series earlier on Thursday, race management made the decision to abandon the remaining races for the safety of the sailors. 

Sean Evans, Irish Sailing High Performance Youth Development Manager, expressed his disappointment at the decision, stating, "It is with a heavy heart that race management has made the decision to cancel the remainder of the event due to the adverse weather. The safety of our sailors will always come first." 

Despite the cancellation, the one day of racing that did occur showcased an impressive level of talent, illustrating the bright future of Irish sailing. Talks from Faye St Leger, Development Strength and Conditioning Coach, and a Coaches' Development Conference were still scheduled to take place later in the day. 

The prizegiving event is scheduled to take place at 2:30 p.m., with Irish Sailing President John Twomey presenting the trophies. 

Irish Sailing Youth National Championships Final Results:

ILCA 6

Bobby Driscoll, Ballyholme Yacht Club
Andrew Kingston, Royal Cork Yacht Club
Lewis Thompson, Ballyhome Yacht Club

29ers

1. Clementine Van Steenberg & Jessica Riordan, The National Yacht Club and The Royal St. George Yacht Club
2. Oisin Pierse & Fionn Daly, Royal Cork Yacht Club
3. Hugh Meaghar & Oisin Alexander, National Yacht Club

420

1. Max Sweetman & Fionn Lynch, Waterford Harbour Sailing Club
2. Cora McNaughton & Sean Cronin, Blessington Sailing Club
3. Sean Lemonier & Killian Matthieu, Galway Bay Sailing Club

Opti

1. Max O’Hare, Royal St. George Yacht Club and Malahide Yacht Club
2. Patrick Fegan, Royal St George Yacht Club
3. Juliet Ryan, Royal St. George Yacht Club, Malahide Yacht Club

Full results below

The second day of racing at the 2024 Irish Sailing Youth National Championships at Crosshaven in Cork Harbour has been cancelled due to strong winds. 

Organisers completed a successful first day of races on Thursday for over 90 boats and more than 100 sailors, as Afloat reports here.

After a number of postponements this morning, Friday's racing was cancelled for all classes at lunchtime due to winds reaching over 30 mph.

Over 170 young sailors in six classes are set to compete in Ireland’s largest youth regatta, which was scheduled to continue this weekend.

However, the imminent arrival of Storm Kathleen, that has already altered other weekend sailing events, means organisers have deemed it 'unsafe to go on the water' for the rest of today or Saturday. 

'Based on current forecasts, all on-the-water activity is now postponed until Sunday 7 April', organisers note.

Bibs were also awarded to leading sailors after Day One's races with current positions standing:

ILCA 6

1. Bobby Driscoll
2. Andrew Kingston
3. Lewis Thompson

29ers

1. Clementine Van Steenberg & Jessica Riordan
2. Oisin Pierse & Fionn Daly
3. Hugh Maher & Oisin Alexander

420

1. Max Sweetman & Fionn Lynch
2. Cora McNaughton & Sean Cronin
3. Sean Lemonier & Killian Matthieu

Over 170 young sailors are set to compete in Ireland’s largest youth regatta, which starts today, April 4th at Crosshaven in Cork Harbour.

The 2024 Irish Sailing Youth National Championships, which will be hosted by the Royal Cork Yacht Club and sponsored by Waterman Kelly Consulting Engineers, is a four-day event that runs until April 7th.

The young sailors will compete for their chance to be noticed by Irish Sailing’s Youth Squad and Academy coaches, who are on the lookout for promising talent. The performance pathway programme offers an opportunity for hardworking sailors to enhance and develop their skills, allowing them to progress from junior and youth squads into senior development and the national team.

The Irish Sailing Youth National Championships is a unique event, bringing together different youth classes to compete, gain valuable experience on the water, and learn more about the Irish Sailing Performance Pathway Programme directly from the coaches. The host club is known for producing excellent youth sailors, including Irish Youth Sailor of the Year Ben O’Shaughnessy, and is home to current 49er campaigners Séafra Guilfoyle and Johnny Durcan.

The six classes competing in the championships have been identified as the best to facilitate progression through the Irish Sailing Performance Pathway: Optimist, Topper, ILCA 4, ILCA 6, 420s and 29ers Photo: Bob Bateman

Speaking about the event, Sean Evans, Irish Sailing Development Manager, said, “The Youth Nationals is a key event for those starting off their sailing career. It’s an opportunity for sailors from across the nation to test what they have been developing and perfecting within their clubs against the best competition. Regardless of where you are in your development, it’s a journey, and Irish Sailing’s youth and junior coaches will be out on the water and on the land to watch every start, tack, and gybe.”

