Emily Donagh and Rory Brennan-Hobbs Win NYC ILCA Sprint on Dublin Bay

19th October 2026

Afloat.ie Team

ILCA 4 and ILCA 7 dinghies racing on Dublin Bay at the National Yacht Club Sprint Grand Prix on 18 October 2026

Fleet Action – ILCA 4 and ILCA 7 sailors prepare for racing west of Dún Laoghaire Harbour, where three races were completed in light easterly winds Credit: Con Murphy

Optimist champion Emily Donagh and ILCA 6 youth sailor Rory Brennan-Hobbs claimed class victories as the National Yacht Club hosted the final ILCA Ireland Sprint of 2026 on Dublin Bay on Sunday, 18 October.

Emily Donagh won the ILCA 4 fleet after a close finish to the third and final race, while Rory Brennan-Hobbs headed the day's largest fleet, the 22-boat ILCA 6 division, ahead of experienced masters sailor Sean Craig.

Final Approach – Leading ILCA 4 sailors approach the leeward mark in race three, which ultimately decided the class victory. Photo: Con Murphy

Racing west of Dún Laoghaire Harbour was delayed by approximately an hour because of insufficient wind. A light, patchy easterly eventually filled in, allowing three races to be completed in bright afternoon sunshine.

Emily Donagh Adds ILCA Victory to Optimist Record

Optimist to ILCA – Former Optimist champion Emily Donagh receives her ILCA 4 winner's prize from NYC Vice Commodore Ronan Columb. Photo: Con Murphy

Donagh, the 2026 Irish Sailing Youth Nationals Optimist champion, narrowly beat Ruari Slattery at the finish of race three to secure the ILCA 4 title.

The Royal St George and Lough Derg sailor has already built a substantial record in the Optimist class. She was selected for Ireland's 2026 Optimist World Championship team and finished third in the 2026 Optimist Munster Championships.

Her latest win marks another success as she moves into ILCA racing, with the final-race finish providing the decisive moment in the class contest.

Rory Brennan-Hobbs Heads ILCA 6 Fleet

Youth Success – Rory Brennan-Hobbs receives his ILCA 6 winner's prize after topping the event's largest fleet. Photo: Con Murphy

Brennan-Hobbs won the 22-boat ILCA 6 fleet, with Sean Craig second and Amy Kiernan third. Craig is a previous ILCA masters and Munster champion.

Brennan-Hobbs also represented Ireland at the 2026 ILCA 6 Youth World Championships in Aarhus, following earlier success in the ILCA 4 class.

Shirley Gilmore, sixth overall, was the leading female master. Conor Clancy was second among ILCA 6 masters, while Alison Pigot was third female master.

Hugh Delap Wins ILCA 7

ILCA 7 Victory – Hugh Delap receives the ILCA 7 winner's prize following three races on Dublin Bay. Photo: Con Murphy

Hugh Delap took the ILCA 7 honours, with Conor O'Leary second.

The Sprint brought ILCA Ireland's scheduled 2026 programme of one-day events to a close, with competitors enjoying an afternoon of racing in light conditions on Dublin Bay.

Prizes, courtesy of MGM Boats and Covy Watersport, were presented by National Yacht Club Vice Commodore Ronan Columb, rounding off an enjoyable day's racing.

ILCA Sprint Prizegiving at the National Yacht Club Photos: Con Murphy

Prize Presentation – NYC Vice Commodore Ronan Columb presents a prize at the season-ending ILCA Sprint. Photo: Con Murphy

Masters Honours – Alison Pigot receives her third female master prize from NYC Vice Commodore Ronan Columb. Photo: Con Murphy

ILCA 7 Runner-Up – Conor O'Leary receives his second-place prize from NYC Vice Commodore Ronan Columb. Photo: Con Murphy

Leading Master – Shirley Gilmore, sixth overall in ILCA 6, was the first female master at the NYC Sprint. Photo: Con Murphy

Race Results

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Published in Laser, National YC, Youth Sailing

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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