Dunne Deal for Optimists Despite Shape-Shifting With Extra Discard at Youth Sailing Nationals in Howth

16th April 2023

WM Nixon

Howth Yacht Club's Optimist youth sailing nationals champion, Harry Dunne Credit: HYC/Shona Gibson

The concluding day's one extra race at the Investwise Youth Sailing National Championships at Howth Yacht Club, slotted in between the morning's sunlit near-calm and the mid-afternoons varying attempts at fog, provided some key classes with an additional discard to affect the final top places.

While Howth Yacht Club's Harry Dunne continued to play a very steady game of exemplary style in the Optimists to take a second in Race 10 and retain the overall lead, it was to be by only one point ahead of Royal St George's Caoilinn McDonnell.

Her initially stellar performance of a string of wins had been marred by two huge setback showings, so though she was back in 12th place in the final race, the availability of an extra mega-discard meant that overall she could now finish second overall by just that one point astern of Dunne, with 30 pts to his 29, while Royal Cork's Andrew O'Neill was another 9 points astern in third overall.

Results below

Race Results

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Published in Optimist, Howth YC

Published in Optimist

Tagged under

Howth Yacht Club

About The Author

WM Nixon

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William M Nixon has been writing about sailing in Ireland for many years in print and online, and his work has appeared internationally in magazines and books. His own experience ranges from club sailing to international offshore events, and he has cruised extensively under sail, often in his own boats which have ranged in size from an 11ft dinghy to a 35ft cruiser-racer. He has also been involved in the administration of several sailing organisations.

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2026 IODAI Optimist Calendar

Sprint Series – February–March: 3 single-day events. Details to follow. (Suitable for seasoned main fleet sailors in winter programmes only)
Irish Sailing Youth Nationals, Ballyholme Yacht Club – 9–12 April (Invite only)
Junior and Senior Development Squads Training, Lough Ree Yacht Club – 2–4 May Bank Holiday (Squads only)
U12 Training, Lough Ree Yacht Club – 2–4 May (Bank Holiday) (Squad only)
Ulsters, Strangford Lough Yacht Club – 16–17 May (Open)
Munsters, Waterford Harbour Sailing Club – 13–14 June (Open)
Leinsters, Howth Yacht Club – 18–19 July (Open)
=National Team Racing Champs, Royal Cork Yacht Club – 12 August (Open)
National Championships, RCYC – 13–16 August (Open)
Connachts, GBSC – 12–13 September (Open)