Racing was like playing 'snakes and ladders' as wind shifts made Malahide Yacht Club's season-opening 'March Hare' regatta an interesting but challenging event.

Postponed by 24 hours from the planned Saturday due to forecast strong winds, the event took place on Sunday, 24 March, in ideal conditions of 8 knots gusting to 12 knots. The significant wind shifts during racing meant that some boats were catapulted to the front of the fleet, whereas others were demoted to the back, demanding tactical racing and significant concentration, but made for very interesting racing. The event attracted many local sailors but also from other clubs such as Sligo YC, Lough Ree YC, Sutton Dinghy Club and Waterford Harbour Sailing Club.

A Happy Committee Boat for Malahide Yacht Club's 'March Hare' regatta

Thirty-two boats took to the waters in the Regatta with a particularly strong showing of eighteen ILCAs, much to the delight of ILCA Class Captain Andrejs Samoilovs. Eight Optimists showed their enthusiasm with a mixed PY fleet of six boats. The Club’s Vice Commodore, Niall Gallagher, used his expertise as a seasoned Race Officer to set a well-timed course. Racing commenced promptly as per the schedule. The event's

Safety Officer Shane O'Rourke was thankfully untroubled by the conditions. His main concern was the water temperature for any capsized sailors.

In the main Optimist fleet, Ethan Harte pipped Donnchadh Duane in the fourth and final race to claim first place overall, both with a net four points. Liam Sweeney came third. In the Optimist Regatta Fleet, it again came down to the fourth race for Charlie Byrne to squeeze out Patrick McCarthy, again with both on the same points in the reckoning. Charlie Noone came third.

In the PY fleet, we had the first of our sibling rivalries, with Paidí A’Coistealbha's win in the third and last race for this fleet not enough to beat his brother Tomás to first place. Tomás had two impressive first places and a net score of two while Paidí had a net three points. Mollie Hooper-Jones was close in third place, with a net five points.

Hugo Mika and Jack McDowell in Hugo's Fireball for Malahide Yacht Club's 'March Hare' regatta

With eighteen ILCAs entered, there was enough in each rig size to have three separate classes. In the ILCA 4 Class Stan O'Rourke came back from third place in the first race, to claim two firsts in the remaining two, placing him first overall in the class.

Toppers doing battle at Malahide Yacht Club's 'March Hare' regatta

Siún Ní Choistealbha was not going to be outdone by her two Topper brothers and won the first race and came second in the subsequent two, giving her second place overall. Connor O'Sullivan placed third.

Kalia Behan rounding the windward mark ahead of Viktor Samoilovs in Malahide Yacht Club's 'March Hare' regatta

In the ILCA 6 class it was a similar story to the ILCA 4s, with a win for Viktor Samoilovs in the first race and two seconds thereafter, losing out to Glenda Gallagher who recorded wins in the second and third races. Kalia Behan bested Alex Deasy and Joseph McGuigan for third place, all sharing seven points, but Kalia placing second in the first race.

In the ILCA 7 class, Colm Cunningham and Andrejs Samoilovs brought 'form' from their recent adventures at the Howth Frostbites, scoring a first and second in the first race. However the Anglim brothers were only getting started and in the second race Sean secured first place, while James secured third, being pipped by Andrejs. It was all to play for in the final race with the three leading boats at that point all within a point of each other in the reckoning. The winds favoured a pin-end start and Rear Commodore Noel Davidson got off to a great start and led for a large part of the race, but was caught by both Anglims, with James securing third place. The overall result was Sean Anglim in first place, beating his brother James by one point, and Andrejs Samoilovs in third.

The prize-giving was hosted by our Commodore Margaret Faye and Club President Martin Clancy. The Club were delighted that the event was sponsored by Airport Driving School, with their Managing Director, Alan Early, himself an experienced dinghy sailor, attending the ceremony. The regatta was a great start to the Club's busy racing calendar for the year.

Malahide Yacht Club is inviting entries for the March Hare Regatta on Saturday, March 23rd, 2024. This open event will feature ILCA/Laser, Optimist, and PY class races on the beautiful Broadmeadows Estuary.

"Sailors of all ages are welcome to participate in this event, regardless of their experience level. Whether you're a seasoned Laser sailor looking for a challenge or a young sailor ready to kick off their 2024 season, this regatta has something for everyone", says Noel Davidson, Rear Commodore at Malahide Yacht Club.

