There are 17 definite entries and it is estimated up to another half a dozen could be sailing to the line next Saturday morning for the first race of the 2011 ISORA series. 

The impressive early entry follows a series of offshore sailing talks held at the National Yacht Club earlier this month.

Click this link for the latest ISORA news.

The 57-mile course across the Irish Sea from Dun Laoghaire on the Irish east coast to Holyhead in Wales will be decided on the morning of the race at the National Yacht Club and transmitted by VHF on 37 for the first offshore race of 2011.

Last year's overall champion, Raging Bull, a Sigma 400, from Skerries and skippered by Matt Davies is slated as a possible contender.

ISORA Chief Peter Ryan has issued sailing Instructions as follows:

2011 Sailing Instructions

Supplementary Information
Race 1 Dun Laoghaire - Holyhead
Sailed under the burgee the National Yacht Club
Saturday 30th April 2010

TIME OF START FOR ALL CLASSES
07.55 Warning signal - Class flags (Numerals 1 & 2) hoisted
07.56 Preparatory Signal - Blue Peter hoisted
07.59 Blue Peter down
08.00 Start – Class flags down
The start may be broadcast on VHF Channel 37 (M1)

STARTING LINE
The start line shall be located in Scotsman's Bay between the DBSC 'Pier' mark and an adjacent committee boat that may be using engine power to hold station. This changes RRS 62.1(a).
THE COURSE (57 miles approx)
1. STARTING LINE
2. KISH Lighthouse (S)
3. M2 Buoy (S) 53 28.8N 5 25.5W
4. FINISH LINE

FINISH LINE
The finish line shall be between the end of the Holyhead breakwater and the Clippera Buoy – 0.6
miles off pier head, bearing 067(T).
Boats approaching the finish should contact "ISORA Finisher" on VHF Channel 37 (M1) when 1 hour
from the finish and again at 10 minutes from the finish. Please note that the finisher will only have a
handheld radio and you may not receive an acknowledgment to the first contact.
The finish time and the time due North of M2 should be recorded in the log by each boat and text to
ISORA at 00353 87 2545037 as soon as possible after the race as a Declaration.

RETIREMENTS
Telephone National Yacht Club 00353 1 2805725 and text ISORA 00353 87 2545037
For safety it is recommended to also inform the coastguard
NOTES
1. Keep a close lookout for commercial traffic when entering or exiting Dun Laoghaire and
Holyhead. The Stena HSS in particular can be hard to spot from behind the breakwater.
2. The time of crossing the finish line should be noted in the log.
3. Dinner will be available at Holyhead Sailing Club on Saturday evening. Phone No. 0044 1407
762526
4. Berthing in Holyhead Marina can be arranged. Phone 0044 1407 764242

RORC Easter Sailing Challenge – Day 2 Light winds are keeping Irish entries in the bottom half of the respective IRC fleets at RORC's Easter challenge this weekend. After four races sailed, Royal Cork's Anthony O'Leary lies sixth from ten boats in the IRC 1 division. In IRC 2 Dun Laoghaire's Niall Dowling sailing a brand new J111 also lies sixth from ten. James Boyd reports from the Solent: With a forecast indicating no wind on the Solent, the race committee and competitors were blessed in being able to get two races in on the second day of the RORC Easter Challenge, once again held in unseasonably summer-like conditions.

While the first start was scheduled for 1000, a windless Solent saw racing postponed for three hours. Competitors were kept occupied in the Cowes Yacht Haven Events Centre with a valuable talk from Jim Saltonstall on race preparation.

Early afternoon the race committee made the brave call to get underway on a course off Hill Head despite the apparent mill pond. In fact there was wind off the water and a meaningful race was held. As women's match racer Josie Gibson, helming the new Mat 1010 in IRC 3, observed: "It was really good of them to try and do it, because the alternative was to wait for the new breeze. It wasn't totally unfair but it was just very very light. There was an awful lot of shear. At the top we were getting 5-6 knots but it was really glassy on the water."

At the end of the first race the wind began to veer into the southwest as the sea breeze prevailed and for race two, the wind picked up to an unexpected 13-14 knots with the tide running left to right across the course on the beat. From the first race, where crews were being sat down to leeward, for race two they were up on the weather rail, fully hiking.

At the end of play, in IRC1 Mike Bartholomew's King 40 Tokoloshe now shares the top spot with Rob Gray and Sam Laidlaw's Farr 50, Bob, the biggest boat in the RORC Easter Challenge fleet.