The Irish Sailing Youth National Championships is the largest youth sailing event held in Ireland, and it provides a platform for young sailors to showcase their skills and compete against the best in the country. It promises to be an exciting and action-packed event, with the future stars of Irish sailing on full display.

With just a fortnight to the first gun, confirmed entries for this year’s Waterman Kelly-sponsored Irish Sailing Youth National Championships in Cork Harbour have reached 165 sailors across the six competing dinghy classes.

While the April event is open to all, competitors are expected to be competent in sailing in a sustained fresh breeze and have experience competing in regional or national events for their chosen dinghy class within the last nine months.

The Irish Sailing Youth National Championships 2024 may form part of the selection trials for the 2024 World Sailing Youth Worlds, national squads, and IODAI team selection and are an indicator, among other events, for the Irish Sailing Academy.

As previous articles have highlighted, the Royal Cork Yacht Club will be hosting this year's event, and many members have been helping plan the activity for many months to ensure a successful and enjoyable event for travelling families.

The event will no doubt be an important warm up for August's European ILCA 6 Championships at Ballyholme Yacht Club in Northern Ireland which has already attracted sailors from 26 countries.

The early bird entry for the Youth Sailing Nationals closed at midnight on Friday, 15 March, but entry to the event remains open here.

Young sailors from all over Ireland are getting ready to compete in the highly anticipated Irish Optimist Dinghy Association (IODAI) Sprint Series 2024 and Youth Sailing National Championships.

The Sprint Series, is billed as 'one of the most exciting events on the 2024 sailing calendar'.

The series offers young sailors the chance to train and compete over the winter months and to prepare for the upcoming Youth Nationals in April.

The IODAI Sprint Series 2024 will be held on two race days, the first on February 24th at the National Yacht Club and the second on March 23rd at the Lough Derg Yacht Club. Unfortunately, the first leg of the series, scheduled to take place in January at the Royal Cork Yacht Club, had to be cancelled because of high winds.

This series is designed to be accessible to sailors from all parts of Ireland, with a convenient later start and a schedule of four races each day. It gives young sailors ample time to sharpen their skills and prepare for the official start of the sailing season.

But the Sprint Series is not just about racing; it is also an opportunity for young sailors to make lasting friendships and connect with the wider sailing community. As sailors compete and share experiences, they will be part of a supportive network that encourages everyone to strive for their personal best.

The series serves as a vital preparation ground for the Youth Nationals, which will take place at the Royal Cork Yacht Club in late April. Success in the Youth Nationals is crucial for sailors aiming to represent Ireland internationally, as the nationals are a selection event for the teams heading to competitions in Italy and France this summer.

The IODAI Sprint Series series serves as a vital preparation ground for the Youth Nationals Photo: Simon McIlwaine

These international events are a significant undertaking for the Optimist class, with some sailors away from their families for up to ten days for the first time. However, the benefits to their sailing and sense of achievement are immense. They offer young sailors the opportunity to don the Irish colours and represent their country on a global stage, grow in confidence, and make friends from around the world.

For those interested in learning more about the IODAI Sprint Series 2024 or getting insights from the recent IODAI webinar on the Youth Nationals and IODAI teams, check out the association's website.

Royal Cork Yacht Club Crosshaven, Co. Cork is all set to host the Youth Sailing Nationals from 4th to the 7th of April.

The event promises great sailing at Easter in Cork Harbour, and entry to the event is now open. Sailors in ILCA 6 & 4, 29er, 420, Topper, and Optimist can participate in the event under Principal Race Officer Anthony O'Leary.

This year, 210 sailors are expected to attend the event, and sailors are encouraged to enter early as places are limited. The event forms part of the selection trials for the 2024 World Sailing Youth Worlds, IODAI Team selection, and National Squads.

Ben O’Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain will be defending their 29er Youths title, while female European champions Alana Twomey and Lucia Cullen hope to top the podium.

U17 World Champion Sienna Wright will be in action in the ILCA6s in Cork Harbour in April 

In the ILCAs, Sienna Wright, who recently won the U17 ILCA worlds and was second overall in the ILCA 6 Youth worlds in Argentina, is expected to participate.

The Optimist fleet is also expected to be very strong, with more than just a title on the line, as these championships will finalise selection for the IODAI national team for 2024. Sailors are urged to refer to www.iodai.com for information about the IODAI selection policy and Optimist entry. 