The ILCA/Laser class is one of the most popular sailing classes in the world, and the March Hare Regatta offers an opportunity for ILCA sailors to test their skills against others in their class.

The Optimist class is perfect for young sailors just getting started with their sailing journey, and the PY class provides an option for sailors who prefer to sail in boats with handicap ratings.

"We're thrilled to host the March Hare Regatta at Malahide Yacht Club this year," Davidson told Afloat, "We're looking forward again to welcoming sailors for a fun-filled day of racing and celebration on the water which has now become an annual event in the MYC calendar with a new title; ’March Hare Regatta’.

"We have pushed the Regatta back from the traditional weekend to not clash with Rugby, Mother's Day and other events,” he said.

The March Hare Regatta promises to be an exciting day of sailing, with plenty of thrilling action on the water. Davidson said that participants can register now to secure their spot in the race and prepare for a day of sailing, fun, and camaraderie.

Entry and full details here

The 52nd annual Sea Scout sailing regatta took place in testing conditions on Malahide’s inner estuary on 15th October.

Malahide Yacht Club provided the race committee with a warm welcome to its Broadmeadows facility for the day of team racing and seamanship challenges.

Gusty westerly winds made for challenging sailing for Sea Scouts from around Ireland.

While there have been strong showings from Howth and Galway Sea Scouts in recent years, this year it was Malahide Sea Scouts Lir Troop which dominated proceedings.

It won the team racing competition, the seamanship trophy, the Albatross individual trophy (named after the Sea Scouts former training centre on the LS Albatross lightship) and the Centenary Cup for the best scoring boat of the day.

Malahide Yacht Club has announced that both its Cruiser Regatta (on July 22nd) and Dinghy Regatta (on October 15th) will be sponsored by Ballymore, the developer currently marketing the Seamount Rise development in Malahide.

MYC Commodore Ciaran O’Reilly welcomed the double sponsorship and said that Ballymore’s input will greatly assist the club in organising two top-class events. The first one, the Cruiser Regatta on Saturday, 22nd July, will provide two back-to-back races for five keelboat classes between Lambay Island and Howth.

Entries are being accepted online here

A privately-owned company established in 1982, Ballymore has a portfolio that includes some of Ireland’s and the UK’s largest urban development projects. Its Seamount Rise development comprises 66 houses and 76 apartments and penthouses with views over the North Dublin coastline and across the city. Well-known local estate agents O’Farrell Cleere are handling sales for the development.

As those who sail will know, sailing is a pastime from which deep and long-lasting friendships are often formed. One such example of this can be found at Malahide Yacht Club, where a friendship between a group of kids who first met as eight-year-olds on the junior sailing courses of the mid-1980s has endured until the present day. Countless adventures have been racked up over the years as the group progressed from lads to dads, but regardless of distance and the stresses of life, the bond has remained strong throughout.

In 2020, at the height of lockdown, one of this group - Johnny Devitt - died suddenly, leaving a wife and young family. The initial shock and grief felt by his friends morphed into a determination to do something meaningful to mark his passing and ensure Johnny wasn’t forgotten. Johnny’s mantra had always been ‘live for the moment’, and that is what the group intended to do.

Sailors make their way off the start line in a tight final of the Johnny Devitt Memorial Regatta at Malahide Photo: Rupert Bedell

And thus, the idea of the Johnny Devitt Memorial Regatta was born. The concept is simple: an open invitation event, using a borrowed fleet of Laser Radials (ILCA 6), with the fleet divided into four groups of 10 sailors, racing in a knockout format. Each group comprises of a mini-series of 3 races, before the next group swaps into the boats. The top 5 from each group qualify for the semi-finals, with the top 5 again progressing to a grand final. In this way with just 10 boats, a fleet of 40 can be accommodated with one overall winner.

Sailors heading out for the next round of the Johnny Devitt Memorial Regatta at Malahide Photo: Rupert Bedell

As lockdown restrictions lifted, the first event was held in 2022, attracting sailors primarily from the Optimist and Mirror fleets of the 80s and 90s, many of whom hadn’t reconnected in decades. Despite the fact some also hadn’t sailed in years, the competition was tight, and eventually won by former Olympian Ciara Peelo. A charity auction followed, and with Malahide Yacht Club in fine voice, a whopping 16,000 Euro was raised for the RNLI and Irish Heart Foundation.

