Displaying items by tag: Optimist
Optimists Race At Resumed Spiddal Regatta
Oppie sailors took to Galway Bay at the weekend for the resumed Cumann Seoltóireachta an Spidéil (CSS) annual regatta.
Challenging conditions off An Spidéal the previous weekend had restricted racing to the mixed fleet of 420, Laser, Pico and Topaz dinghies, and freshening winds forced an early finish on safety grounds.
Lighter winds on Sunday (October 23) and a rare absence of rain after a week of broken weather and heavy showers allowed the club’s Oppie fleet to launch for a series of three races set by officer of the day Stephen O’Gorman and commodore Eoin Ó Conghaíle.
The winner in the Oppie fleet was Liam Riggott, and Padraic Halliday, also of CSS, took second place.
Seán Ó Conghaíle took third, and Sarah MacAodha finished in fourth place.
Participation by Picos has also been cancelled on safety grounds the previous week. CSS sailing duo Sarah Donald and Rory McHale were presented with the overall Pico trophy for their participation.
Lucy Moynan is Royal Cork Optimist Cobbler League Series 2022 Winner
The host club's Lucy Moynan was the winner of the Royal Cork Optimist Cobbler League Series 2022
Second was RCYC's Andrew O'Neill, with clubmate Dougie Venner third.
The League took place across the first four Sundays of October and ran until October 23rd, with racing for Optimist regatta (with the biggest fleet of 17), junior and senior fleets.
Tara Hayes was the junior fleet winner, followed by Eóin Pierse.
Optimist Dinghy RCYC Cobbler League 2022 Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman
IODAI Announce Big Plans for Optimist National Training Week at Lough Derg Yacht Club
Exciting times for the Irish Optimist fleet with momentum quickly building towards the IODAI National Training Week taking place from the 2nd to the 5th of November.
Scheduled over four days, with over 130 participating young sailors from 16 different clubs across the Country. It is certainly one of the largest sailing training events to be held on our shores for many years. Hosted by Lough Derg Yacht Club in Dromineer, Co Tipperary, the focus is on fun, friendship and learning new sailing skills.
The National Training Week marks the end of a long season for Optimist Sailors and their families. In keeping with previous years, its goal is to have as much fun as possible, with new friends made throughout the season and for older sailors to have one final get together before the end of the year.
The coaching ticket will be led by Thomas Chaix (FRA), Soren Laungesen (DEN) and Dennis Paaske (DEN). They will be joined by the best National and Regional coaches. Coaching endorsement prior to the event in Lough Derg will take place, which will see our home-grown talent and coaches being afforded the opportunity to grow and develop their own skill sets.
The Development Squad and the Under 12 team will join the Training Week. Over twenty sailors have applied for the IODAI Development Squad, which sees sailors transitioning from the regatta fleet into the main fleet as well as Bronze fleet sailors join together for their first experience of the National group. They will be led by coach Peter McCann from Cork. The Under 12 Team will be led by coach Frances Corkery. These U12 sailors will be taking their first steps together as they work towards the British National Championship in Weymouth next August.
The Optimist Fleet is one of the largest and most active in the country and is the most popular boat for kids to start sailing. IODAI have been working to see the establishment of up-to-date safeguarding policies and the collaboration with other stakeholders with regard to progressing from the Optimist to other double and single-hander classes. The National Training Week will see a series of workshops for both sailors and parents alike, focusing on sportsmanship, performance pathways, trials and team selection, sailor development and progression, racing rules, clinics and feedback sessions with class captains from around the country.
Most importantly, National Training Week has a packed social programme with discos, wonderful food offerings and a play zone for the whole of the fleet to enjoy. The continued success of the racing and coached regatta fleets will see that even the very youngest of sailors feel fully part of the event and their Oppie family.
The bookend to the event will be the Halloween Regatta which incorporates the Crosbie Cup.
This event is sponsored by Grant Thornton, CH Marine and Dinghy Performance.