With great sailing and tough competition, the Youth Nationals promises to be an exciting event. Don't delay, get your entry in now!

Fourth-placed Sienna Wright of Howth Yacht Club is in a four-way battle for a Youth World Sailing medal in the ILCA 6 class in Brazil.

Just four points separate the top four sailors overall going into Friday's final race.

Roos Wind (NED) took victory in both ILCA 6 female races to lead the competition heading into the final race on Friday.
 
Wind followed on from a bullet in the final race on Wednesday to make it three on the spin and give herself a small two-point cushion with one race remaining.
 
The Dutch sailor edged Petra Marendic (CRO) and Wright in the first race of the day before also beating Adriana Castro Nuñez (ESP) and Annalise Balasubramanian (CAN) in the second.
 
“It was really fun,” said Wind. “It started with 14-15 knots and then building to 20 and for me it was just about having a good start and pushing as hard as I could.
 
“I ended up winning by a lot so it was really fun racing today.”
 
It sets up an enthralling prospect heading into the final race, with just four points separating the top four sailors.
 
Wind sits two points ahead of previous overnight leader Emma Mattivi (ITA), with Marendic a point behind in third and Wright a further point back in fourth.

Four Irish boats and six sailors are competing in Armação dos Buzios in four different classes.

ILCA 6 Male

Ireland's Fiachra McDonnell of the Royal St. George YC competing in the male ILCA 6 class at the Youth Sailing World Championships in Brazil Photo: Heusiaction 

Mattia Cesana (ITA) maintained his grip on the ILCA 6 male class ahead of the final race of the competition on Friday.
 
Cesana extended his lead to 14 points despite an 11th-place finish in the opening race, which was won by Luka Zabukovec (SLO) ahead of Anton Messeritsch (AUT) and Boris Hirtsch (SUI).
 
The Italian responded with a third-place finish in the second and final race, with Felipe Mallmann Fraquelli (BRA) clinching victory and João Pontes (POR) in second.
 
That result sees Pontes third overall, six points behind Zabukovec, and tied on points with Hidde Schraffordt (NED).

Ireland's Fiachra McDonnell of the Royal St. George YC regained 19th place from 48 in the male ILCA 6 fleet after eight races sailed.

29er Female
 
Sarah Jannin and Fleur Babin (FRA) won both races in the 29er female class to close the gap at the top of the standings.

The French pair sealed bullets on both outings to move 10 points behind leaders Ewa Lewandowska and Julia Maria Żmudzińska (POL), who have sat in first place overall for the entire competition so far.
 
Jannin and Babin sealed victory in the opening race of the day ahead of Malika Bellomi and Beatrice Conti (ITA) and Lucy Leith and Chloe Turner (NZL), before backing that up with another victory, finishing in front of Bellomi and Conti and Marleen Huisman and Anne de Kort (NED).
 
“It was wonderful on the water,” said Babin. “I had a really nice day. Tomorrow, we hope we can do the same as today.
 
“We are going to do everything to win and find the last energy in us to win.”

Ireland's Lucia Cullen and Alana Twomey (Royal St. George YC and Royal Cork YC) lie 19th after  UFD and BFD penalties scored in races ten and 11 in the 25-boat Female Skiff 29er class.

29er Male

Official results have not been updated since December 13th in the male 29er class. Ireland's 29er European Champions Ben O’Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain of Royal Cork YC and the National Yacht Club were in fifth place after nine races sailed in their 30-boat fleet.

Racing concludes on Friday. Results are here

Consistent sailing from Sienna Wright sees the Howth Yacht Club ace on equal points with the overall leader of the female ILCA 6 fleet at the Youth Sailing World Championships in Brazil and 29er European Champions Ben O’Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain of Royal Cork YC and the National Yacht Club have moved up from seventh to fifth place.

It was a day of change at the top of the standings across the Youth Sailing World Championships as new leaders emerged after a third day of racing.

Sienna Wright of Howth Yacht Club sits in second overall in the ILCA 6 fleet at the Youth Sailing World Championships in Brazil Photo: World Sailing

Alenka Valencic (SLO) and Roos Wind (NED) both earned bullets to leave little separation between the sailors at the top of the ILCA 6 female class.

Valencic took victory in the day’s opening race, finishing ahead of Sophie Zimmermann (PER) and Petra Marendic (CRO), who sits third overall.