Defibrillator with plaque to Johnny Devitt at Malahide Yacht Club, St. James’s Terrace Photo: Rupert Bedell

The low barrier to entry - no boat required, fun guaranteed! - proved popular and the follow up annual event was held again on May 20th 2023. This time news had spread, and entries came from Sutton, Howth, Dun Laoghaire and a smattering from London. Old friendships and rivalries were rekindled, as these working parents in their 40s and 50s were allowed to step back in time and re-experience a day from their childhood, back racing their mates on Malahide estuary.

On the day, light winds served for a tense qualifying round, with close racing in all of the groups. In group A, James O’Callaghan and Conor Nolan of Malahide prevailed, with John Brereton pulling a surprise and also qualifying after winning the opening race. Tim Concannon and Murray Nolan completed the top 5 and made it through to the next round.

Group B was dominated by sailing legend Sean Craig, making his debut in the regatta and posting a couple of bullets to lay down a marker. Murrough Kavanagh, Ben O’Donaghue and Julian Ritchie provided the entertainment as they battled to qualify, as Darren Griffin, Steve Kennedy and Bevan Ritchie prevailed and joined Craig in the next round.

There’s always a group of death in these things, and it was evident when the draw was made that Group C was going to be it. Conal Casey, Toby & Rupert Bedell, Ken Hoffman, Darragh Peelo and Darrell Reamsbottom were drawn together in a star-studded group, which saw some of the most dramatic racing of the morning. Casey and Rupert Bedell were high-profile casualties as they got caught up in a good old leeward mark mash-up, with Bedell subsequently eliminated on countback after tying on points with his brother. Meanwhile, Gareth Giles kept out of trouble and sailed excellently to qualify for the semi-finals.

In the final group, old Irish Sailing Development Team rivalries were re-lit as Evan Dolan of the National YC came up against Peter Young, formerly of Larne SC and now residing in the UK. Emma and Sam Burrows provided sibling rivalry elsewhere in the group, while Tim Noone, Jeremy Law and Cork-firebrand Aidan O’Connell fought out for the remaining places. Young dominated the group with 2 bullets, while Dolan had a scare but managed to get through.

While the wind was showing signs of hanging up its boots for the day, the outstanding Race Officer Niall Gallagher had different ideas. Running 17 back-to-back races while fleets continuously swap over is challenging enough, but with the wind constantly swinging in circles and the course needing to be reset after each race, Gallagher performed miracles in the committee boat and made sure the format was completed.

Kevin Stanley and Cian Griffin awaiting the final race of the Johnny Devitt Memorial Regatta at Malahide Photo: Rupert Bedell

The semi-finals were exceptionally tight, but by 2 pm we had established our ten finalists. A dramatic race played out as Sean Craig was ruthlessly pursued by Ulsterman Pete Young in a display of quite beautiful boat handling in roughly 3 knots of breeze. It was ballet on the estuary as the two boats made their way down the final run, gybing in perfect symphony as they worked to extract every inch of boatspeed from their vessels. As they reached the final leeward gate, it appeared Young had done enough as he rounded just ahead of Craig. They split tacks one last time, and Craig passed agonizingly ahead to take line honours by the thinnest of margins. Former Laser National champion Toby Bedell showed he still has something in the locker by finishing 3rd, followed by Darren Griffin and Evan Dolan. Darragh Peelo, Kevin Stanley, Cian Griffin, John Brereton and Conor Nolan completed the final.

Once ashore, the fleet reconvened at the Lower Malahide Yacht Club for a BBQ and prizegiving. Malahide Yacht Club was transported back to the 1980s again, with raucous laughter and drinks in full flow as the revellers stayed long into the night, regaling stories from their childhood and adventures in the years since. The evening included an address from Johnny’s mother Irene and the unveiling of a defibrillator and plaque on the yacht club facade facing the sea, donated to the club from the regatta proceeds in Johnny’s memory. A fitting way to remember the life lost in a place where he felt more alive than ever.

Malahide Yacht Club invites entries for the St. Patrick's Regatta on Saturday, March 25th, 2023. This open event will feature ILCA/Laser, Optimist, and PY class races on the beautiful Broadmeadows Estuary.

