Sean Donnelly and Greg Arrowsmith of the Royal St George Yacht Club have won the 2026 Melges 15 Irish National Championships at the Royal Irish Yacht Club after a one-point victory at the end of a remarkably close seven-race series on Dublin Bay.
Donnelly and Arrowsmith finished on 18 points after discard, just one ahead of overnight leaders Tim Norwood and Luke Donagh of Lough Ree Yacht Club/Royal Irish Yacht Club on 19.
Jack Fahy and Adam Hyland of the Royal St George Yacht Club/Lough Derg Yacht Club took third on 20 points, leaving the top three separated by just two points.
Mike Zani and Mike Huang were only another point behind in fourth on 21, producing an unusual 18-19-20-21 final scoreline across the leading four boats in the 22-boat championship.
Donnelly and Arrowsmith Make Their Move
Four races on Saturday had left Norwood and Donagh at the head of the standings after scores of 1,3,3,7, with Donnelly and Arrowsmith carrying 12,4,4,1.
With the discard coming into play after Sunday's three races, however, the championship picture changed substantially.
Donnelly and Arrowsmith produced a consistent 3,4,2 from Sunday's three races. Their 12th from the opening race could then be discarded, leaving them with 18 points from their six counting scores.
Norwood and Donagh remained firmly in contention and won Sunday's sixth race of the championship. Their final-day scores of 6,1,5 left them on 19 points after discarding Saturday's seventh.
That was enough for second overall, but just one point short of retaining the championship lead.
Fahy and Hyland Charge Into Third
Fahy and Hyland mounted the strongest Sunday challenge with scores of 1,3,3.
Their victory in Race 5, followed by two further top-three finishes, lifted My First Shift to 20 points and third overall, only two points behind the champions.
Zani and Huang were also in the title fight throughout aboard Boost. They finished Sunday 4,6,1, winning the seventh and final race to take fourth overall on 21 points.
It meant only three points covered the top four boats after seven races.
Barry McCartin and Bryan Byrne completed the top five aboard Searcher on 27 points following a consistent series that included second place in Race 6.
Mark Work – Melges 15s converge at the leeward mark during Sunday's final races in the south of Dublin Bay, with the Royal Irish Yacht Club committee vessel Spirit of the Irish overseeing proceedings.
Five Crews Share Seven Race Wins
The seven-race championship produced five different race-winning combinations.
Norwood and Donagh won Races 1 and 6, while Zani and Huang took Races 2 and 7.
Toby Hudson Fowler and Kate Lyttle won Race 3, Donnelly and Arrowsmith took Race 4, and Fahy and Hyland won Race 5.
Hudson Fowler and Lyttle finished sixth overall on 31 points, ahead of Fiachra Farrelly and Jamie Malcolm in seventh on 37.
Paddy Oliver and Diane Nelson's Billy Far Out was eighth on 47 points, Andrew Fowler and Cian Lynch's Lazarus ninth on 51, with John Sheehy completing the top ten on 52 points.
The championship concluded on Sunday in light to medium winds, with racing staged in the south of Dublin Bay.
Melges 15 Irish National Championships – Top Five
- Sean Donnelly / Greg Arrowsmith (RStGYC) – 18 pts
- Tim Norwood / Luke Donagh (LRYC/RIYC) – 19 pts
- Jack Fahy / Adam Hyland (RSGYC/LDYC) – 20 pts
- Mike Zani / Mike Huang (RSGYC) – 21 pts
- Barry McCartin / Bryan Byrne (GSC/HYC) – 27 pts