"Sam sailed the first race and we got away quite nicely. She goes like a rocketship in the light stuff," recounted Gray of his Farr 50 which is looking very smart with a new paint job and, for this season, a stiffer mast, new mainsail and an enlarged asymmetric kite. "We were sailing faster than the apparent wind. Tokoloshe is sailing very very well. In the second race today she was way to the right and was first to catch the new breeze." The two boats share the top spot due to Tokoloshe posting a fourth in today's light opener.

In IRC Two, frustrating Andrew McIrvine in his second placed First 40 La Réponse, Andrew Williams' Prima 38 Max 'Ed Out! holds the lead having won both today's races, putting them two points ahead of the RORC Commodore. Williams and his crew have made the trip up from Plymouth to compete. For this season they have changed the name of their boat from Mighty Max III after they enlarged the size of their biggest spinnaker by 35%.

"This is the first time we have raced her with the new rating and it has made a tremendous difference," said Williams. In today's ultra-light first race Williams said it was all about keeping the boat moving. "She is a 14 year old design and we have had three firsts and a fourth, which for a scratch crew with a boat with a new sail configuration we've only been out once with - we feel quite pleased with the way she is performing."

Chris and Hannah Neve's high experienced crew on the Lymington-based First 35 No Chance are slipping away in first place in IRC 3 after posting a 2-1 today. They lead Louise Morton's Mat 1010 by three points. The RORC Easter Challenge is only Mat 1010's second competitive outing. The boat is being sailed by Morton's all-female crew that normally race on the Quarter Tonner Espada, with the exception of Volvo Ocean Race winning navigator Jules Salter, taking time off from his latest campaign with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing. "This morning was quite like Abu Dhabi," quipped helm Josie Gibson.

IRC4 is the only class to have a run-away leader in Grant Gordon's J/97 Fever, now nine points clear of Paul Blowers and Nick Daniels Impala Patriot Games, while in the J/80s Kevin Sproul made a good come back after yesterday's rig issues to win both today's races.

Despite the light wind to start with today, the conditions once again proved ideal for the on-the-water coaching provided by Jim Saltonstall, Barry Dunning and their team. The RORC Easter Challenge is a 'coaching regatta' and the competitors have been lapping up the advice during races as well as the post-race video analysis ashore.

"Today was brilliant because you could concentrate on sail shapes and not get too distracted. At least you aren't battling around in survival conditions like you normally are," commented Ben Jones, the main trimmer on Mike Greville's Erivale of today's coaching. "It is always nice to have a view from outside of the boat and there are some good people there telling you gently and sensitivity that you've got it slightly wrong. We have suffered from a bit of pressure. It is very useful."

"It is really good to have it," agreed Louise Morton of the coaching. "We enjoy going to the briefings and seeing on video how far forward we are for the starts or not. You pick up one or two things every time. Just things like trim and whether we should be sitting further forward on the boat. Jim is very incite-full."

A further two races are scheduled to start at 1000 tomorrow, the final day of racing at the RORC Easter Challenge with a forecast similar to today's.

For more information, visit the RORC web site: www.rorc.org

Royal Cork's Anthony O'Leary has had a disappointing start to the RORC Easter Sailing Challenge on the Solent today writes James Boyd.

Traditionally the Challenge has been an event for full oilskins and thermals to counter the freezing cold and driving rain For the first day of the RORC's annual European season opener, conditions were more like August, albeit with the wind cooled by the still chilly Solent. With this afternoon's first race held in six knots, followed by a puffy breeze gusting at times to an unforecast 12 knots during race two, combined with a building flood tide, it was a tricky day for the tacticians, but with the unseasonal sunshine there were no complaints.

In a class dominated by Ker designs it was the Mark Mills-designed King 40 Tokoloshe of South African Mike Bartholomew that posted two bullets in IRC One. Rob Gray and Sam Laidlaw's perennial Farr 52 Bob, the biggest boat competing, led the way around the race course with a sufficient enough advantage in both races to finish the day with two seconds.

One of the pre-race favourites following her Rolex Commodores' Cup win last year, Antix, the Ker 39 of Anthony O'Leary, had a disappointing first race. "There would be a lot of beeping," said O'Leary when asked to describe what went wrong. "We had a terrible start. After that there was no place to recover, but the second race was fun and it was a lot more pleasant than the last two Easter freeze-outs. It was bloody cold and wet last year..." Antix, which has had no changes made to her since her Rolex Commodores' Cup victory, is currently lying sixth overall in IRC One.

