Coulter, Cronin And Shelley Win ILCA Ulster Titles

13th May 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Fleet Focus — ILCA sailors spread across Larne Lough during the 2026 Ulster Championships at East Antrim Boat Club as steady breeze and sunshine delivered competitive racing

The ILCA Ireland circuit returned to East Antrim Boat Club last weekend for the 2026 ILCA Ulster Championships. A fleet of 66 boats raced in bright sunshine and strong north-easterly winds on Larne Lough across two demanding days.

ILCA sailors prepare to launch at East Antrim Boat Club before racing on Larne Lough

Race Officer Richard Doig delayed Saturday’s start by one hour as gusts topped 20 knots outside the harbour entrance. Conditions inside the lough were flatter, allowing racing to proceed safely.

Three races were completed on Saturday in winds gusting up to 27 knots. Despite the heavy conditions, retirements were limited.

In the ILCA 4 fleet, Amy Shelley led overnight ahead of Kate Spain and Amy Kiernan. Jackson Clark, Alex Butcher and Callum Pollard also stayed in contention.

The 27-boat ILCA 6 fleet saw Conor Cronin edge ahead of Marcus Shelley after Saturday's racing. Joseph Robinson, Max O’Hare and Eolann Miles remained close behind.

Saturday’s debrief shared lessons from the championship fleet

Local sailor Tom Coulter dominated the ILCA 7 fleet with three race wins. Coulter, who sails for Portrush Yacht Club and East Antrim Boat Club, recently finished inside the top 20 at the 2025 Under-21 European Championships. Former national champion Roger Craig returned to regional competition and pushed Coulter throughout the opening day.

Sunday brought lighter winds of 10 to 12 knots and another three races. The calmer conditions shuffled the standings in several fleets.

Coulter secured the ILCA 7 title with two more race wins before sitting out the final race. Craig finished second overall ahead of Conor Byrne.

ILCA 7 champion Tom Coulter dominated the big rig fleet at East Antrim

Cronin held on to win the ILCA 6 championship. Max O’Hare climbed to second overall, with Eolann Miles taking third.

Amy Shelley secured victory in the ILCA 4 fleet. Jackson Clark’s strong final day moved him into second overall ahead of Amy Kiernan.

Gavin Doig won the Masters category in the ILCA 6 fleet

ILCA Ireland Chair Sean Craig praised the fleet turnout and the standard of racing after a difficult start to the season following the cancellation of the Munster Championships at Easter.

Published in Laser, Northern Ireland Waters

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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):

ILCA 4: sail of 4.70m2
ILCA 6: sail of 5.76 m2
ILCA 7: sail of 7.06 m2

ILCA 2026 Calendar

Apr 04–05 — Munster Championships — Baltimore SC
Apr 09–12 — Irish Sailing Youth Nationals — Ballyholme YC
May 09–10 — Ulster Championships — East Antrim BC
May 23–24 — Masters National Championships — Howth YC
Jun 27–28 — Leinster Championships — Skerries SC
Jul 24–26 — National Championships — Royal St. George YC
Sep 11–12 — End of Season Championships — Waterford Hrbr. YC

2026 ILCA World Championships

Men ILCA 7: Aug 23 – Aug 30
Women ILCA 6: Sep 04 – Sep 12
Royal St. George Yacht Club & National Yacht Club (Dublin Bay)

At A Glance – Laser Dinghy Specifications

Designer Bruce Kirby & Ian Bruce

Year 1969

Crew 1
Draft 0.787 m (2 ft 7.0 in)
Hull weight 58.97 kg (130.0 lb)
LOA 4.2 m (13 ft 9 in)
LWL 3.81 m (12 ft 6 in)
Beam 1.39 m (4 ft 7 in)
Mainsail area 7.06 m2 (76.0 sq ft)

Racing D-PN 91.1 RYA PN 1088 PHRF 217