"Sailors of all ages are welcome to participate in this event, regardless of their experience level. Whether you're a seasoned Laser sailor looking for a challenge or a young sailor ready to kick off their 2023 season, this regatta has something for everyone", says Noel Davidson, Dinghy Sailing Secretary at Malahide Yacht Club.

The ILCA/Laser class is one of the most popular sailing classes in the world, and the St. Patrick's Regatta offers an opportunity for Laser sailors to test their skills against others in their class.

The Optimist class is perfect for young sailors just getting started with their sailing journey, and the PY class provides an option for sailors who prefer to sail in boats with handicap ratings.

"We're thrilled to host the St. Patrick's Regatta at Malahide Yacht Club this year," Davidson told Afloat, "We're looking forward again to welcoming sailors for a fun-filled day of racing and celebration on the water after a hugely successful inaugural event last year".

"We have pushed the Regatta back from the traditional weekend to not clash with Rugby, Mother's Day and other events,” he said.

The St. Patrick's Regatta promises to be an exciting day of sailing, with plenty of thrilling action on the water. Davidson said that participants can register now to secure their spot in the race and prepare for a day of sailing, fun, and camaraderie.

Entry and full details here

Malahide Yacht Club in North County Dublin kicked off its 2022 dinghy racing season in style with over 70 entries for its inaugural St. Patrick’s Open Regatta which took place on Friday, 18th March 2022 on the new bank holiday for this year.

Sailors from visiting clubs included Rush Sailing Club, Howth Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club and the furthest sailor travelling from Cork leaving in the early hours to join the event.

Malahide Yacht Club Rear Commodore; Niall Gallagher was principal race officer for the day and ran three races using Olympic style courses that tested all the sailor's abilities in what became a blustery but sunny day on Broadmeadows Estuary.

Many sailors took their turns capsizing in the strong gusts and those that managed to stay upright found themselves at the top of their respective fleets.

The event was single-handed organised by MYC Dinghy Sailing Secretary; Paddy Ryan.

Paddy thanked all the volunteers and sailors who made the event possible and commented “If the over 70 entries are anything to go by, sailing in Broadmeadows over the March St. Patricks weekend could be one to watch on the sailing calendar for years to come” and he wished everyone many more happy sailing events for 2022 and beyond.

The Ryan Family celebrate Juliet Ryan’s 12th Birthday

The event prize giving was concluded with a birthday cake for Paddy’s daughter; Juliet Ryan who celebrated her 12th birthday.

ILCA 4 winner - Krzysztof Ciboroski - RStGYC

ILCA 7 winner - Andrejs Samoilovs - Malahide Yacht Club

Single Handed Winner - Mark Gavin - RStGYC 

Double Handed Winners - Jack McDowell & Harry Thompson (420) - MYC / Wexford Harbour Boat Club

Optimist Winner - Kate Flood RSTGYC

Regatta Fleet Winner - Rachel Murdock - RStGYC

Results as follows :

ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7 

Krzysztof Ciboroski - RStGYC
Maedbh Butterly - Rush Sailing Club
Seth Walker - RStGYC

ILCA 6 / Laser Radial
Charlie Savage - Rush Sailing Club
Riaghan Boardman - Rush Sailing Club
Laura O’Brien - Rush Sailing Club

ILCA 7 / Laser Std
Andrejs Samoilovs - Malahide Yacht Club
William Chouquet - Malahide Yacht Club
Joe Turner - Malahide Yacht Club
Single Handed
Mark Gavin - RStGYC
Ciara O’Brien - MYC
Victor Samoilovs - MYC

Double Handed
Jack McDowell & Harry Thompson (420) - MYC / Wexford Harbour Boat Club
Immie Hauer & Hugo Mika (420) - MYC
Paul Quinn & Stephanie Hogan (Laser 2000) - MYC

Optimist
Kate Flood - RSTGYC
Sarah Scott - HYC / RStGYC
Grace Gavin - RSTGYC

Regatta Fleet
Rachel Murdock - RStGYC
Nicole Quinn - MYC
Oliver Ryan - MYC

Malahide Yacht Club are kicking off their sailing season in style with the launch of an inaugural open Dinghy Regatta on the waters of Broadmeadows Estuary on Friday 18th March 2022.

