Royal Cork's Nick Walsh was the winner of the Irish Laser Master Championships at the National Yacht Club at the weekend. The Crosshaven man beat local Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Dan O'Connell on the tie break rule after both sailors finished on the same nett points of 14 after six races sailed. In third place in a 26–boat fleet was Royal St. George Yacht Club helmsman Sean Craig on 19 points. Paul Ebrill of Wexford Harbour Boat Club was the winner of a five boat Radial fleet. Results are downloadable below. 

This popular event, open to Lasers Sailors aged 35 and over, is now in it's 10th year and firmly positioned as an annual favourite with the class members.

This year the fleet was bouyed by many new faces and a fledgling radial fleet both of which are very positive future signs.

Cork as usual sent a strong contingent, Wexford too was represented, Galway provided some of the new faces and Ballyholme sent a boutique but talented squadron of challengers. From closer to home it was great to see support from Howth YC. The RStG really padded out the numbers with a large showing and local boats also launched from the RIYC, DMYC and Coal Harbour for a total of 35 racing.

Ron Hutchieson was, as usual, officiating shoreside ably assisted at registration by Sandra Moore.

On day 1 a brisk SW'ly met the sailors as they ventured out towards Seapoint. It was looking a lot like a tough day on the bay. Before Race 1 got underway the breeze had moderated a little but the course was still being raked by strong gusts. Choosing which side of the bay to aim for was going to be crucial.

The fleet was very eager to get away and there were two general recalls before PRO Con Murphy unleashed the fleet and let them at it. The inner loop trapezoid course is very popular with the Laser sailors as it provides a good W/L course complete with 2 and a quarter beats alongside a sprinkling of blast reaches thrown in for good measure.

In race 1 Nick Walsh laid down a marker to take the bullet and begin his quest to reclaim the title he lost to Roger O'Gorman in Ballyholme 2015. Nick wasn't having it all his own way and it was a hard fought race with big wind pressure changes and shifts. 'Head out of the boat' was the order of the day. Second was Dan O'Connell and Paul Keane opened his account with a 3rd.

In race 2, David Hillmyer visiting from Sarasota Sailing Squadron in Florida showed great mental reserve to hold his lead to the finish from the marauding pack who were chasing him down after the breeze shut off. Sean Craig scored a handy 2nd while Daragh Sheridan bagged the last podium place. Front runners Dan O'Connell and Nick Walsh had a 6th and 7th respectively.

Race 3 (part #1) was going all the way of Ross O'Leary and Shirley Gilmore in a radial who were launched on the paying side of a huge shift before Con, cruelly perhaps but demonstrating why he is so respected as a PRO, abandoned the race to reset the course. The wind had other ideas and disappeared completely so Con weighed anchor to head into the bay in search of some new pressure. Summer turned into an Autumn gale as a strong line squall found the fleet. When the squall abated Con was able to reset a course and the fleet was quickly off again.

Race 3 (part #2) went to Nick Walsh to put him in the overnight lead. Dan O'Connell was 2nd and Robert Howe began to find his form with a third. Points wise it was very close at the top and a good indicator of things to come.

Saturdays Master Class dinner in the National YC was a perfectly tempered meal. Tired sailors caught up over a delicious meal provided by Louise and her A-Team of helpers.

Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny with a mysterious, light, but very raceable westerly breeze in place of the pessimistic soft forecast. The breeze held nicely for the first race though it was hard going keeping the concentration on the beats and torturous body positions downwind.

Sean Craig revels in the light air and the more twisted the turns in conditions the better. In Race 4 he stamped his mark, and his larger intentions, on the fleet with a convincing win. With Dan again in 2nd and Nick bagging a 3rd the leaderboard was getting tighter and tighter at the top.

Race 5 went to Rob Howe who was on a bit of a charge as he tried to negate a heavy DNF from Saturdays racing. Ross O'Leary popped up in 2nd and Nick posted a 3rd against Dan's 11th.

After race 5 the wind abrubtly but simply shut off! Con, with his usual instinct for detection of the slightest zephyr, upped sticks and set off into the bay in search of breeze. He really should play the lottery as a perfect sea breeze duly arrived as if by magic from 155deg.

His very experienced mark laying team led by Dave Morley were quick to take advantage of the cards they had been dealt and set up a course in record time. And so Race 6 was quickly underway in a sunny glamour 12-14kts, perfect champagne sailing (with a little lightning and thunder across the bay) for the fleets last hurrah.

At the first mark it was neck and neck between O'Connell, Craig, Rice and Keane who all rounded in unison. It was Keane who got a lucky break and the inside berth on the downwind to lead at the bottom. He held the lead for the remainder of the race and despite a strong challenge by O'Connell on the finish line took the bullet. Rob Howe finished in 3rd with Craig in 5th and Nick back in 6th.