That is just one place and six points ahead of Wind, who bounced back from a 17th-place finish in the opener to pip her Croatian opponent into second for the day’s final race, with Sienna Wright (IRL) third.

That was enough for Wright to sit second overnight, level on points with leader Emma Mattivi (ITA), who posted a pair of sixth-place finishes.

Four Irish boats and six sailors are competing in Armação dos Buzios.

29er Female

Lucia Cullen and Alana Twomey (Royal St. George YC and Royal Cork YC) lie 16th, dropping back from 11th in the 25 boat Female Skiff 29er class.

Lucia Cullen and Alana Twomey (Royal St. George YC and Royal Cork YC) lie 16th, round a mark during racing at the World Sailing Youth Championships in the 25 boat Female Skiff 29er class

Ewa Lewandowska and Julia Maria Żmudzińska maintained their dominant lead in the 29er female class despite bullets going elsewhere on day three of the competition.

The Polish pair sit 16 points clear of Fleur Babin and Sarah Jannin, who strengthened their grip on second with two bullets.

The French duo edged leaders Lewandowska and Żmudzińska into second on the first and last races of the day, with the other won by Laura Hamilton and Carolina Zager (USA).

The Americans edged Jule Ernst and Louisa Schmidt (GER) and Boróka and Szonja Fehér (HUN), with the Hungarians now third overall.

29er Male/Mixed

Ireland's 29er European Champions Ben O’Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain of Royal Cork YC and the National Yacht Club have moved up from seventh to fifth place after nine races sailed in their 30 boat fleet.

Karl Devaux and Hugo Revil (FRA) kept their hold on top spot of the 29er male standings but face stiff competition from Alex Demurtas and Giovanni Santi (ITA).
 
Devaux and Revil clinched victory in the opening race of the day, their fourth of the competition, but were not allowed to extend their lead as the Demurtas and Santi won the final two races.
 
The Italians bid to reel in their French rivals who took a blow after a seventh-place finish in race seven, with Lukas Kraus and Ondrej Bastar (CZE) and Charlie Gran and Sam Webb (GBR) finishing behind Devaux and Revil.
 
But Demurtas and Santi bounced back with consecutive bullets to sit 14 points off the summit overnight, edging out the leaders in the day’s final race with Guilherme and Fernando Prazeres Menezes (BRA) taking third to climb to fourth overall, a point behind Gran and Webb.
 
''The wind shifted a lot in intensity,” said Guilherme. “We jumped to fourth in the classification and we’re going with everything we can to reach the top positions tomorrow and look for that podium.”

ILCA 6 Male

Fiachra McDonnell of the Royal St. George YC stays 20th from 48 in the male ILCA 6 fleet. 

An opening race bullet helped Mattia Cesana (ITA) to the top of the ILCA 6 male standings after the third day of racing.

Cesana took his second race victory of the competition, coming in ahead of Santiago Guinand (PER) and Soma Sigmond (HUN) on another day of mixed results across the fleet.

The second race was won by João Pontes (POR), with Guinand again second and Jack Graham-Troll (GBR) third.

It leaves Cesana with a 12-point lead in the standings after nearest challengers Hidde Schraffordt (NED) and David Ponesti Mesquida (ESP) struggled to close the gap with finishes of 35th and 36th, respectively, in the second race of the day after strong showings in the first.

Racing continues on Thursday. Results are here

Howth Yacht Club's first-day leader Sienna Wright has dropped to fourth overall but just three points off the ILCA 6 Female fleet leader after the second day of racing at the Youth World Sailing Championships in Brazil.

Two second-place finishes fired Adriana Castro Nuñez (ESP) to the top of the ILCA 6 female standings.

The Spaniard finished seventeenth and fifth in Monday’s two races but stormed to the front of the fleet on Tuesday.

Castro Nuñez finished behind Roos Wind (NED) in the day’s opening race, with the Dutchwoman sitting third overall.

“It was a great day,” said Castro Nuñez. “I am really happy with my performance.

“It was quite a complicated day. When we first came out, it was a bit cloudy, then the sun came out, then clouds came back again, and it had quite a big impact.”

Separating the pair is Emma Mattivi (ITA), who earned her second bullet of the competition in race four.

New Zealand’s Naiomi Ferrissey finished third in both races to rise up to seventh, just 10 points off the summit.

Four Irish boats and six sailors are competing in Armação dos Buzios.

29er Female

Lucia Cullen and Alana Twomey (Royal St. George YC and Royal Cork YC) lie 11th from 25 in the Female Skiff 29er class.