In IRC Two it is even closer with three boats within a point of one another at the top. Tied in first with Andrew Williams' Prima 38 Max 'Ed Out!, is Andrew McIrvine's First 40 La Réponse. "We got tied up on the first beat in the first race and we tacked into more tide against and more wind, but we made a good recovery," recounted the RORC's Commodore, "but the Prima had the best of it." McIrvine was pleased his newly formed crew is starting to gell. They plan to compete in all the RORC races this year, culminating in the Rolex Fastnet Race. "It was a lovely day sailing. You couldn't ask for better. It is like the middle of summer."

Proving his skill is not solely in racing giant multihulls round the world or singlehanded on IMOCA 60s, Brian Thompson is leading IRC 3 with his crew on the J/109 Toe In The Water. However Thompson's crew, that includes several recuperating servicemen, is just one point ahead of Chris and Hannah Neve's much campaigned Lymington-based First 35 No Chance, their team having three Commodores' Cups behind them.

Chris Neve, sailing with the experienced Phil Lawrence on mainsheet, was particularly pleased with their performance in today's second race when they port tacked the fleet and went on to win, despite putting in a penalty turn at the top mark when they tacked too close to another boat.

Leading the J/80s is Douglas Neville-Jones, a relative newcomer to the class, who co-owns his boat with Erivale III owner Mike Greville. Their reason for having the boat is to teach their sons and daughters. "The young ones usually just get sidelined and don't get to understand what's happening," explained Neville-Jones. "Do this [the J/80] and you get involved and that makes a huge difference, because they actually learn about why you are going this way or looking for shifts. Otherwise if you are on the weather rail of a big boat and the guys at the back are discussing whether they are on a shift or not – you aren't aware of that at all."

Throughout the day the coaching squad, led by Jim Saltonstall, has been out on the water in force, helping crews with their boat's tuning, their sail handling and manoeuvres, etc. With the rule preventing 'outside help' being dropped for this regatta, the coaches can get on board and help. Much video of the racing was taken and this was analysed in the Cowes Yacht Haven Events Centre post racing.

"It is incredibly useful," said Mike Moxley of the coaching. His HOD35 Malice is mid-fleet in IRC Three. "Barry Dunning, who has come in to give us a bit of coaching, is always incredibly useful. He is very perceptive. You can see things going on with the sails 50m away that you can't see on board. He has taken trimmers off and put someone on the boat who has coached us directly. So good on RORC – it is very useful. Otherwise you always get good competition - there are some very good helms here and it is always hotly contested."

Racing continues tomorrow with three races scheduled with the first warning signal due at 0955 BST.

Paul Ó Riain, one of the country's elite band of sailors who have represented Ireland internationally, is working with Waterways Ireland to create the first All-Ireland Counties Sailing Championship.

He has come up with the idea of a Waterways Ireland Inter-Counties Sailing Championship, which will be held on Sunday, June 26, at the Grand Canal Dock in Dublin.

Waterways has responsibility for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of inland navigable waterways, principally for recreational purposes. It is one of the six North/South Implementation Bodies established under the British-Irish Agreement of 1999.The waterways under the remit of the body are the Barrow Navigation, the Erne System, the Grand Canal, the Lower Bann, the Royal, the Shannon-Erne Waterway and the Shannon Navigation.

"What we intend is to make sailing centre stage in midsummer," he told me. "We are inviting teams from counties throughout Ireland to battle in the heart of Dublin for the first time to see which county has the best sailing team."

The invitation is not limited to clubs only.

"Sailors from around Ireland are invited to form teams composed of a crew of up to 5 people capable of handling a 27ft keel boat, including at least 1 female, to represent their counties in what will be the battle of the sailing tribes and colours of Ireland. We will find out which county is the best. This is the chance to find out. Racing will be in a series of sprint heats of approximately 20 minutes each leading to semi-finals and finals to decide the winner."

With boats constantly in close quarters, both with each other and the quayside walls, this should be a testing and somewhat 'thrilling' experience for the sailors! It should also be an entertaining spectacle for the public with viewing areas on the quay walls and at Grand Canal Square.

The championship will be sailed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A fleet of the 1720 one-design boats, 27 feet in length, will be provided so that teams compete on a level basis, making skill the deciding factor.

