Defending Champion Gareth Flannigan is Favourite for Laser Masters Title at Royal St. George Yacht Club

4th May 2018

Former Laser Master Champion Nick Walsh from Royal Cork Yacht Club will contest the Lennon Racewear sponsored Irish Laser Master National Championships hosted by the Royal St George Yacht Club on 19th and 20th May. Credit: Afloat.ie

After a busy start to the Laser sailing season at Baltimore for the Munster Championships and then last weekend's Ulsters at Ballyholme, all before the first weekend of May, next up for the senior Irish Laser fleet is the Lennon Racewear sponsored Irish Laser Master National Championships hosted by the Royal St George Yacht Club on 19th and 20th May.

Over 40 entries are expected with confirmed entrants from the UK, Sweden and the USA as they also prepare for the for 2018 Laser Master Worlds on Dublin Bay in September. The new lease of life for Dublin Laser interests has meant the local DBSC fleet has swelled to 30 boats for regular club racing and that is discussed in an article in the Irish Times here.

Among the favourites for the Master Standard Rig title in a fortnight are reigning champion Gareth Flannigan, Nick Walsh, Darragh Kelleher and Dave Quinn.

For the Radial Rig title, a number of strong performers are returning to the scene including Thomas Chaix, Chris Boyd and Sean Craig – all of whom have finished in the top three at the Full Rig Masters in recent years.

"For the Radial Rig title, a number of strong performers are returning to the scene including Thomas Chaix, Chris Boyd and Sean Craig"

The host club has a proven track record of running major Laser events having run both World and European Championships in recent years as well as the ISAF Youth Worlds in 2012.

This Irish Laser Master National Championships have been running for 30 years and is open to over 35s. Online entry closes on 16th May, with discounted early online entry closing on 11th May. This year, there will be an after-dinner talk on Saturday night from Rory Fitzpatrick who coached Ireland’s Annalise Murphy to Silver at the Rio Olympics.

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About the ILCA/Laser Dinghy

The ILCA, formerly known as the Laser, is the most produced boat in the world, with 220,000 units built since 1971.

It's easy to see why the single-handed dinghy has won the title of the most widely distributed boat of all time.

The Laser is a one-design dinghy, the hulls being identical but three rigs that can be used according to the size and weight of the sailor.

The class is international, with sailors from 120 countries. The boat has also been an Olympic class since 1996, being both the men's and women's singlehanded dinghy.

Three rigs are recognised by the International Laser Class Association (ILCA):