ILCA Ireland has saluted its ILCA 6 National Champion, Andrew Kingston, who was acknowledged at the recent Royal Cork Yacht Club (RCYC) Junior Sailor Awards night at Crosshaven.
Kingston, crowned RCYC ILCA Sailor of the Year on Saturday night, had a great campaign in 2024, backing up domestic wins with top performances at the Europeans, the Vilamoura Grand Prix and the UK Nationals.
Despite the absence of notable results in junior classes like the Optimist, Topper, ILCA 4 – or even the ILCA 6 in his first season in 2023 – the Cork Harbour youth sailor took this calendar year by storm, culminating in that impressive victory at the windy, 50-boat Irish National Championships on Dublin Bay.
ILCA Ireland Chairman Sean Craig commented, "It is amazing and fascinating that a sailor can work it out for him/herself and simultaneously master all the elements of such a multi-faceted sport. We could all see it. Suddenly, Andrew had the boat speed, the conditioning and, often the hardest part of all, the tactical know-how".
It will be a busy 2025 for Kingston as ILCA Ireland has already launched its Fixtures Calendar with the Under-21 Worlds Set for Dun Laoghaire Harbour in August.