The website is www.waterwaysracing.com

This builds on the Liffey Docklands Challenge which initiated sailboat racing on the Liffey near the city centre. The Grand Canal Dock is part of Ireland's inland waterways system and comprises forty-four acres of non-tidal freshwater in Dublin's Docklands. It has its own marina and a watersports centre, with adjacent hostelries and restaurants, as well as the Grand Canal Theatre.

"This event will be a centrepiece in the Docklands Summer Festival," says Paul, who competed in the French single-handed Figaro Race and is one of those developing the Irish Double and Solo Racing Group. The event will be sponsored by Waterways Ireland.

"We are delighted to do so and hope for participation from both North and South, in keeping with our own remit as an All-Ireland inter-governmental agency," said Martin Dennany, the Waterways Marketing Director. "We are looking forward to this historic dock in Dublin becoming a sailing centre for the challenge."

Ireland will be represented by two sailing teams in the 49er class at Hyères, France next week. The South of France venue is all set to host the Semaine Olympique Française, the fourth regatta on the ISAF Sailing World Cup series.

Both teams of Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern and Ed Butler and Ben Lynch will compete in the high performance double handed class. The aim is qualification for the London Olympics next year.

There will be no other Irish Olympic squad presence in Hyeres.

The ISAF Sailing World Cup has seen some excellent racing in the Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Events at Sail Melbourne in December, US SAILING'S Rolex Miami OCR in January and the Trofeo S.A.R. Princess Sofia MAPFRE at the start of April.

The world's most experienced sailor's preparations for next year's Olympic Sailing Competition are well underway and competition in this year's ISAF Sailing World Cup has been tense. The 2011 Semaine Olympique Française should be no exception.

Dorian van Rijsselberge (NED) will be making the trip to France to sail in his third ISAF Sailing World Cup regatta this season. With victories in the Men's RS:X in Miami and Palma the Dutchman leads the Standings with 40 points.

His nearest rival, Nick Dempsey (GBR) on 37 points, won't be making the trip to Hyères but with World #1 Nimrod Mashich (ISR) and World #2 Piotr Myszka (POL) set to compete, van Rijsselberge will have his work cut out to maintain his perfect record so far.

Just like van Rijsselberge, Spain's Marina Alabau has a perfect record in the Women's RS:X. She won the Rolex Miami OCR and Princess Sofia to lead Charline Picon (FRA) by four points.

Alabau's rivals in the Standings will have a chance to overtake her throughout the week as she won't be sailing in Hyères. Despite Alabau's absence, the field boasts ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Blanca Manchon (ESP), World #2 Bryony Shaw (GBR) and current holder of third place in the Women's RS:X Standings Laura Linares (ITA).

At the Trofeo S.A.R. Princess Sofia MAPFRE Paul Goodison (GBR), Nick Thompson (GBR) and Tom Slingsby (AUS) all went into the Laser Medal Race with a chance of victory. Goodison came out on top of the three in Palma and all will be sailing against each other again in Hyères.

Thompson and Goodison lead the Laser Standings on 38 points with Slingsby third on 37 points.

World #1 and current 49er ISAF Sailing World Cup Standings leaders Nico Delle-Karth and Nikolaus Resch are one of the 65 crews set to compete in Hyéres. The Austrians won Sail Melbourne and came third in Palma.

Princess Sofia winners Manu Dyen and Stephane Christidis (FRA) will also sail in their home regatta alongside Erik Storck and Trevor Moore (USA) and Paul Brotherton and Mark Asquith (GBR).

Forty crews will sail the Star in Hyéres. Amongst the fleet will be the experienced Brazilian duo of Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada, last year's Star ISAF Sailing World Cup silver medallists Andy Horton and James Lyne (USA) and World #3 Johannes Polgar and Markus Koy (GER).

The Women's Match Racing Competition has served up some excellent head to head sailing thus far with four points separating the top four in the Standings.

Sally Barkow (USA) leads with 38 points, Claire Leroy (FRA) and Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) are joint second on 37 points and Silja Lehtinen (FIN) is fourth on 34 points.

Of the top four only Tunnicliffe won't be making the trip to Hyères, and with World #2 Nicky Souter (AUS) and World #3 Lucy Macgregor (GBR) also set to attend the competition is wide open.

Sailing will be centre stage in the Grand Canal Dock on Dublin's inland waterway when teams from counties throughout Ireland battle it out for the inaugural inter county sailing title.

Sailors from around Ireland are invited to submit a team comprising a crew of up to 5 people capable of handling a 27ft keel boat, to include at least 1 female, to represent counties in what organisers say will be the battle of the sailing tribes and colours of Ireland.