The Regatta is open to entries in PY Single and Doublehanded classes, ILCA/ Laser all rigs and Optimist class with an early bird entry fee available for entries received before 13th March 2022.

There will be a competitor briefing at 10.40, and the first gun at 11.20 with individual starts for Optimist, ILCA and PY Fleet.

Prize giving and complimentary food will take place later that day in the Broadmeadows Clubhouse.

Online entry is now open here, and the NOR is downloadable below.

The 2021 Kona windsurfing national championships were hosted by Malahide Yacht Club on Sunday, 5th September. Under the direction of race officer Niall Gallagher of MYC, the sailors enjoyed a windward-leeward course in a 10 to 15 knot south easterly on Malahide estuary.

In the final race, Joe Galeckas of MYC dominated to gain victory over RStGYC sailor and 2020 titleholder Robbie Walker.

Fellow RStGYC sailor, Des Gibney, earned a well-deserved 3rd place whilst Damien Dion of NYC placed 4th overall and Miha Rothl came in 5th. The youth category was won by Mika Sacolax, who placed 11th overall.

After 4 races and going into the final race of the day, Walker and Galeckas were on equal points, and the title was up for grabs. A good start and excellent windward beat put Galeckas in a commanding position, and he was able to hold his lead and claim victory.

This is the 9th Year that the National Kona Windsurfing championships have been staged, with the winners receiving the Alan Harris memorial trophy. MYC sailors have dominated the event with 6 winners in the last 9 years. More recently, RSGYC sailors have challenged the MYC stronghold, winning the trophy on 3 occasions.

The sailors extend their thanks and congratulations to MYC for hosting an excellent event and to Surfdock for their generous sponsorship.

A group of the Kona windsurfers on a windward leg in 15 to 20-knot south-easterly breeze on Malahide Estuary 

Roy Guinan is in the foreground. The Kona Fleet on a leeward leg of the national championships hosted by MYC. 

 Des Gibney of the RSGYC, with sail number 2677, finished 3rd overall in the Kona National Championships.

The fleet was challenged with shifty wind conditions at the top mark, close to Malahide village. 

David Jullo of the NYC placed 8th overall, participating in the event for the second time.

Winner Joe Galeckas of the MYC, cruising to victory in the 5th race of the day

The 420 class powered through their fourth event of 2021 when the 2021 420 Leinster Championships were sailed at Malahide Yacht Club with 15 entries enjoying the idyllic conditions of cloudless skies, warm temperatures and a good sea breeze that allowed a full quota of six races to be completed.

The high pressure stationed over Ireland made the Saturday morning mill pond condition look ominous, but by the time the first gun was signalled on schedule a 9-10 knot sea breeze allowed the principal race officer Richard Kissane from Howth Yacht Club to not only sail the three scheduled races for the Saturday but also an extra race. Day 1 wins were shared by McDowell/Tompson and Graf/Goerg who were tied on 5 points each after two wins apiece.

Gold Fleet 2nd Place - Jack McDowell MYC/Henry Thompson WHBTC

Gold Fleet 3rd Place -Alex Leech LRYC/Conor Paul LRYC

Day 2 provided a slight increase in breeze and Graf/Goerg tightened their grip on the title with another two wins. Campion/Soffe sailed a solid series to win the Silver Fleet and finish well up the Gold Fleet placings.

Silver Fleet 1st Place - Kate Campion MYC/Amelie Soffe MYC

Silver Fleet 2nd Place - Fodhla Dunne WHSC/Sinead O'Reilly WHSC

Gold Fleet 1st Place - Ben Graf LRYC/Anna Goerg LRYC
Gold Fleet 2nd Place - Jack McDowell MYC/Henry Thompson WHBTC
Gold Fleet 3rd Place -Alex Leech LRYC/Conor Paul LRYC
Silver Fleet 1st Place - Kate Campion MYC/Amelie Soffe MYC
Silver Fleet 2nd Place - Fodhla Dunne WHSC/Sinead O'Reilly WHSC
Silver Fleet 3rd Place - Sean Cronin MYC/ Sarah Whyte LRYC

The next Irish event for the 420 Class will be the 2021 National Championships to be held at Howth Yacht Club on the 27th to the 29th August.