#lasersailing – Four race wins from six sailed at the Ulster Laser Championships at East Antrim Boat Club gave 2016 Olympic contender Finn Lynch of the National Yacht Club a clean sweep of the 15–boat standard fleet. It's the 17–year–old's second regional title this season he picked up Munster honours at Baltimore a month ago.  

In the 15–boat radial division, youth national champion Seafra Guilfoyle of Royal Cork went one better to seal the title with five race wins.

In the 4.7s, there was a similar domination as Guilfoyle's club mate Johnny Durcan took four wins. His twin brother, Harry, was also in winning form at the weekend at the Optimist Connaughts.

Full results are available to download below. 

#lasermasters – Defending Champion Thomas Chaix will be back on Dublin Bay to defend his 2014 Irish Laser Masters Championships along with other confirmed entries from Howth, Malahide, Cork and Ballyholme. The local Bay fleet aims to muster a strong contingent too so it's shaping up to be great event, according to organiser Paul Keane.

Racing will able available in standard, radial and 4.7 rigs. Sailors must be over 35 on the first day of the event.

The event is hosted by the Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) on the 31st May and the 1st June.

Live fleet tracking is promised and Saturday's après race BBQ is included in the entry fee for the LogMeIn–sponsored event. More details can be found here.

According to the International Laser class, Masters racing is broken into four age divisions: Apprentice (35-44 years old), Master (45-54 years old), Grand Master (55-64 years old) and Great Grand Master (65+). At the highly competitive but very fun World Championships racing against competitors is only in one age division but elsewhere racing can be an all in affair.

#youthsailing – Fresh from his significant 15th overall a week ago at the Laser Europa Cup in Marseille, Royal Cork's Seafra Guilfoyle took a three point lead after the initial three races in today's opening rounds of the youth national championships off Howth. Guilfyole has a 3, 1, 1 putting him in pole position ahead of Kinsale's Ross O'Sullivan and Royal Cork club mate Cian Byrne, who were also competing in France.

420 dinghy locals Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove won the first two races and finished second in the final race of the day in the double–handed class. They lead Royal Cork's Harry Whitaker & Grattan Roberts and Peter McCann & Arran Walsh.

Full results here.

#baltimoresc – West Cork's Baltimore Sailing Club has been redeveloped over the winter months thanks to the support of the West Cork Development Partnership and the generosity of members and local businesses. 

The new club house and Comoodore Joan Collins welcomed its first event at the weekend when regular visitors, the Irish Laser Class sailed for Munster honours.

Commenting on the first event in the newly renovated facilities, Commodore Collins said: 'We are delighted to host the Lasers again. The Easter weekend in Baltimore is a stable in the Laser calendar for over 20 years and sailors of all ages from all over Ireland congregate here this weekend every year.

All the contractors worked hard to ensure that the new clubhouse was finished in time and I would like to thank Danske Bank for supporting us in our inaugural event in our new clubhouse. We look forward to welcoming more National and International events to Baltimore over the coming years.'

#laser – Just days after success in Croatia on the European circuit, Laser sharp Finn Lynch was back in action in home waters to take Laser Munster Championships honours at the brand new Baltimore Sailing Club.

Over 100 sailors were competing for the Easter weekend Danske Bank sponsored event in three Laser classes; 4.7, radial and standard rigs.

Day one saw 10-12 knots of breeze in glorious sunshine. In the first race in the Olympic Laser Standard class Rory Lynch was in first place but it was his brother Finn who was the overall winner with a 5, 2, 1 result in the three races of the day. On Day 2 Finn from the National Yacht Club continued his form with a 4, 1, 1, in the second day to claim victory over Robbie Gilmore from Strangford Lough and in third place Eoin Keller from Lough Derg Yacht Club and Fionn Lyden from Baltimore in fourth place.