As the sailors headed towards the harbour the conversation on the water turned to maths. Incredibly Nick and Dan were tied for 1st on 14 points and 3rd place was a tie three ways between Sean Craig, Rob Howe and Paul Keane on 19. The top slot in the radial too was a tie between Paul Ebrill and Shirley Gilmore.

Ron applied the various countbacks as dictated by the SI's and the leaderboard took on it's final shape. Nick Walsh is again Masters Champion and Paul Ebrill Champion in the radials. The complete and official results can be viewed below

Solo sailor Finn Lynch (20), returned home from the Laser World Championships in Mexico last night to the National Yacht Club and a hero's welcome. The Dun Laoghaire clubhouse was packed to cheer the ground breaking achievemements that saw the U21 Laser world champion claim the single Rio berth ahead of London 2012's James Espey of Belfast. Lynch, originally from Carlow, is a member of The National Yacht Club and is the youngest ever Irish helmsman to qualify for the Olympics. Read more on his qualification victory here. 

View the photo gallery below by Joe Fallon:

Laser sailor Finn Lynch will be given a hero's welcome when he arrives back to the National Yacht Club (NYC) this evening. The Dun Laoghaire club gave its full support to the teen's campaign that ended with Olympic nomination success on Wednesday.

Lynch secured his selection over boat qualifier James Espey (the London 2012 representative) and fellow trialist Fionn Lyden on the final day of the Laser Worlds in Mexico. Lynch was the only sailor to make gold fleet.

David O'Brien in the Irish Times this morning noted the fledgling campaign was only kept afloat by club fundraisers, spearheaded by NYC doyen Carmel Winkelmann. A point also noted on Lynch's Facebook page (below).

Tonight, the NYC is getting ready to hear Finn's story first hand when it toasts both Lynch and his clubmate Annalise Murphy who will both be flyng the NYC ensign in Rio in August.

Lynch will become Ireland's youngest ever Olympic helmsman at age 20, eclipsing Malahide Finn sailor David Burrows who sailed in Sydney 200 aged 22 and Malaide club mate Robert Dix who sailed in Kingston in 1976 aged 23.

Rising star Lynch has had a meteoric rise to his this weeks Olympic place.

Finn Lynch's Road to Rio

2008 Selected for ISA Topper Squad (age 12)
2009 Topper World Championship Silver Medal
2011 Selected ISA Academy
2012 ISAF Youth World Championships Silver Medal
2012 u17 Radial European Champion
2013 u21 Radial World Champion
2013 Radial World Championship Bronze Medal
2014 u19 Laser World Champion
2015 u21 Laser World Championships 4th
2016 Wins Irish nomination trials for Rio Olympics

Dun Laoghaire's National Yacht Club gathered on Saturday to salute top club achievements from 2015. Ten annual awards for outstanding sailing were presented ranging from cruising endeavours to Olympic campaigns.

In cruising, The Township Cup went to Michael and Ann Madsen for a 15–week 2,500 nautical mile cruise to Norway and back. Frank and Gemma Cassidy were awarded The Muglins Cup for their adventurous famly cruise to France on board their Pacific Seacraft, Ocean Blue. 

In the offshore racing category, Liam Shanahan and family were awarded the Boyne Regatta Cup for their ISORA season win plus the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race as well as Afloat.ie's Sailor of the Year Award.  

In one design racing, The O'Leary Cup went to Flying Fifteen national champions David Gorman and Chris Doorly.

View a slide show of the 2015 recipients by Joe Fallon below:

Last Friday, the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire saw a gathering of NYC members who raced in ISORA in the 1980’s. The dinner was attended by over 40 members and guests, representing the skippers and crew of six boats.
Represented there were:
• “Lightening” – Liam Shanahan Snr
• “Emircedes” – Michael Horgan Snr & Peter Ryan
• “Humphrey Go Kart “- Vincent Farrell
• “Eliminator” - Peter Cullen.
• “Boomerang” – Paul Kirwan
• “Avanti “ - (Brendan Briscoe)

Peter Cullen, Liam Shanahan Snr and Anita Begley

The night was organised by Anita Begley who raced on “Avanti”, owned by the late Brendan Briscoe. Anita also raced on “Emircedes” and “Eliminator”. The dinner was a great social event with amusing anecdotes of taking part in ISORA races being recounted in the many casual after dinner speeches.

Liam Shanahan recounted the fierce competitiveness between “Lightening” and Peter Cullen’s “Eliminator” during races when boats crossed the Irish Sea three times in the race!! Despite the competitiveness during the race, the famous “Spirit of ISORA” was always present when the boats finished.

Present Chairman of ISORA, Peter Ryan, reiterated that is was great to see the keen and constant interest in ISORA by those members who sailed in races over 30 years ago. The memories of those incidents that occurred during and after the races years ago, as recounted by those after dinner speeches, was a testament to the future longevity and success of ISORA.

The evening was such a success that there were suggestions that the dinner could become an annual event and involve all previous skippers and crew who sailed in ISORA in the past.

