The last week has been light, very light, and Ireland enjoyed a week of late summer. The conditions were too light for any races at the National Yacht Club Junior September Series in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, so the tally remained at three races after the races were completed on the series' weekend.
The ILCA (Laser) Connaughts was raced in Wexford (very fluid regional limits). The race officer managed to secure four races, as Afloat reports here. Sam Ledoux started with an OCS disqualification before scoring three race wins, securing the title in the ILCA 7 (Full rig) for his first event in the class.
RYA NI Youth Champs
Many NYC young sailors journeyed to Ballyholme to compete at the RYA Northern Ireland youth championships, a multi-class youth event marking the end of the season in the North and launching their winter training programmes.
In the Topper Class, three races were completed, and Rory Brennan-Hobbs took the title. Consistency in the difficult light conditions was key, and his event resulted from steady progress all season. Seventh overall, Kate Kenny secured bronze in the girls. James Gorman concluded his event in 12th.
In the Feva class, Matthew Holden (with his local crew, Peter Ridout) took the title ahead of Felix Dion and Lucas Browne. Grace Keating and Hannah Walsh completed the unique race and sailed for the class in fifth overall.
The 29th event was also the Northerns. NYC girls Ella Fitzgerald and Lisa Flynn were putting their latest training to the test and completed the unique race sailed in 3rd (1st girls).
This year's event had a small Optimist fleet, and Alex Butcher used the event as practice prior to next week's Connaughts in Lough Ree (over 150 entries expected). After three races completed, he secured Silver.
It was a great show from NYC young sailors, and they are now looking forward to the Optimist Connaughts and the Feva Southern Championships.