The first day of the ILCA/Laser Irish National Championships at Tralee Bay Sailing Club in County Kerry was almost perfect; the only thing lacking was a little sunshine!

Race Officer John Leech ran three races for all fleets in winds varying from 10 to 23 knots.

A 20-degree wind shift delayed the start but thereafter, the racing was exciting and sometimes a little bit too exciting as a number of the less experienced sailors found the conditions tough to cope with.

A small number of boats also suffered damage due to the conditions but everyone was safe ashore and buzzing after a great but hard day on the water.

In the ILCA 7 fleet, Nick Walsh from the RCYC leads with two bullets and a second, followed by Dan O'Connell and Rory Lynch.

In the ILCA Six fleet, Fiachra McDonnell from Royal St. George in Dun Laoghaire is a point ahead of Aoife Hopkins (HYC), with Michael Crosbie (RCYC) in third.

Finally, the younger sailors in the ILCA Four fleet showed the way to their older colleagues, and here it is the ladies to the fore as they occupy 4 of the first five places. Hannah Dudley Young (BYC) had three bullets to lead from Maeve Leonard and Isabel McCarthy, both from RCYC.

Three further races are scheduled for Friday, and the wind looks strong again!

Tralee Bay Sailing Club in County Kerry will host this year's ILCA/Laser National Open Championship from this Thursday 18th, to Sunday 21st of August.

Eleven races are scheduled for each of the three fleets over the four-day event, and the weather forecast suggests there should be no problem completing a full programme.

The large entry includes a number of very successful sailors from the class who are sure to be at the sharp end of the fleet when the event finishes.

There is also a large entry of local sailors who have been training very hard for the event in a bid to do their home club proud.

The principal race officer is John Leech, who is well known to the class.

The first of the Cork Laser/ILCA Tri Series Sprints took place last Sunday at Bantry Bay Sailing Club in West Cork.

Race officer Deirdre Kingston delayed first gun by an hour to 12.55 pm to allow for a strong sea breeze to fill in before starting the first of five short sprints.

The format was an all-in start of 19 boats, both ILCA4 and 6 on a trapezoidal course in 12 to 14-knot winds with the backdrop of Bantry Bay.

The Tri Series Sprints sailors gather at Bantry Bay for a pre-race briefing

The racing was very tight, with the ILCA 6s going down to the last race as the battle of the Daniels, where both Daniel O'Keeffe (Bantry) and Daniel Mallon (Royal Cork) were on two wins a piece. Daniel Mallon won the last race to finish first on the day, Daniel O Keeffe second and Joe O Sullivan (Royal Cork) third.

There were 12 to 14-knot winds on Bantry Bay for the first leg of the Tri-Series

Isabel Mc Carthy was first in ILCA4, with Ethel Bateman second and Eve Mc Carthy third (All Royal Cork).

Bantry Bay Sailing Club pulled out all the stops to make everyone very welcome at the barbeque afterwards.

As Afloat previously reported, the Tri-Series is open to all, with the next event being Sunday the 4th of September in Inniscarra Sailing and Kayaking Club.

This Sunday sees the first of three ILCA (Laser) Sprint Regattas being held in Cork by Bantry Bay Sailing Club, Inniscarra Sailing and Kayaking Club, and the Royal Cork Yacht Club.

This Sunday's Sprint event is in Bantry Bay Sailing Club in West Cork with the first gun at 11.55 am.

RCYC Laser Class Captain Tim McCarthy says, "there will be five short (Sprint) races each day with entry open to all here on for both ILCA 4 (Laser 4.7) and ILCA 6 (Laser Radial)". 

Sunday, September 4th, Sprint is in Inniscarra Sailing and Kayaking Club, on the outskirts of Cork city.

Prizes will be awarded on the day and for the series at the series end on Sunday, September 18th in Crosshaven at RCYC.

The event schedule is as follows:

• Bantry Bay Sailing club August 7th
• Inniscarra Sailing & Kayaking Club Sept 4th
• Royal Cork Yacht Club Sept 18th

This weekend saw a record turnout at the ILCA/Laser Ireland Leinster Championships 2022 hosted by the Royal St. George Yacht Club in association with MGM Boats.

90 sailors entered the ILCA/Laser fleet’s Leinster Championships in Dun Laoghaire this weekend making it the largest event so far this season for ILCA Ireland, the new name for the Irish Laser Association. With challenging conditions on both days for both the race management team and sailors alike, this turned out to be quite an eventful competition.