17–year–old Lynch came to Baltimore following a strong performance at the Split Olympic week where he finished tenth overall but much more importantly earned a place on the Irish Olympic sailing team and a second Laser spot for Ireland at the Olympic qualifier in Santander, Spain in September.  Lynch will join London 2012's James Espey (currently lying 70th from 128 starters after day one at the ISAF world cup in Hyeres) to fight for Ireland's single space on the Rio startline. 

In the 37 strong Radial class, after day one Ryan Glynn from Ballyholme YC was ahead of Daragh O'Shea, Kinsale YC, Jack Higgins, Royal St George Yacht Club and local sailor Mark Hassett and Erica Ruigrok from Rush SC. Day Two saw stronger steadier breezes and the day started with Erica Ruigrok winning the first race with Mark Bolger from Royal St George/Baltimore SC winning the second race from strong local competition from Dermot Lyden and Mark Hassett. The final race was won by Ryan Glynn who was the overall winner by an impressive margin of 23 points with Mark Hassett in second place, Erica Ruigrok from Rush SC in third and Mark Bolger finishing fourth.

In the 4.7 class Johnny Durcan from RCYC who was the overnight leader went on to win the event with Rory Caslin from the National YC and Daniel Raymond also from the National YC in Dun Laoghaire finishing in second and third respectively.

#olympicsailing–17–year–old Finn Lynch is a step closer to fulfilling his dream of representing Ireland in Rio 2016 tonight after earning a second Laser Standard nation place at Spit Olympic week in Croatia. Lynch's tenth overall result puts two Irish Lasers on the startline at the Olympic qualifier in Santander, Spain this autumn.

The National Yacht Club sailor, who earned world youth silver in 2012, finished 10th overall and tenth country in Crotia today and joins London 2012's James Espey with the aim of qualifying Ireland for Rio at the first opportunity this September.

The Carlow teen showed the depth of his ambition again last season when he took Laser European honours on his home waters of Dublin Bay winning bronze in the Men's Radial Worlds, silver in the Europeans and gold in the U21 category. The 17-year-old from Bennekerry County Carlow sailed consistently throughout that 12 race regatta with nine top-five finishes, including two race wins.

The Carlow Laser racer was our sailor of the month for July last year and it looks like there's no stopping the youngster's progress.

Strangford's Chris Russell was also competing in Split this week. Regatta results downloadable below.

#laser – The complete absence of any Irish Laser Radial presence at Weymouth for the RYA youth nationals this week is explained by the eight Irish sailors competing at the Laser Europa Cup in Marseille, France. Royal Cork's Seafra Guilfoyle produced a significant 15th overall and top Irish result in the 158–boat fleet. A total of 346 sailors with ages ranging from 15 to 79 competed in this edition of the 2014 series.

Other Irish results were 21 Cian Byrne, 36 Ross O'Sullivan, 48 Dara O'Shea, 66 Ryan Glynn, 71 Liam Glynn, 84 Sarah Eames and 93 Sorcha Ni Shuilleabhan.

French sailor Romain Simonnot (FRA) took the title in the Radial fleet finishing on 21 points followed by another tie between second and third place. Marie Bolou (FRA) and William De Smet (BEL) were tied on 25 points with the French sailor breaking the tie having recorded more third place finishes.

There was a bit of everything wind wise including shifty light to around 15 knots at times.

Racing which concluded today got off most days at around noon except for the third day when the first start was at about five and sailors docking as the sun went down.

First place on the podium for the Standard fleet went to Maxim Nikolaev (RUS) who after 8 races and one discard finished on 17 points.

There was a tie of 19 points for second and third place. Antony Munos (FRA) with two bullets on the final day grabbed second overall and Thorbjorn Schierup (DEN) took third.

The largest fleet of all with a total of 119 competitors was the Laser 4.7. Racing was dominated by Federico Fornasari (ITA) who finished on 10 points from 7 races including one discard. Second place went to Seref Unlu (TUR) on 33 points and Aurelien Pierroz (FRA) with 35 points wrapped up the podium.

Results here.

#Laser - The final weekend of the Dun Laoghaire Laser Frostbite was a real cracker, as the high winds of the morning moderated around midday and the sun came out.

