Galway Bay Sailing Club (GBSC) hosted the Dart 16 Open Championship for the second consecutive year on Saturday, 10 October, with 14 catamarans competing in fresh conditions on Galway Bay.
The one-day event attracted sailors from Galway City Sailing Club, Swords Boat Sailing Club and the host club, with winds of 15 to 20 knots providing ideal conditions for the Dart 16 fleet. GBSC, home to more than 20 Dart 16 catamarans, is working to revive the class locally, encourage more competitive racing, and increase participation in Irish Multihull Association (IMA) events.
Five Races in Fresh Galway Bay Conditions
Regional race officer Margot Cronin, assisted by Emer Cosgrove, briefed competitors at 10.30 am before racing began at noon.
A short windward-leeward course with three laps let the race team complete five races by 4pm, with each contest lasting about 30 to 40 minutes.
Conditions became increasingly challenging as the wind strengthened, with several capsizes reported when strong gusts caught competitors out.
Racing remained close throughout the fleet, particularly at mark roundings, starts and finishes, but the home club's leading crews established themselves at the front.
Lemonnier and Minogue Take Championship Honours
Yannick Lemonnier and Michael Minogue of GBSC dominated proceedings, recording three race wins to secure the overall championship. Sean Lemonnier and Jack Ganley, also representing GBSC, finished second, while Laurik Mathieu and Clionagh Pierce completed an all-GBSC podium in third place.
Top Honours – Yannick Lemonnier and Michael Minogue secured the 2026 Dart 16 Open Championship at Galway Bay Sailing Club with three race wins from five starts. Pictured (left to right): IMA president Pavel Trojanowski, winning helm Yannick Lemonnier and event organiser Laurik Mathieu
Family Challenge – Sean Lemonnier and Jack Ganley finished runners-up in the Galway Bay Dart 16 Open Championship, with Sean narrowly missing out on the opportunity to beat his father Yannick to the title
Podium Finish – Galway Bay Sailing Club completed a clean sweep of the championship podium, with Laurik Mathieu and Cliona Pierce taking third place in the 14-boat fleet
Irish Multihull Association Encourages Class Development
The event also attracted leading Irish multihull sailors, including IMA class president and F18 national champion Pavel Trojanowski and Sean Dorenbush.
The 2025 F18 national champions, David Biddulph and Orlaith Biddulph, left their F18 at Swords Boat and Sailing Club to join the Galway sailors aboard a Dart 16 for the day.
Trojanowski thanked GBSC and its volunteers for organising the championship and presented prizes after the races, while competitors enjoyed hot soup and pizzas ashore. He also encouraged Galway's Dart 16 sailors to join the IMA regatta circuit and consider moving up to F18 or Spitfire catamarans.
With five races completed in a single afternoon and strong representation from the host fleet, the championship provided another opportunity for GBSC to build competitive multihull sailing on Galway Bay.