Success for Royal St. George Yacht Club Optimist Sailors in 2022 IODAI National Rankings
In the 69-boat Optimist dinghy Senior Fleet, Dun Laoghaire Harbour's Royal St. George Yacht Club had eight sailors in the top 15 of the 2022 IODAI National Rankings, namely Jules Start (1st boy and 1st overall), Caoilinn Geraghty- McDonnell (1st girl and 2nd overall), Conor Cronin (2nd boy and 3rd overall), Abigail Murphy (2nd girl and 5th overall) and Carolina Carra (4th girl and 7th overall), Marcus Shelley (7th boy and 12th overall), Hannah Scott (6th girl and 14th overall) and Zita Tempany (7th girl and 15th overall).
In the 58-boat Junior Fleet, a further seven George sailors finished up in the top 15 of the 2022 IODAI National Rankings, namely Lily Donagh (1st girl and 1st overall), Emily Donagh (2nd girl and 2nd overall), Maeve Donagh (3rd girl and 6th overall), Max O’Hare (5th boy and 8th overall), Juliette Ryan (5th girl and 10th overall), Finn Foley (6th boy and 11th overall) and Ella Rock (6th girl & 12th overall).
"These results are a testament to the hard work these and all of the other 20+ George sailors competing in Main Fleet at IODAI National Events have put in both on and off the water throughout the year", RStGYC Optimist Performance Program Organiser Gavan Murphy," told Afloat.
"Recognition must also go to Sarah Fogarty and Peter Fagan, who runs the Oppie performance coaching programme in the George", Murphy added.
The preparations in Dromineer (LDYC) for the second edition of the Optimist National Training Week are well underway.
Building on the lessons of last year and under the leadership of three experienced international coaches, home-based Thomas Chaix and Danish coaches Soren Laugesen and Dennis Paaske), the team say they are ready to make the Lough Derg-based clinic a success.
The coaches promise to make the Halloween mid-term break one to remember for all Optimist sailors and their parents.
Whilst parents will have access to information sessions managed by the International Optimist Dinghy Association of Ireland (IODAI), the sailors will enjoy quality coaching sessions afloat and ashore, fun games, and simply a great time with friends from various clubs around the country.
The clinic will run on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of November, with the 5th dedicated to the Crosbie Cup (a perpetual cup raced by Bronze and Silver fleets) and the Open Halloween regatta.
With 68 entries to date and many more expected before the 14th of October deadline, the clinic is still on course to be the largest training camp in years for Irish junior sailors.
Entry link deadline, October 14th) and enter here
Biggest Fleet for Howth Yacht Club's Hosting of IODAI 'Ulster' Optimist Championships
Howth Yacht Club delivered 145 Optimist dinghies for IODAI's Ulster Championships, over the Maritime Festival weekend and with the support of Fingal County Council.
The IODAI Optimist regional had its biggest Irish fleet last weekend with 85 main fleet and 60 regatta fleet for the event. With a big mix of conditions, Principal Race Officer Richard Kissane delivered six races, by getting four races in the bag on Saturday in light conditions and 2 windy races Sunday in the shelter of the Claremont Strand.
Dun Laoghaire sailor Jules Start was 1st in the Senior Fleet, with local sailor Harry Dunne missing out due to a black flag in R6.
In the Junior Fleet, Lilly Donagh from Lough Derg took first place; as one of three siblings to take the top three positions on the board, with sisters Emily and Maeve coming in 2nd and 3rd.
Kate Spain was the best local sailor, with a top-five finish in the Junior Fleet.
The Optimist class also run a gold, silver, and bronze league to maintain competition throughout the fleets.
Top Five Senior
1. Jules Start (RSGYC)
2. Caoillin Geraghty McDonnell (RSGYC)
3. Conor Cronin (MYC)
4. Jude Hynes Knight (TBSC)
5. Gemma Brady (LDYC)
Top Five Junior (U12)
1. Lilly Donagh (LDYC)
2. Maeve Donagh (LDYC)
3. Emily Donagh (LDYC)
4. Kate Spain (HYC)
5. Finn Foley (RSGYC)
There was lots to do for families at the Fingal Maritime Festival in Howth Harbour this weekend, which carried on inside the club, too.
