Howth Yacht Club's 2026/27 Dinghy Frostbites began in unusually pleasant November conditions on Sunday, 1st November, with sunshine, blue skies and a northerly breeze welcoming a diverse fleet for the opening two races of the Winter Series.
The long-running event, now in its 51st year, has developed well beyond its original Laser-only format, with an increasingly varied Portsmouth Yardstick (PY) fleet racing alongside established ILCA divisions and a growing Melges 15 class.
This winter's PY entries range from RS Aeros and Finns to high-performance 49ers, B14s and RS600s, together with Enterprises and IDRA 14s. The Melges 15s have attracted sufficient numbers to warrant their own class.
One notable development is the return of the Finn as a three-boat contingent, with Richard Tate joined by Andrejs Samoilovs and Alex Deasy. Tate's efforts to encourage participation have helped strengthen the class's presence in Howth.
Sheridan Sets the Pace in PY Fleet
Daragh Sheridan made an immediate impression in the PY fleet, taking two corrected-time victories in his RS Aero 6. Fellow Aero sailor John Phelan finished second in both races, while Abby Kinsella completed an RS Aero clean sweep of the podium with two third places in her Aero 5.
Skiff Variety: The RS600 is among the high-performance dinghies competing in Howth Yacht Club's expanding PY fleet, which also includes RS Aeros, Finns and 49ers in the 2026/27 Frostbites. Photo: Harry Gallagher
The three Finns enjoyed close racing, with Deasy taking fourth in the opening race and Samoilovs recording two fifth places to lead the Finn contingent overall. Tate finished seventh and sixth, leaving the Finn sailors grouped in fourth, fifth and sixth overall after the first day.
Fiachra Farrelly also demonstrated the potential of his 49er, securing fourth place on corrected time in the second race.
Melges 15 Leaders Tied After Opening Races
The Melges 15 fleet produced two different winners, leaving Sarah Robertson and Lynne Henderson tied on points with Cormac Farrelly and Justin Cullen.
Melges Momentum: The growing Melges 15 fleet has earned its own class at the Howth Frostbites, with Sarah Robertson and Lynne Henderson taking the early series lead on countback after two closely contested races. Photo: Harry Gallagher
Farrelly and Cullen won the opening race ahead of Stephen Quinn, with Robertson and Henderson third. Robertson and Henderson then reversed the order in race two, taking victory ahead of Michael Evans and crew, with Farrelly and Cullen third.
The second-race victory gave Robertson and Henderson the overall lead on countback. Evans and crew share third-place points with Quinn, setting up an early contest in the expanding Howth fleet.
Kelleher Returns with ILCA 7 Double
Daragh Kelleher marked his return to the ILCA 7 fleet with two victories from the 11-boat turnout. Conor Murphy finished second in both races, with Tom Fox third on each occasion, producing identical podium results across the afternoon.
Laser Line-Up: The ILCA divisions remain a cornerstone of Howth's winter dinghy racing, with Daragh Kelleher and Marco Sorgassi each securing two victories in the ILCA 7 and ILCA 6 fleets respectively. Photo: Harry Gallagher
Dave Kirwan and Colm Cunningham swapped fourth and fifth, while Davie Carr recorded two sixth-place finishes. Viktor Sentiscev-Samoilov followed with two sevenths.
Sorgassi Makes Winning ILCA 6 Return
Marco Sorgassi also returned to winning form, securing both ILCA 6 races ahead of Peter Hassett and Dylan Cassidy. Hassett took two second places, with Cassidy third in each race.
Sorgassi's pace was particularly evident in the second race when he reached the windward mark ahead of all but one of the larger-rigged ILCA 7 competitors.
Kingston Leads ILCA 4 Fleet
Liam Kingston opened his ILCA 4 campaign with two victories. Sarah McLoughlin finished second in the opening race before retiring from the second, while Zara de Neve placed third for the day.
The ILCA 4 division continues to provide younger sailors with winter racing experience alongside Howth's established dinghy fleets.
Winter Racing Continues Until December
The Howth Dinghy Frostbites Winter Series continues each Sunday until 20 December, with the Spring Series following in January and February. The traditional Round the Island Race will bring the Frostbites season to a close.
Entries remain open throughout the series, allowing additional competitors to join the winter racing programme.