Finn Lynch’s European Championships 28th overall result in Gran Canaria earlier this month means he will be eligible for International Carding and direct state funding of €12,000 next January 2017. 

Finn was the only Irish Laser senior sailor to qualify for the gold fleet (top half of fleet) the other three Irish trialists raced in the silver fleet.

The two top five race results he scored will also give the 19–year–old a great lift but unfortunately it is money – or for the lack of it – that is most needed now. 

This event was not a trial for Olympic nomination. Palma is the next event to count and racing starts there on March 28th. According to a National Yacht Club statement, Finn’s financial situation is now critical as a fundraiser did not reach its target.

Fourth in London four years ago, National Yacht Club sailor Annalise Murphy is focused on a bid for Olympic glory but success in Rio is unlikely to be plain sailing she tells the Irish Times this morning.

Murphy has spent around 250 days last year out of the country chasing better than London 2012 and since then has been to Rio seven times. She will travel back to the venue another three or four times before August. Learning the geography and climate system and tides has become a necessity. 

“There’s probably eight girls that could all easily win the gold medal in the Laser Radial Class. There’s maybe three or four that are likely to win the gold medal but eight of us definitely have the potential to win. I think on my good days I’m in that eight,” she says.

Read Johnny Watterson's full interview with the Rathfarnham sailing star in the Irish Times here.

Listen to Annalise's recent RTE/Afloat Seascapes podcast here

Watch Annalise's rival Evi Van Acker on World Sailing TV here

Read David O'Brien's Rio’s 'ill wind threatens to undermine Annalise Murphy' story in the Irish Times here

Following the very positive feedback on its club paddle-boards last season, the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire is carry-on diversifying its water sports activities and has taken delivery of nine RTM Ocean Duo sea-kayaks, thanks to the support of the Sport Capital Grant 2015 programme.
The RTM Ocean Duos are open but stable kayaks and can easily take two adults or even three people “on deck” with a child in the middle or three teenagers.
The sea-kayaks will join the NYC's existing and expanding fleet of Club sailing boats.

National Yacht Club sailors from Dun Laoghaire lead both the mens and womens Irish Olympic Laser Trials in the early stages in Rio. Anomalies in the scoring of Ill Copa Brazil de Vela have been resolved and overall results after four races now in the women's Laser Radial class show Annalise Murphy in 13th place in the 44–boat fleet with Aoife Hopkins 28th. Best results so far are a third for Murphy in race three, Hopkins has scored 22nd in races two and three. Belgium's Evi Van Acker continues her overall lead. 

Yesterday, in a confusing situation, Murphy was scored as a 'Did Not Compete' and ranked last but an overhaul of the official scoresheet has rectified this and also increased the number of competitors to 44. 

Ill Copa Brazil de Vela is the first of three Olympic Laser trials for two Irish Laser Olympic places. In total this gives the trials series 32 races over six months, with four now sailed.

In the mens division, Finn Lynch is 32nd and best of three Irish in the 48–boat fleet. Fionn Lyden is 40th and James Espey, Ireland's London 2012 representative, is 44th.

Official results are downloadable below.

The Flying Fifteen & friends annual dinner and prize giving took place at the National Yacht Club at the weekend. The class mustered over 90 for dinner with piano accompaniment Terry Brown who generously provided his talents for a donation by the class to the Dun Laoghaire Lifeboat.
Class Captain Ronan Beirne welcomed the guest of Honour Winkie Nixon of Afloat.ie, Georgina Nixon, Larry Power Commodore of the host club and Commodore Pat Shannon of Dublin Bay Sailing Club. The Captain thanked the Clubs for their support and Mitsubishi Motors for their sponsorship of the class.

In between courses class members gave a short presentation on the fleets activities in the year. Alan Dooley reviewed a busy year with his “flying fifteen health check” resumé. Chris Doorly presented his “Magic Moments” as crew with David Gorman while winning the Championship of Ireland, The Northern and Southern Championships. Alan Green reported on the Worlds in France where he attained a place on the podium with third place.

Flying fifteen champions David Gorman and Chris Doorly

David Mulvin recounted on “The Road to Rhu” and the British Championships which took place on the Clyde.
The guest of Honour Winkie Nixon of “Afloat” gave a most entertaining and informative talk on the talents and life of flying fifteen designer “Uffa Fox”. In addition to the Fifteen he recalled the many other yachts from the board of Fox including the flying thirty five “flying Fox” formerly of the National Yacht Club.
The prize giving was organised by Frank Burgess where some twenty trophies and thirty class medals and six ISA medals were presented. The top class trophy the Championship of Ireland which winners David Gorman and Chris Doorly presented to Larry Power Commodore of the National Yacht Club for safe keeping. The top Dun Laoghaire class trophy the “Heineken Plate” for the best combined Saturday & Thursday results was presented to David Mulvin.
The evening’s formal proceedings concluded with Ronan Beirne passing on the Class Captains Cap to the new Class Captain Joe Coughlan.