The IODAI regatta coaching initiative occupied the younger sailors (ages 7-9yrs) with games, sailing coaching, and kayaking, while the Regatta Racing Fleet (ages 9-10yrs) for the less experienced got in 8 races under IODAI coach Kate Darcy and PRO Dave Sargent. Aurele Dion (NYC) Dylan O’Sullivan (RCYC) and Oliver Ryan (MYC), Jacob Browne (NYC) and Arthur Fegan (MYC) shared the prizes.
Next stop on the IODAI is the National Training week on 2-5 November at Lough Derg; aimed at the whole fleet, the week also includes a focus on developing coaches for the future.
Valuable Big Fleet Experience for Four Northern Ireland Sailors at Royal St George YC Optimist Nationals
The four Northern Ireland competitors at the Irish National Optimist championships at Royal St George YC certainly had four days of valuable race experience last week which will stand them well for the future.
The four, three siblings from the Doig family, George, Freddie and Penny from East Antrim BC on Larne Lough and Matthew Holden from Ballyholme YC on Belfast Lough turned in commendable results in big fleets in challenging conditions ranging from the blistering heat, fickle winds, and strong tides.
It was challenging too for the Chief Race Office, Ed Totterdell, supported by David Lovegrove and David Bolger.
In the 37-strong Regatta Racing Fleet, a new departure for IODAI, ten-year-old Penny Doig had a 20th as her best place, and her brother George (12) finished 28th in the 70-strong Junior fleet with a best finish of 16th.
In the Senior fleet, Matthew Holden was 18th overall, counting his best result of 13th and Freddie Doig was 20th overall with scores which included a best result of 12th of 55 and in the same fleet.
Lucy Whitford Commodore of East Antrim BC was delighted to see the club junior and youth sailors representing the club; “They are gaining valuable racing skills to bring back to club racing. Freddie, George and Penny have had a busy couple of weeks and now it is the turn of our Topper, Laser and RS sailors who are all competing next weekend, good luck to them all”.
More on the Optimist Nationals here
GBR and IRL Sailors Share the Prizes at the RStGYC Irish Optimist National Championships (Prizegiving Photo Gallery Here)
The final day of the four day, Grant Thornton, Avolon and SeaChange Now sponsored Irish Optimist National Championships at the Royal St. George Yacht Club brought further light winds and blistering sunshine to Dublin Bay.
The hope was to sail two races in the Main Fleet to bring the complete race schedule to eight races. However, just one was sailed in a five to six knot northerly before perseverant race officers Ed Totterdell and David Lovegrove had no choice but to send sailors ashore as the breeze had reduced to two to four knots and was oscillating wildly.
GBR sailor Lila Edwards of Parkstone Yacht Club (PYC) continued her form with a fourth-place finish in the final race to take the Open Championship prize in the Senior Main Fleet, while IRL sailor Conor Cronin of MYC/RSGYC took the Irish Championship prize with Caoilinn Geraghty- McDonnell (RSGYC) in second and Harry Dunne (HYC) in third.
In the Junior Main fleet, GBR sailors Eliana Edwards (PYC), Jonny Rogers (Royal Limington YC) and Harry Draper (PYC) took first, second and third place, respectively, in the Open Championship prize category, while Emily Donagh (LDYC/RSGYC), Kate Spain (HYC) and Max O’Hare (RSGYC) took first, second and third place in the Irish Championship category.
After ten races in the Regatta Racing fleet, Aureiele Dion (NYC) was first, with Oliver Ryan (MYC/RSGYC) in second and GBR sailor Finn Byrne (Royal Southern) in third. Irish sailor Alex Butcher (MYC) took third in the Irish Championship prize.
In the Regatta Coached fleet, RSGYC sailors Adam Anderson, Jessica Walsh and Rebecca Murdock took first, second and third place, respectively.
At the sun-kissed closing ceremony, Mary Hanafin, Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, highlighted the success of the female sailors across all categories and encouraged them to continue sailing and sports pursuits, especially through their formative teenage years. Mark Hennessey, RSGYC Vice Commodore, thanked the Cathaoirleach and DLRCOCO for their support of the event, particularly granting access to the Carlisle Pier for boat and trailer parking.
