Kinsale, County Cork served up a wild one for the final regional of the season, as 185 young sailors from across the country gathered at Kinsale Yacht Club for the Optimist Munster Championships. Sponsored by Axiom Private Clients and MyMortgages.ie, the event turned into a true test of resilience, seamanship, and spirit—with the Atlantic swell and strong breeze setting the tone from the start.
Saturday delivered challenging but sailable conditions, and the race committee, led by PROs Michele Kennelly and Brian Goggin, made the most of the window. All fleets—Senior, Junior, and Regatta Racing—got four races completed in testing conditions before the weather worsened. Sunday's forecast proved accurate, and racing was called off early in the morning due to unsafe high winds. With wind and waves rolling in across the racecourse, safety became the priority. At one point, 30 Main Fleet sailors retired to the motherships, seeking shelter from the swell, and Regatta Racing coaches made the call to pull their group in early. Still, the sailors pushed hard, and the racing that did happen was high quality and hard-earned.
Saturday delivered challenging but sailable conditions at the Optimist Munsters off Kinsale Photo: Dave Cullinane
It was a family affair at the front of the Senior fleet, where Emily Donagh (RSGYC / LDYC) sailed a near-perfect regatta, discarding a 4th to count three bullets for the overall win. Sister Maeve Donagh, also from RSGYC / LDYC, put together a strong set of results to finish second despite an OCS in Race 1. Third place went to local sailor Annabelle Wilson (KYC / RCYC), who fought back after a BFD in Race 3 to finish on the podium.
Emily Donagh
In the Junior fleet, George Creighton (RCYC / BSC / MBSC) showed consistency and speed, taking two race wins and the overall title. Just behind, Oscar Rowan (WHSC) sailed a tight series to place second, with Arthur Fegan (MYC / RSGYC / HYC) finishing third after a solid all-round performance.
George Creighton
The Regatta Racing sailors may be the youngest in the class, but their grit in tough conditions didn't go unnoticed. Ciaran Keating (RCYC) was first, Seamus Hurley was second, and Freddy Hofler (NYC) placed third overall after a strong day afloat.
As ever in Kinsale, the warm welcome ashore matched the excitement on the water. Families and sailors were treated to a standout seafood reception on Saturday evening, featuring the best of West Cork produce thanks to Glenmar Seafood, Union Hall Smoked Fish, and drinks from Blue Haven Kinsale. The hospitality at KYC never misses, and this weekend was no exception. Thanks also to Mainport Shipping for the much-loved event T-shirts and to Sorenson Construction and CH Marine for their continued support of youth sailing. Cully&Sully also sponsored the environmental award of two SUPs, which were highly sought after and went home with Ciaran Keating and Aoife McElligott.
The event was sponsored by Axiom Private Clients and MyMortgages.ie
The 2025 Munsters marked the final regional event of the Optimist calendar, closing out what has been a fantastic year for the class. Across all fleets, the standard of sailing continues to rise, and it was brilliant to see so many new sailors and their families attend this last regatta of the season. Huge thanks once again to Kinsale Yacht Club, all volunteers, safety teams, and our PROs Michele Kennelly and Brian Goggin, whose calm and efficient race management made the most of a weather window that could have easily seen no racing at all.
The season might be ending, but there's plenty still to look forward to. National Training Week and the Crosbie Cup Halloween Regatta will take place at Lough Derg Yacht Club in October, bringing together sailors from across Ireland for top-level coaching. Early bird entries for both are now open.