Chris Bateman (157561) and James Murphy reaching in the ILCA 7s at the Leinster Championships 2022 on Dublin Bay

All the signs were that Howth’s Jamie McMahon would dominate the ILCA 7 (Standard) fleet, taking a bullet on both race one and two in 30-knot gusts on Saturday. However, an injury saw him retire on race three and cede the lead to Royal Cork’s Jonathan O’Shaughnessy who had achieved two seconds and a third. Dun Laoghaire’s Dan O’Connell won the third race and Saturday having scored a 6 and a 7 in the first two races. However, Dan continued his form into Sunday completing the hat-trick with two more bullets, giving him the championship.

Dan O'Connell ILCA 7 Leinster Champion (centre) with Royal St. George Yacht Club's Richard O'Connor (left) and Ross O'Leary of MGM Boats

O’Shaughnessy, who only recently moved from the ILCA 6 (Radial) into the ILCA 7, finished one point behind and took the prize for first Under 30 and second overall. Daragh Kelleher of Skerries finished two points behind to take third overall.

Dan O'Connell (219127) leading the ILCA 7 fleet

In the ILCA 6 fleet, it was a weekend for the ladies. The event saw entries from Howth’s Aoife Hopkins plus guest appearances from the world’s number one ranked female ILCA 6 sailor Vasileia Karachaliou plus Ukraine’s Sofiia Naumenko. These three took the top spots in all races across the weekend bar two; with the National Yacht Club’s Benjamin Reeser taking third in race one and the Royal St. George Yacht Club’s Sean Craig taking third in the last race of the event. Hopkins started well with a bullet in the first race of the weekend however Vasileia soon showed why she is the world’s top sailor, taking all bullets for the remainder of the weekend and winning the championship. Aoife finished second overall and Sophia took third place for Ukraine.

Aoife Hopkins (left) and Vasileia Karachaliou (centre) and Sofiia Naumenko

Benjamin Reeser, a USA athlete now sailing from the National Yacht Club dominated the male fleet across the weekend and was followed in the U30 category by East Antrim’s Tom Coulter and Tom Fox from Skerries. Meanwhile, Sean Craig who finished fifth overall led the Masters fleet. He was challenged by Australia and Royal Cork’s Robert Jefferies with just five points separating them at the end of day Saturday. However, Craig’s consistency on Sunday meant the trophy had his name on it by the time prizegiving came round. Conor Clancy of the Royal St. George Yacht Club was third master.

Sean Craig - Leinster Champion - ILCA 6 Master

The ladies masters fleet had a tough weekend with the strong winds. Alison Pigot of the National Yacht Club took the honours, followed by Shirley Gilmore of the Royal St. George Yacht club.

Vasileia Karachaliou Leinster ILCA 6 Champion 2022

Sofiia Naumenko of Ukraine - Third ILCA 6 Champion

The ILCA 4 (4.7) fleet was led from the outset by Ballyholme Yacht Club’s Hannah DadleyYoung from Belfast Lough, securing two bullets and two firsts across the weekend to secure the championship.

Hannah Dadley Young Leinster ILCA 4 Champion 2022

Second girl in 8th overall was Royal St. George’s Ava Ennis with third taken by Aisling Kelly of Rush Sailing Club who finished in 11th overall. The boys fleet was less clear-cut across the weekend. By the end of racing on Saturday Daniel O'Connor and Max Cantwell both of the Royal St. George Yacht Club were tied in second place on equal points. However, a second and first place in Sunday’s racing by their clubmate Krzysztof Ciborowski, saw him taking the boy’s category by just one point from Daniel with Max in third.

Seth Walker of the Royal St. George YC competing in the ILCA 4s division of the Leinster Championships 2022

The dominant feature of the weekend was the wind, creating a unique challenge for the race team lead by the compelling triumvirate of Harry Gallagher, Richard Kissane and Liam Dineene. Relatively consistent southerly breezes on Saturday meant that three races were delivered in quick succession. Sunday was a different story with 75-degree wind shifts after race 2. This meant that laying a proper course was extremely difficult with race officers and mark layers thwarted at every turn. The ILCA 7 fleet’s first attempt at a third race had to be abandoned. Finally, after some relaying of course and false starts, the race team decided they were beat and sent everyone home for prizegiving.

Richard Kissane, Harry Gallagher, Liam Dineen and jury member Vincent Delany (right) were the ILCA 7 Laser Leinster Championship race management team at the RSTGYC

Event supervisor, Kevin Doyle, praised the entire race team saying “We were privileged to have such a competent race management team led by three national race officers. It is a testament to their good race management that our national jury Vincent Delany had no hearings to deal with after racing. The event team at the Royal St. George Yacht Club has proven once again that Dun Laoghaire is the premier location in Ireland for national events.”

Full results are available below.