Irish Optimist Championship Prizegiving 2022 at Royal St. George Yacht Club by Andrew Clonan
Brendan Foley, Event Chairman, thanked the forty GBR sailors, their parents and coaches for making the trip over, which very much added to the fun and competitive nature of the event.
The Royal St George put on a masterclass in event management, with many visiting sailors saying it was the best event they had attended in quite some time. The sun most definitely helped add to the festival feel, but without the seventy-plus volunteers working tirelessly behind the scenes, this event simply would not have been the great success it was.
Dublin Bay turned up the heat again today for the Royal St. George Yacht Club run Irish Optimist National Championships, kindly sponsored by Grant Thornton, Avolon and SeaChange Now.
The sea breeze took a little longer to materialize, but when it did, it was certainly worth the wait.
After a course relocation further out into the Bay to get out to the building breeze, the Main Fleet was rewarded with a 10-13 knot easterly for their three races.
In the Senior Main fleet, GBR sailor Lila Edwards of Parkstone Yacht Club (PYC) showed her class again today with a second and first to add to her tally, leaving her in first overall, with Conor Cronin (MYC/RSGYC) and Harry Dunne (HYC/SDC) in second and third place respectively.
In the Junior Main Fleet, GBR sailors Eliana Edwards (PYS), Jonny Rogers (RLYC) & Harry Draper (PYC) hold first, second and third place respectively, with FRE sailor Lochlainn Hanley (LYC/CVS) just a point behind in fourth place.
The Regatta Racing fleet were raced closer to shore off the back of the East Pier and were challenged with a strong ebb tide in a slightly weaker breeze than Main Fleet, however, race officer David Bolger persevered and managed to get a remarkable five races in, bringing the total race schedule to seven so far. GBR sailor Finn Byrne of Royal Southern leads Oliver Ryan (MYC/RSGYC), with Aurele Dion (NYC) in third.
Following a morning in the harbour doing race practice, the Regatta Coached fleet joined the Regatta Racing fleet outside in the Bay for the afternoon and managed to get three super races in, leaving Zoe O’Hare, Adam Anderson & Jessica Walsh (all RSGYC) in first, second and third place respectively.
After a long day on the water, competitors were treated to hot food and Teddy's ice cream, which went down as a real treat amongst hungry sailors.
This was followed by the daily prize giving and firm event favourite, the ‘in it to win it draw’, which included signed Irish rugby jerseys and phones compliments of Vodafone, as well as lots of lovely Viking Marine, provided loot.
Conor Cronin is Overnight Optimist Championship Leader as One Race is Sailed at Royal St. George
Unfortunately, the wind god’s didn’t play ball on Dublin Bay for day two of the Grant Thornton, Avolon and SeaChange Now sponsored Irish Optimist Dinghy National Championships at the Royal St. George Yacht Club.
Just one race was sailed across both Junior & Senior Main fleets. Unfortunately, the northerly gradient never allowed the sea breeze to materialize, leading to a four to six knot average wind across the Bay. Nonetheless, the race committee persevered and managed to squeeze one race in before the decision was made to send the fleets ashore, not before they enjoyed some swimming, water fights and sunbathing from the mother ships.
Conor Cronin of MYC/RSGYC is the Senior Main Fleet overnight leader on equal points with Lila Edwards of Parkstone Yacht Club (PYC) in second, with Dylan Creighton of Cardiff Bay in third. Harry Draper, also of PYC, is leading the Junior Main Fleet, with Toby Waggett (TDSWC) and Max O’Hare (RSGYC) in a tie for second place.
In the Regatta Racing fleet, GBR sailor Finn Byrne of Royal Southern is leading Aurele Dion of NYC, with GBR sailor Roisin Epstein in third. In the Regatta Coached fleet, RSGYC sailors Jessica Walsh, Adam Anderson and Megan Foley lead the way in first, second and third place, respectively.
The Royal St. George put on another fabulous evening of fun, games, music and food before sun-kissed and tired sailors headed for bed, no doubt hoping for a breezier day tomorrow. The highlight of the evening was the daily prize giving and the ‘in it to win it’ prize draw, once again kindly sponsored by Viking Marine & Vodafone.