After a landmark season that brought two ILCA World Championships to Dublin Bay, Ireland's single-handed dinghy fleet is already looking ahead. ILCA Ireland has published an eight-event championship calendar for 2027, with racing scheduled nationwide from March to September.

The announcement follows the staging of the men's ILCA 7 and women's ILCA 6 Worlds in Dún Laoghaire, jointly hosted by the Royal St George Yacht Club and National Yacht Club. The championships brought international attention to Irish ILCA sailing, but the focus now turns to the domestic circuit and the clubs sustaining the class throughout the year.

The 2027 programme includes a return to Royal Cork Yacht Club for the National Championships, a first national or regional championship allocation for Dún Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC), and events at clubs where class activity is growing.

Growing Clubs Rewarded

ILCA Ireland Chairman Sean Craig said the choice of venues was intended to combine experienced championship organisers with clubs demonstrating enthusiasm for the class.

“In choosing our venues for 2027, we've tried to balance top event management and working with clubs where ILCA activity is strong. Lough Ree, Malahide and Carlingford are all very keen these days, both locally and in terms of member participation at ILCA Ireland events. We want to reward that enthusiasm and commitment.”

DMYC Awarded First Championship

The Masters Championships at DMYC on 15–16 May will be the only ILCA Ireland event on Dublin Bay in 2027. The award recognises the club's longstanding support of winter dinghy racing through its Viking Marine Frostbites series.

“The DMYC deliver incredible winter racing for us, year in, year out and we are pleased to award the club its first-ever national or regional event,” Craig said.

He added that the Frostbites, which opened on Sunday, 1 November, had attracted 46 ILCA 6 entries, an increase on the 39 recorded in Afloat's pre-series report.

Nationals Return to Crosshaven

Royal Cork Yacht Club will host the National Championships at Crosshaven from 20–22 August, returning to the venue for the first time in five years. Craig said Baltimore, Ballyholme and Royal Cork were traditional ILCA centres where strong home fleets and competitive racing could be expected.

“The Nationals return to Crosshaven for the first time in five years and organisers are already planning a big spectacle,” he said.

The August dates also mark a return to the usual scheduling of the Nationals after the adjustments made for the 2026 Worlds season. Last year's calendar announcement outlined how the Irish Nationals had been brought forward to July ahead of the two Dublin Bay world championships.

ILCA Ireland 2027 Calendar