Entries for the Mitsubishi Motors SB3 Eastern Championships are now being taken online, with an earlybird entry fee discount of €20 applying until April 1. Don't be an April fool. Get your entry in ahead of time. The link to the form is over the fold.

Olivier Prouveur, president of the Irish Double & Solo Racing Group and volunteer of the year nominee, has announced a new race from Dun Laoghaire to La Rochelle as part of the double-handers' season calendar. The Challenge Cote Atlantique will start on Monday July 5, and is just one of many events now open to short-handed sailors in Ireland. 

The new website of the Cruising Association of Ireland has gone live after a launch at the ISA Annual Conference in Naas. The association has been formed as an online-only entity to promote the development of cruising around Irish coasts.

The Dinghy Supplies Howth Laser Spring Series was completed last Sunday in 16kts and bright sunshine. The notorious south easterly made for very shifty lake like conditions with the wind coming directly off the hill.

Galway will be announced as the finish port for the Volvo Ocean Race on Wednesday, according to a report in the Irish Times today. Taoiseach Brian Cowen is expected to announce the stopover, won after a period of intense lobbying by the 'Let's do it Galway' group behind the 2009 visit. The Green Dragon will also be pressed into service once more.

The Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race is turning into a truly international event with confirmed entries from boats representing eight nations in the non-stop race organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and sponsored by the specialist yacht and motorboat shipping company, Sevenstar.

The Irish Sailing Association bestowed its top honours on Saturday night at the gala dinner during its annual conference. Inveterate Laser Class volunteer, Ron Hutchieson, was honoured for nearly 40 years tireless work with the Lasers and as a judge as Volunteer of the Year. RTE stalwart Tom MacSweeney was recognised for his services to Irish Marine Communities through his broadcasting. Philip Doran picked up Youth Sailor of the Year.

The Irish Sailing Association will not pursue the formation of a National Watersports Centre, it was announced this weekend. ISA CEO Harry Hermon said that he would be advising the ISA board that a survey of ISA members showed there was little appetite for the development. The organisation is still looking into moving its head offices.

UCD's senior men's eight beat Trinity by four lengths to take their third Gannon Cup in-a-row on Saturday. In the senior women’s Colours race, Trinity trailed for most of the course from O’Connell Bridge to St James’s Gate but rowed through UCD before the finish. UCD’s boat stopped dead after their number three rower caught a crab. 

Courtown sailor Philip Doran was tonight unveiled as Ireland's Youth Sailor of the Year at a ceremony in the Osprey Hotel in Naas. Doran, who moved from the Topper class to the Laser Radial, won two world titles in the Radial following an U16 world title in the Laser 4.7 with the U17 Laser Radial Youth Worlds title in 2009.