The 50th Anniversary Irish ILCA Nationals to be held at Ballyholme Yacht Club on Belfast Lough this coming weekend (15th – 17th) is expecting 150 competitors of all ages from across Ireland and beyond, including entries from Canada, Croatia, Ukraine and Japan. At the time of writing the ILCA 4 class numbers 28, the ILCA 6 stands at 51 and the ILCA 7 numbers 53.

As proved by the ILCA 6 Europeans last year, the Lough is an ideal location for a prestigious event like this.

There will be racing for ILCA 4, 6, and 7 in eight races over three days of competition. And keeping them all in check will be Principal Race Officer Aidan Pounder of the host club and Royal Ulster. Sheela Lewis from County Antrim YC at Whitehead will be on the Finish Boat, and on the Friday at the pin end is International Race Officer and Ballyholme Olympian Bill O’Hara. On Saturday and Sunday, Royal Ulster YC member Jon Burrows will replace Bill as Race Officer.

The event has also been selected as a qualifier for Irish youth sailors aiming to compete at the 2025 Youth Sailing World Championship in Vilamoura, Portugal.

Northern Ireland Youth favourites include BYC’s own Bobby Driscoll, current Irish Youth ILCA 6 Champion, and Daniel Palmer, who was runner-up to Bobby at the Youth Championships and placed first in the ILCA 6 class at the Ulster Championships.

Also worth watching are East Antrim Boat Club’s Zoe Whitford who won the ILCA 6 class at the Leinster championships as well as Tom Coulter, who placed second in the same event for the ILCA 7 class. Other contenders for top places include former National Champion and current Leinster, Munster and Ulster ILCA 7 title holder Fiachra McDonnell from Royal Irish Yacht Club and Western Championship ILCA 7 title holder Conor Byrne, Royal St George Yacht Club in the ILCA 7 class.

In the ILCA 6 class, contenders include the National title holder, Andrew Kingston from Royal Cork Yacht Club; Sean Craig, Royal Saint George Yacht Club, who is the 2025 ILCA Masters and 2025 ILCA 6 Munster Champion, and Conor Cronin, Malahide Yacht Club, current Western Championships ILCA 6 title holder.

In the ILCA 4 class, competitors to watch out for include Rory Brennan Hobbs, Royal Saint George Yacht Club, who recently won the ILCA 4 title at the ILCA Ulster Championships as well as the Munster Championships and Max O’Hare, also Royal Saint George Yacht Club, who took the ILCA 4 title at the recent 2025 Western Championships.

Liam Glynn from Ballyholme who is a former ILCA Ireland National Championship title holder and coach says “At first glance the ILCA t is as simple as racing boats can be with one sail and a limited settings, but this leads to many sailors matched for boat speed fighting it out in an intense game of sailing chess. This long search for the small margins defines the ILCA class. After a couple of years coaching the class, I am thrilled to be coming back to compete at the 50th anniversary nationals amongst so many rising stars and seasoned sailors and respect the challenge this class brings. Even more so to be competing at my home club, where weekly club racing got me hooked on the sport.”