The race officer set his usual trapezoid with the windward mark just off the west pier, making for a shifty last third of the beat, and the 16 Lasers that made the start looked forward to a longer than usual five-lap race.

The pin end was marginally favoured, and the beat was a little one-sided, meaning that most boats soon tacked onto port for the long fetch across the harbour.

The fleet sailed hard up the first beat, hiking in a way that you only ever see on the last weekend of a series. At the windward mark it was Richard Harding who managed to nip round first ahead of Dwyer and a significant group containing David Cahill, Graham Elmes and Alan Hodgins. 

The first reach was tight and gusty, and the bear away at the end was dangerous. Harding led down the first run with Elmes and then Cahill threatening. At the leeward mark it was Harding from Cahill and Elmes.

The wind remained shifty and there were opportunities to make ground if you could pick the right spot to take the short hike across on starboard, but the large part of the upwind section involved thrashing though the short chop at the entrance to the harbour.

At the front Harding gradually extended from Cahill. Elmes and Hodgins had a close battle for a couple of laps with Elmes finally getting the jump on Hodgins.

From a series perspective, Harding needed to take two points from Cahill to take overall honours. But although Elmes threatened, he never quite got onto the transom of Cahill, who sailed hard to retain his second place in the final race, and win the Frostbite Series overall by one point from Harding.

At the prize giving there was general agreement that the Frostbite had been a great success. All those involved, from the race officer to the safety crews to the bar staff at the DMYC were warmly thanked for all the hard work that they had put in to making the event such a success.

#hyc – Sailors were greeted with a stiff 12 to 15 knot Southerly, as the sun slowly but surely managed to break through the clouds in what proved an eventful last day of Howth Yacht Club's laser series on Sunday.

Two races were sailed back to back, with the tide dictating the tactics on the start line and subsequent beats. Despite the busy Committe boat end the fleet had a clean start as most of the sailors tacked early out to the right. For those who fancied their luck on the left side of the course could only watch as the Starboard tackers crossed in front by a country mile. Conor Murphy of Malahide, fresh from his win at the IUSA Intervarsities,led this race from start to finish in what was a deserving win, despite the efforts of Paul McMahon who was in hot pursuit!

The strong flood tide reassured sailors that there was only one way to sail the beat, and that was to head for the Starboard layline. Again, the fleet got away cleanly and most tacked immediately out to the right. Ronan Cull led from Sean Craig at the WW mark and the two managed to hold their positions to the end.

The overall standings for the Standard Rig: 1st Place - Ronan Cull; 2nd Place - Sean Craig; 3rd Place - Colm Cunningham

In the Radial, Aoife Hopkins took first prize to round off a successful Winter season.

Next week will officially conclude proceedings with the Annual Round the Island race, and here at Howth we're hoping for a great turnout once again from near and far.

This year will also see the RS 400 fleet join in on the fun, so hopefully the weather holds out!"

#hyc– A more civilised wind forecast greeted the Howth Frostbite sailors last Sunday, with a Fresh SSE at 15knots made for an enjoyable two races in the rain. The Race Committee (RC) ran two great Olympic course races for the 16 sailors who made it to the start line.

Race 1 saw an early start with most of the fleet over the line due to the turning ebb tide.

After a General Recall, the fleet got away successfully with a Committee boat favoured start line. Those who started near the RC boat were able to climb over those further down the line in a lifting gust out to the Port lay line. Racing was tight up the first beat on this occasion with the top five boats rounding within seconds of each other at the top mark.

A tricky cross swell on the run made for a few capsizes and those who stayed in the gusts on the left side of the downwind run made significant gains. Paul McMahon took line honours after fending off several chasing sailors.

Race two got underway with a Port favoured line with the leaders coming off the pin sailing to the left side of the course. Paul McMahon, once again took the initiative by putting some good distance between himself and the chasing pack on the reaches.

The Final race day of the series is next Sunday so we're hoping for a big turnout!