Leaders Ewa Lewandowska and Julia Maria Żmudzińska (POL) continued their fine form with a pair of bullets, but their winning streak was put to an end in the day’s final race by Tea Zeeberg and Cornelia Widestam (SWE).

The Polish pair won the day’s opening two races to make it five victories in a row, edging nearest rivals Fleur Babin and Sarah Jannin (FRA) in race four.

Jule Ernst and Louisa Schmidt (GER) then posted a pair of second-place finishes in races five and six to move up to sixth in the standings.

They sit just behind Zeeberg and Widestam who hauled themselves up to fifth with victory in the last race of the day, breaking the Poles’ winning run in the process.

“It feels very good to be the first one to break their streak,” said Zeeberg. “It is always fun to win the last race of the day and be the first one in.”

29er Male

Ireland's 29er European Champions Ben O’Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain of Royal Cork YC and the National Yacht Club continue in seventh place after six races sailed in their 30 boat fleet.

Karl Devaux and Hugo Revil (FRA) remain top of the 29er male standings after picking up their third bullet of the competition.

Devaux and Revil won the first race of the day, finishing ahead of nearest challengers Alex Demurtas and Giovanni Santi (ITA) and Sean Kavanagh and Max Celliers (RSA).

The South African pair sit fourth overall after another third-place finish in race five, finishing behind Charlie Gran and Sam Webb (GBR), who claimed their first bullet of the competition.

The Brits now sit third overall, six points behind second-placed Demurtas and Santi, who finished second in all three races, as Cameron Law and Christopher Lam (HKG) took victory in race six.

“It is very good to have this consistency because it was a really difficult day, the wind was very shifty,” said Demurtas. “Other sailors didn’t sail as consistently as us so it is a great feeling for us.”

ILCA 6 Male

There is little to separate those at the top of the ILCA 6 male class, as David Ponseti Mesquida (ESP) and Luka Zabukovec (SLO) both earned victories.

Ponseti Mesquida took the win in the first race of the day, finishing ahead of Erik Norlén (SWE) and Max Stiff (GER), and now sits in fifth, seven points behind leader Hidde Schraffordt (NED).

Norlén is just two points off the top after finishing fifth in Tuesday’s second and final race, which saw Zabukovec take victory ahead of Mattia Cesana (ITA) and Anton Messeritsch (AUT).

Fiachra McDonnell of the Royal St. George YC is lying 20th from 48.

Howth Yacht Club talent Sienna Wright leads the ILCA 6 fleet after the first day of racing at the Youth World Sailing Championships in Brazil, with a total of four Irish boats and six sailors competing in Armação dos Buzios.

Croatia’s Petra Marendic was declared an early overall leader in the female one-person class but then disqualified from race one, leaving Wright with a two-point lead at the top of the 45-boat fleet.

“It was a nice day on the water,” said Wright. “The wind was pretty nice, the waves were quite choppy, and there was quite a big swell out there, but the wind was up and down all day.”

The 2023 Youth World championships scoreboard shows Sienna Wrigtht with a six-point lead in the ILCA 6 Female One-Person Dinghy 

A strong Cork-Dublin youth sailing team sees three of the four Irish boats sitting in the top ten of their respective fleets after two races sailed.

Female 29er

Lucia Cullen and Alana Twomey (Royal St. George YC and Royal Cork YC) are lying sixth from 25 in the Female Skiff 29er class.  A near-flawless opening day on the water fired Lewandowska and Maria Zmudzinska to the top of the 29er female standings.

The Polish pair won all three races to establish an early six-point lead over Fleur Babin and Sarah Jannin (FRA), with Laura Hamilton and Carolina Zager (USA) a further two points back despite a black flag in the opening race.

Male 29er

In the Male/Mixed 29er, a pair of victories handed Devaux and Revil (FRA) the overnight lead in the 29er Male/Mixed class. The French duo, who won the event in 2021, earned bullets in the day’s second and third races to end the day with a 12-point lead at the top of the standings after finishing fifth in the opening race. Ireland's 29er European Champions Ben O’Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain of Royal Cork YC and the National Yacht Club are lying seventh from 30.

Male ILCA 6 

A pair of third-place finishes guided Hidde Schraffordt (NED) to the top of the ILCA 6 male standings after the first day of sailing, with Fiachra McDonnell of the Royal St. George YC lying 19th from 48.

There is no Irish representation in the 420, iQFOiL or Formula Kite classes.

 Racing continues on Tuesday. Results are here