Next up for the ILCA fleet is the 2022 National Championships this year being held at Tralee Bay Sailing Club from August 18-21

A record ILCA/Laser fleet is expected in Dun Laoghaire on July 23-24 for the Leinster Championships 2022, hosted at the Royal St. George Yacht Club and proudly supported by MGM Boats.

Organisers of the ILCA Ireland Leinster Championships are expecting a record attendance at next weekend’s event. With over a week to go, already over 30 visiting boats have registered and more are expected in advance of the early bird entry closing on Sunday evening.

Competition across all fleets is expected to be intense, with most focus on the Radial (ILCA 6) fleet where Howth Olympic campaigner Aoife Hopkins will be the one to watch across the two-day event.

Meanwhile, in the Master’s category, local champion Sean Craig will be eager to maintain his winning ways and demonstrate to some of the younger sailors that age is no barrier to success in a Laser.

The 2021 National Champion in the Radial fleet, Royal Cork’s Jonathan O’Shaughnessy has recently transitioned to the Standard (ILCA 7) rig and is eager to make his mark here. Young Daniel O’Connor from the host club has shown some consistency already this year in the 4.7 (ILCA 4) fleet, but he can expect some stiff competition from visitors from across the country.

While many will be focused on the competition at the top of each fleet, this year’s event recognises the stiff competition that takes place right through the racecourse. The organisers have indicated that honours will be awarded across 8 categories broken down by fleet (ILCA 4, ILCA 6 & ILCA 7), gender (Female, Male) and age (U30, Master).

This year’s sponsor MGM Boats is supporting the extension of prizes from the traditional fleet-only approach.

Speaking at the announcement of the event Ross O’Leary, Sales Director at MGM Boats said, “We’re delighted to be able to support the Royal St. George Yacht Club in broadening out the competition and recognising abilities right across the national fleet.”

ILCA Ireland has recently announced that sailors between the ages of 18 and 30 can participate in all regional and national events at no cost for the 2022 season. The Leinster Championships team is expecting a larger volume of young adult sailors to Dun Laoghaire for this event. In recognition of this a full food and entertainment package is being laid on by the host club to ensure there are lasting memories of the event both off and on the water.

Further details of the event are available on the ilcaireland.com website with early bird entry closing on Sunday, July 17.

The ILCA/Laser Ulster Championships took place at Strangford Lough Yacht Club at the weekend. Over twenty individual clubs were represented from all four provinces, showing the continued strength of the class throughout the island of Ireland, with all age categories represented from youths through to great grandmasters.

Saturdays South/South Westerly proved tricky for the race committee as the wind shifted this way and that off the land in a breeze which averaged around ten knots and hit up to twenty-two knots in the brisk squalls. Nonetheless, RRO Angela Gilmore and ARO Scott Rogers persevered and served up three races for all three ILCA rigs.

In the ILCA 4’s, Krzysztof Ciborowski (RSGYC) was the leading overnight sailor on three points, with Hannah Dadley Young (BYC), Daniel O’Connor (RSGYC) and Daniel Palmer (BYC) in a three-way tie on four points each.

In the ILCA 6’s, Benjamin Reeser (NYC) led on two points, with Sean Craig (RSGYC) in second on three points and Lucas Nixon (BYC) in third place on five points.

In the ILCA 7’s, Conor O’Farrell (CLYC) led overnight on five points, while Gavan Murphy (RSGYC) and Dan Sheriff (BYC) were tied on seven points for second and third.

What started with a glorious Westerly in ten to fifteen knots on Sunday soon turned out to follow a similar weather pattern to the Saturday with very shifty conditions coming off the shore.

Nonetheless, the race committee persevered and managed to squeeze in a series, thanks in no small part to rib drivers and their crews, who were busy moving marks and start lines throughout the day.

In the ILCA 4’s, Hannah Dadley Young (BYC) came out blazing to take the overall win. In contrast, Daniel O’Connor (RSGYC) and Krzysztof Ciborowski (RSGYC) took home second and third, respectively, Ciborowski just pipping Daniel Palmer (BYC) on count back. At the same time, Lucy Ives (CSC) was the second-placed girl overall.

In the ILCA 6’s, Benjamin Reeser (NYC) continued his overnight form and took the win, while Lucas Nixon (BYC) came flying out of the blocks with two first-place results to take second overall from Sean Craig (RSGYC), who finished third overall.

Charlotte Eadie (BYC), sister Kaitlyn Eadie (BYC) and Shirley Gilmore (RSGYC) were first, second and third-placed ladies overall.

In the ILCA 7’s, Conor O’Farrell (CLYC) remained true to form and maintained his overnight lead to take the win overall from Colin Leonard (SLYC) on count back, with Gavan Murphy (RSGYC) in third overall.

