Maeve Donagh of the Royal St George Yacht Club and Lough Derg Yacht Club has won the Senior title at the 2026 IODAI Optimist National and Open Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club.
Donagh completed the Cork Harbour championship with 14 nett points from ten races, finishing 11 points clear of Royal Cork Yacht Club's Dylan O'Sullivan on 25.
George Creighton of Royal Cork, Ballyholme and Monkstown Bay Sailing Clubs took third overall on 32 points.
Donagh Takes Senior Crown
Championship honours: Maeve Donagh receives her 2026 IODAI Optimist Senior National Championship prize from Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Dennis Byrne (left) and Optimist Class Captain Stephen O'Sullivan. Photo: Bob Bateman
Donagh's championship victory followed an impressively consistent series at the head of the 56-boat Senior fleet.
The 15-year-old counted three race victories and, with two discards applied, finished with a 14-point nett total.
O'Sullivan secured the runner-up position for the host club, while Creighton completed the overall Senior podium.
The result continues a strong 2026 season for Donagh, who had already won the IODAI Ulster and Munster senior events earlier in the season.
Family silver: Optimist Senior champion Maeve Donagh with her mother Aideen and some of the silverware and awards collected after her championship victory at Royal Cork Yacht Club. Photo: Bob Bateman
Senior Gold prizewinners at the 2026 IODAI Optimist National Championships prizegiving at Royal Cork Yacht Club. Photo: Bob Bateman
Brody Hayes Wins Junior Fleet
There was another home success in the 56-boat Junior fleet, where Brody Hayes of Royal Cork Yacht Club and Monkstown Bay Sailing Club won after nine races.
Hayes finished on 21 nett points, just two points ahead of Britain's William Foster of WSC on 23.
Howth Yacht Club and Sutton Dinghy Club's Rory Barron was third on 31 points.
Hayes produced four race victories during the championship, including wins in the opening and third races and another victory in Race Seven.
Rian Foy Joyce of Lough Ree Yacht Club and the Royal St George was fourth on 36, with James Weir of Waterford Harbour Sailing Club fifth on 37.
Indie Crosbie of Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club was sixth overall and the leading girl.
Optimist sailors, families and supporters gather for the National Championships prizegiving at Royal Cork Yacht Club. Photo: Bob Bateman
Regatta Fleets Complete Cork Harbour Championship
The championship also included separate Regatta Racing and Regatta Coached fleets, providing racing across the Optimist pathway alongside the two main championship fleets.
In the Regatta Coached fleet, eight-year-old Matthew Arthurs of the Royal St George Yacht Club and Lough Derg Yacht Club emerged as the winner after a particularly close contest.
Arthurs finished the 11-race series on 23 nett points, just one point ahead of Rowan Smyth of Strangford Lough Yacht Club on 24.
Penny Sorensen of Kinsale Yacht Club completed the podium on 28 points.
The four fleets brought together Optimist sailors from clubs around Ireland and overseas for the national championships hosted by Royal Cork Yacht Club.
The Royal Cork Yacht Club and IODAI team that staged the 2026 IODAI Optimist National Championships Photo: Bob Bateman
Senior Fleet results are published below. Full results for the Junior Fleet and Regatta Racing Fleet are available at the links. Results remained provisional when published by IODAI at 14:54 on Sunday, August 16.