Racing  in 1720 sportsboats will comprise a series of sprint flights (heats) of approximately 20 minutes leading to the semi-finals and finals to decide the winner.

With boats constantly in close quarters and potential crash situations both with each other and the solid quay walls, this event promises to be a testing and thrilling experience for the sailors crewing onboard and a highly entertaining spectacle with viewing areas for spectators on the quay walls and the Grand Canal Square.

The championship will take place on Sunday 26th June from 0900hrs – 1600hrs.

A fleet of one design boats 27ft in length is being provided so teams can compete on a level playing field. Ownership of a boat is not necessary, and sailors and clubs wishing to enter a team to represent their county should contact Waterways Racing below.

The Grand Canal Dock is part of Ireland's inland waterways system and comprises 44 acres of non-tidal freshwater in Dublin's Docklands. It has it's own marina, Waterways Interpretive Centre, Watersports Centre and is surround by a multitude of bars and restaurants and is overlooked by the recently opened Grand Canal Theatre.

This event will act as a centre piece in the Docklands Summer Festival 2011 which is being organised by the Docklands Business Forum (www.docklandsbusinessforum.ie) and the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA, www.ddda.ie) to run from Friday 24th – Sunday 26th June.

The event is sponsored by Waterways Ireland, an all island body set up to manage & promote all of Ireland's waterways. Commenting on their sponsorship of the event "We are delighted to be involved in this sailing championship which invites participation from the whole island of Ireland in keeping with our own remit as an inter-governmental agency. We are looking forward to welcoming teams, supporters and the general public to this historic dock in Dublin for the inaugural Waterways Ireland Inter-Counties Sailing Championship" Martin Dennany, Marketing Director, Waterways Ireland.

More here.

The title of Connaught Schools Team Sailing Champions went to Calasantius College, Oranmore last Saturday (16th April). PHOTOS BELOW. The winning team was made up of Rian Conboy, Cian Walsh, Cormac Furey, Rebecca Mullins, Jenny Carberry, Eoin Breen and David Carberry. Connaught school team entrants included last years Connaught Champions Rice College, Westport who were out in force to defend the title however they were knocked out early in the day. From Galway city were teams from St. Joseph's College, The Bish and Coláiste Éinde, (St. Enda's), and from the county were Scoil Chuimsítheach Chiaráin, Carraroe and Calasanctius College, Oranmore.

This event,  sponsored by Yachtsman Euromarine and organised by Bow Waves Marine School was officially opened by Galway TD., Ciaran Cannon, Minister of State for Training and Skills at 9.30am at Bow Waves, in the Galway Ocean Sports Centre in Galway Harbour Enterprise Park. 'Here in Galway we are so lucky to be surrounded by water. Our young people need to be exposed to such leisure sports as sailing at an early age so as to cultivate a passion and respect for a healthy lifestyle and enjoyment of our waterways. Bow Waves provides an extensive portfolio of high quality marine training to all ages and I commend them for their efforts in developing the Connacht Championships here in Galway and all the efforts they are making for school goers to get involved in sailing,' said Mr. Ciaran Cannon, TD.

The first race began just after 10.00am on the course laid out in Lough Atalia making it very accessible for all to spectate and watch the skills of these young sailors. Seeing the dinghy sailing activity on the sparkling water with the sun shine is a great start to a summers activities. This unusual sight attracted the attention of Galwegians and visitors alike. Early in the day, the wind was very light making racing difficult however the wind picked up as the sun came out in the afternoon adding to the excitement of the day.

Serious sailing competition and serious fun are most definitely on the cards as Strangford Lough gears up to host the largest sailing weekend in the North of Ireland from the 24 – 26 June.

As local boats on the Lough launch their boats in preparation for the 2011 sailing season, entries continue to come in from all around the UK and Ireland, making the 2011 event the most exciting ever. From big names in big boats to the small two person Squib class, there will be fantastic racing for everyone on the championship courses around the stunning waters of Strangford Lough. Whether you wish to sail in IRC, One-design, PY or a more relaxed 2-Sail we have a class to suit.

Competitors can look forward to plenty of prizes and a lot of fun. Whilst Principal Race Officer, David Young, puts all his efforts into making sure the on the water activities run smoothly, a dedicated team will be making sure that off the water competitors, crews and visitors will not be short of entertainment. Based in Killyleagh Yacht Club, an extensive programme of bands and live acts will ensure everybody participating has a great weekend as well.

