The RS Eastern Championships delivered two days of high-intensity racing at Greystones Sailing Club as 42 boats competed across four classes on Dublin Bay’s southern coastline. Sailors in the RS 200, Feva, 400 and Aero fleets faced shifting breeze, heavy gusts and tactical racing throughout the May 16–17 event.
Saturday racing was delayed ashore while Race Officer Michael Conway and his team waited for wind to settle across the course area. Once racing got underway, conditions quickly became demanding. Wind shifts of up to 45 degrees every ten minutes kept crews under pressure, while gusts peaked at 28 knots.
The strong breeze produced fast asymmetric downwind legs for the RS 200, Feva and 400 fleets, with crews rewarded for staying upright and finding pressure across the course. Positions changed constantly during the afternoon as sailors balanced tactics with boat speed in the unstable conditions.
An RS 400 crew fights to avoid capsize during heavy-weather racing at the RS Eastern Championships in Greystones. Photo: Alan Leddy
Sunday brought a steadier 10-knot southwesterly, but racing remained unpredictable as squalls swept through the course. Gusts of 24 knots were recorded at the windward mark. Competition stayed close across all four fleets, with multiple lead changes throughout the regatta.
In the 14-boat RS 200 fleet, Ballyholme Yacht Club’s Matt Ridout and son Peter secured overall victory after a consistent series.
RS 200 crews enjoy fast downwind conditions beneath the Wicklow hills during the RS Eastern Championships at Greystones Sailing Club. Photo: Alan Leddy
Cove Sailing Club’s Alex Mills and Eoin Jones won the RS Feva class, which attracted 13 boats and one of the strongest junior turnouts of the weekend. Gareth Flannigan and Knox Wilson took top honours in the RS 400 fleet, while Howth Yacht Club’s Daragh Sheridan won the Aero class.
The event also highlighted continued growth within the Irish RS junior pathway, particularly in the expanding Feva and RS 200 fleets. Attention now turns to the RS Inlands at Blessington on July 18–19, the next major event on the Irish RS calendar.
