Matt McNicholl and Barry Swanston claimed the 2026 Irish Multihull Northern Championships at Ballyholme Yacht Club after a high-speed weekend that also featured an unsuccessful North Channel record attempt. Ballyholme Yacht Club hosted three days of multihull action from August 7-9, beginning with the Irish Sea Challenge before attention turned to the Victoria Pinkerton-sponsored Irish Multihull Northern Championships.
Fleet Gathering: Competitors from Ireland and the UK gather with event representatives and the Mayor of Ards and North Down ahead of the Irish Multihull Northern Championships at Ballyholme Yacht Club. Photo: Bob Torrens Spectator Newspapers
Six boats — three F20s and three F18s — lined up for Friday’s Irish Sea Challenge with an ambitious target of breaking the North Channel crossing record of 1 hour 30 minutes. The fleet departed at 10.45 am after a send-off from Ards and North Down Borough Council Mayor Craig Blaney, with strong RIB support accompanying the attempt.
Championship Welcome: Event representatives join Mayor Craig Blaney and sailors at Ballyholme Yacht Club during the Irish Multihull Northern Championships. Photo: Bob Torrens Spectator Newspapers
Early conditions looked promising, and crews quickly flew hulls and set kites, but the breeze faded around eight miles from Portpatrick, and the record bid had to be abandoned.
Heavy Weather Opens Championship
Thirteen catamarans took to Belfast Lough for the Northern Championships on Saturday, with Race Officer Phillip Davies overseeing racing.
Day one brought gusts above 17 knots and relatively manageable sea conditions near the mouth of Belfast Lough. The windward-leeward courses produced close racing at the top end of the fleet, particularly between Matt McNicholl and Barry Swanston and Mark Sewell and Will Smith.
Fast Company: Nacra F20 and F18 catamarans power across Belfast Lough during a lively weekend of racing at the Irish Multihull Northern Championships. Photo: Bob Torrens Spectator Newspapers
Richard Swanston and Toby Collins also broke into second place in Race 3, while Yannick and Sean Lemonnier showed impressive consistency by taking third in three of the day’s four races.
Channel Charge: Junior team Cameron Wallace and Toby Collins lead Yannick and Sean Lemonnier out of Ballyholme Bay towards Portpatrick during the Irish Sea Challenge. Photo: Colin Williams Photography
The heavier conditions also took their toll, with some crews forced out by gear failures and physical fatigue.
Lighter Winds Change the Picture
Sunday brought much lighter conditions, with winds averaging around seven knots and occasional gusts up to 13 knots. That placed a greater emphasis on tactics and boat placement over the final two races.
Visiting F20 teams Dutch and Oakley won the opening race of the day, with Chris and Martin King second.
Carbon Powered: Chris and Marcus King put their Nacra 20 Carbon through its paces during the multihull action off Ballyholme Yacht Club. Photo: Bob Torrens Spectator Newspapers
When the final points were calculated, Matt McNicholl and Barry Swanston secured the Northern Trophy. Mark Sewell and Will Smith finished second overall, with Yannick and Sean Lemonnier completing the podium in third.
Irish Sea Challenge Honours
Although the North Channel record remained intact, all crews who took part in Friday’s Irish Sea Challenge were recognised with certificates. Cameron Wallace and Toby Collins were awarded the official Challenge trophy.
Young Guns: Under-21 pairing Cameron Wallace and Toby Collins with their F18 after taking on the Irish Sea Challenge from Ballyholme to Portpatrick. Photo: Bob Torrens Spectator Newspapers
The weekend concluded after two contrasting days of championship racing, ranging from hard-hiking conditions and gear failures on Saturday to a more tactical, light-air finale on Sunday.
2026 Irish Multihull Northern Championships – Top Three
- Matt McNicholl and Barry Swanston
- Mark Sewell and Will Smith
- Yannick and Sean Lemonnier
Northern Champions: Matt McNicholl and Barry Swanston celebrate after securing overall victory and the Northern Trophy at the Irish Multihull Northern Championships. Photo: Bob Torrens Spectator Newspapers