For more information on this event please visit www.slrw.org

The Connaught Schools Team Sailing Championships takes place in Galway this Saturday. Post-primary schools from all around Connaught have been invited to enter a team of six in the regional competition. Last year's Connaught Champions from Rice College, Westport will be out in force to defend their title however with a few new entrants the sailing competition is likely to be exciting. The event will be officially launched by Galway TD., Ciaran Cannon, Minister of State for Training and Skills at 9.30am at Bow Waves, in the Galway Ocean Sports Centre in Galway Harbour Enterprise Park.

The first race begins at 10.15am on the course laid out in Lough Atalia making it very accessible for all to spectate and watch the skills of these young sailors. Each school will have the opportunity to race against all other teams in a round robin series, followed by a semi-finals and a final heat. Viewing vantage points will be from Lough Atalia road and the balcony at the Radisson SAS hotel. This promises to be an action filled day with races running right into the evening.

Bow Waves is a leading watersports facility, based in the Galway Harbour Enterprise Development, running both leisure and commercial marine training courses year round. It was founded in 1996 by Finbarr O'Regan, a seasoned trainer, who has 20 years experience in marine, watersports and safety training.

"We've got the perfect location for sailing within the safe, sheltered waters of Lough Atalia. This is truly a one of kind sailing experience that will be both challenging and lots of fun for students,' O'Regan added.

'As a parent of three children, I see how important it is to sew the seeds early to develop an interest in healthy activities like sailing particularly in their teens,' said Finbarr O'Regan, 'by providing regional competitions like this, we assist children to look to the water as a great hobby and lifestyle into their adult years.' Finbarr and his wife Marguerite met through their involvement in watersports and decided to set up Bow Waves in Galway in the nineties as they settled down in the west of Ireland, having travelled the world with their common passion and interest. 'Our waterways, rivers and Galway Bay are fantastic natural amenities, how we use them and enjoy them can be greatly improved by starting children at a young age and can make a great difference to their future interests and a lifelong hobby,' commented Finbarr.

A new sailing body that claims it will ensure the continuation of the long standing Irish Tall Ships maritime tradition of youth sail training was launched at a ceremony in Dublin Port this afternoon.

The newly established Sail Training Ireland for Youth Development (STIYD) was officially launched by Nigel Rowe, President and Chairman of Sail Training International.

Following the sinking of the Asgard II and the decision to wind up Coiste An Asgard, the future of sail training in Ireland had been uncertain but STIYD will now ensure the continuation of the long standing Irish maritime tradition. More Asgard II News.

At the launch Nigel Rowe also announced that Sail Training International had awarded STIYD with a bursary of €10,000 to help fund the participation of young Irish trainees in The Tall Ships Races 2011. Mr. Rowe remarked "It is wonderful to see Sail Training Ireland for Youth Development emerge from all the uncertainties and anxieties that followed the demise of Coiste an Asgard. The commitment and enthusiasm of the people who have made this happen will ensure its success, and they will have the full support of the international sail training community. With Waterford as a host port for this year's Tall Ships Races we have already committed more than €10,000 to help fund the participation of young Irish trainees."

The aims and objectives of Sail Training Ireland are to promote the development and education of young men and women through the Sail Training experience regardless of nationality, culture, religion, gender or social background as well as to sponsor and support sea-going trainees. Sheila Tyrrell, Chair of the steering group, who has a long history with sail training and in particular the Asgard remarked "We are delighted that we are in a position to formally launch the association, we are now taking applications for bursaries to allow young people to participate in the Tall Ships Race visiting Waterford later this year, and are also recruiting a manager to help manage the affairs of the association."

 

Also in attendance at the launch was Mr. Clayton Love Jnr., founding member of Coiste An Asgard and former President of the ISA. During the afternoons formalities Mr. Love Jnr. was officially awarded Honorary membership of STIYD in recognition of his outstanding contribution to sail training in Ireland.

Sail Training Ireland is also seeking to appoint a part-time manager to help with the development of a business plan and the day to day running of the organisations affairs. Further information on the position and a full job description can be found on the STI website www.irishsailtraining.com. Closing date for applications is Friday 22nd April.

The launch, sponsored by Arklow Shipping, was hosted by Dublin Port who are one of a number of ports supportive of the project.

All the latest Tall Ships News from Ireland.

Back from the deep. Should Asgard's bell ring out in Waterford? You decide. Poll.