The Ruffian Leinster Championships took place in conjunction with the Shipman National Championships on Friday, August 21st, and Saturday, August 22nd, hosted by the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club. Race Officer Cormac Bradley, aboard the DMYC committee vessel Hawaiian Goose, got the 6-boat Ruffian fleet underway on time at 15.35 on Friday 21st. The course used Dublin Bay Sailing Club marks in a moderate northerly breeze. Patricia Heckman, sailing Ruffage from Wicklow Sailing Club, had a commanding lead over the rest of the fleet at the weather mark, Asgard.
The fleet hoisted spinnakers on the downwind leg to Seapoint. As the leading boats were nearing Seapoint, the wind shifted to a Westerly direction, kites were struck, and the fleet sailed upwind for the closing stages of the leg. After rounding Seapoint, Heckman maintained her lead to Salthill and thence to the finish near Harbour mark. Second place went to Frank Bradley’s Ripples (DMYC), followed by Brendan Duffy’s Scéal Éile (DMYC) in third place.
In the second race, sailed in light airs, David Cutliffe in Ruffles (DMYC) got the gun, followed by Scéal Éile and Ripples.
Racing resumed at 11.00 on Saturday morning in a light Northerly breeze, which saw Ripples taking the gun, followed by Scéal Éile and Ruffage. With the final race remaining, and a discard to kick in after 4 races, the top 4 boats were all still in contention.
The Leinster Championship fleet was joined by Bandit, Alias and Loco for the final race, the DBSC red fleet race, which was run from committee vessel Corinthian under race officer Barry McNeaney.
Ruffage was the first-placed boat entered in the Leinster Championship, thereby sealing the overall win on 5 points. Ripples and Scéal Éile were tied on 6 points, with Ripples taking second place on countback.
Title Secured – Feena Lynch accepts the Ruffian Leinster Championship trophy on behalf of winning skipper Patricia Heckman of Wicklow Sailing Club’s Ruffage
Second Best – Frank Bradley’s Ripples crew collect their prizes after finishing second overall in the Ruffian Leinster Championships on countback
Podium Place – Brendan Duffy of Scéal Éile collects the prize for third overall after finishing tied on points with second-placed Ripples
The Ruffian and Shipman crews enjoyed their prize-giving dinner in the Royal Saint George Yacht Club on Saturday night, and were joined by Ruffian sailors from Carrickfergus, Wicklow, Westport, and Dun Laoghaire.
All Ireland Ruffian Team Racing Championship 2026
The All Ireland Ruffian 23 Team Racing Championship 2026 took place under the burgee of the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC) on Sunday, August 23rd. Twelve Ruffians comprising sixty Ruffian sailors hailing from the North, South, East and West took part in a closely fought and hotly contested team racing event.
The event kicked off at 09:00 hrs on Sunday morning in the DMYC, with briefings by Race Officer Cormac Bradley, event co-ordinator Brendan Duffy, and Chief Umpire Eunice Kennedy. The boats had already been drawn. Team Captains Stephen Penney (North), David Ryan (South), Fergal Guilfoyle (West), and Ann Kirwan (East) confirmed which boats their helms would be sailing, and they set out from the DMYC, where all 12 boats had been berthed overnight.
The format consisted of three Ruffians per team with four crew and an owner’s representative aboard each boat. The course was a 4-mark Box Course with all marks to be rounded to starboard.
After a brief postponement, Race Officer Cormac Bradley got the racing underway in a westerly 6-8 knot breeze. Midway through the first round robin series, the wind shifted to a northerly direction, which resulted in leg one becoming a fetch, with leg two turning into an upwind leg.
Start Line Stakes – Ruffian 23 crews jockey for position moments before the start of a race in the All-Ireland Ruffian Team Racing Championship off Dun Laoghaire
The eighteen scheduled races were in three “round robins” of three flights each (6 races), with every team competing against the other three teams. The crews swapped boats after each round robin series, with the changes being carried out very efficiently by the mark laying and umpiring DMYC ribs.
The event would not have taken place without the support of everyone aboard the “Goose”, as well as the mark layers and umpires, the boat owners who lent their boats, the boat reps, and all the competitors.
Thanks to the DMYC staff, who had a busy weekend feeding and watering everyone involved, both on the water and ashore in the clubhouse. Thanks also to the competitors for a great weekend of competitive racing.
Shoreside Shift – Ruffian sailors relax on the DMYC deck after a busy three-day programme of Leinster Championship and All-Ireland team racing
The prize-giving took place on the deck of the DMYC in late summer sunshine, where RO Cormac Bradley and Race Coordinator Brendan Duffy presented the All-Ireland Ruffian Team Racing prize to Ann Kirwan, captain of the winning team - East, along with fellow helms Brian Cullen and Frank Bradley, who won on countback from Team North in a closely fought contest by all 4 teams.
Eastern Promise – Team East celebrate with the All-Ireland Ruffian Team Racing trophy after winning a closely fought contest against Team North on countback
Report by: Ann Kirwan