The National Yacht Club's Mark Lyttle took second overall at the 2022 ILCA 7/Laser Masters World Championships in Mexico on Tuesday.

The 24-boat championships took place in Puerto Valletta on the Pacific Coast of Mexico in the same venue as the Senior Worlds where Lyttle's clubmate Finn Lynch came sixth at the ILCA7 World's last month.

The Dun Laoghaire sailor, who is based in the UK, took the Grand Master World title in 2018 on home waters, but all-around Masters legend Brett Beyer of Australia had just moved up to the Grand Master Category (55-64 upwards) and proved an unstoppable opponent.

With only one discard out of 12 races, consistency was key but not easy as you had to pick a side to hook into the strengthening breeze. The middle of the line starts and shifts up the middle never seemed to work. Downwind speed was also key, especially in marginal surfing conditions. 

Mark Lyttle surfing to silver in Mexico Photo: John Pounder

"We expected similar conditions with the sea breeze developing from noon each day but a slightly early start time for the masters meant the first race was invariably sailed in less than 10 knots but often building to 12 to 15 knots with beautiful surfing waves and 30 degrees temperature - champagne conditions", Lyttle told Afloat.

"I had put together a good series by the start of the last day with two races to be sailed in the lightest winds of the week with 10 and 14 points ahead of 3rd and 4th", he said.

Mark Lyttle clung on to second overall despite a strong challenge from Canada and Spain in the last of 12 races Photo: John Pounder/ILCA

Having rounded in third at the first mark and in good shape to secure second overall (leader Bayer was on course to win his 14th World masters title) I promptly dropped to 10th at the end in very tricky conditions. That meant a final race showdown with Andy Roy of Canada and Jose Van Der Ploeg of Spain. Each one of us was ahead at one stage but I managed a nice last beat with some tactical covering and hung on", Lyttle told Afloat.

Top three

1. Brett Beyer AUS 15
2. Mark Lyttle GBR/IRL 44
3. Andrew Roy CAN 48

Full results are here

18 Ukrainian ILCA/Laser sailors were outside of Ukraine, training or racing when the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine started at the end of February.

The sailors are mostly from Odesa and Kyiv and have been unable to return to their homes.

These sailors continue to train and compete internationally thanks to generous donations from the sailing community. The Irish Laser class association, ILCA Ireland, were quick to respond to the call for help and raised €1,500 in donations to support Ukrainian ILCA sailors.

Irish Laser sailors collected €700 which ILCA topped up to €1,500.

To assist this group, EurILCA (the European governing body for ILCA/ Laser dinghy) launched a crowdfunding campaign and requested assistance from the 42 district members across Europe; one of them being ILCA Ireland.

Donations are being managed by EurILCA with all collections going solely to support the ILCA Ukrainian team to travel, train and race. More information and link to make further donations HERE

Sofiia Naumenko, the 23-year-old ILCA 6 sailor from Dnipro, has coordinated the efforts.

In an interview on 21st May, she said; "When the war started, I was in Spain. I had no idea where to stay and so I was put in contact with a former windsurfer from my country who has lived in Spain for ten years. Her name is Olga Maslivets. She hosted me in her apartment and then helped me find a place to sleep both at the Europa Cup, held in Port de Pollenca, and at the Princesa Sofia Trophy, in Palma de Mallorca."

Sofiia is now training at lake Garda in Italy and commented; "Here in Italy the Ukrainian team is much bigger and therefore we all live in different places. After this regatta, I will go to France, to the Hyères Olympic Week, where I believe the organizing committee will help me find a cheap accommodation. After all, I expect to have to stay in Europe for a while longer. "

The 18 sailors from the Ukrainian ILCA team are:

1. Sofiia Naumenko (ILCA 6)
2. Devid Izmailovsky (ILCA 6/7)
3. Oskar Madonich (ILCA 7)
4. Andrii Verdysh (ILCA 6/7)
5. Danylo Raichuk (ILCA 6)
6. Ivan Zhukalin (ILCA 7)
7. Valeriy Kudryashov (ILCA 7)
8. Stanislav Mulko (ILCA 7)
9. Semen Khashchyna (ILCA 6)
10. Nazar Artiukh (ILCA 6)
11. Roman Akopov (ILCA 6)
12. Andrii Lipchenko (ILCA 6)
13. Yelyzaveta Vynohradova (ILCA 6)
14. Anna Dehasiuk (ILCA 6)
15. Ivan Pylypchii (ILCA 4)
16. Ivan Antipin (ILCA 4)
17. Varvara Postrelko (ILCA 4)
18. Denys Saidukov (ILCA 7)

The National Yacht Club's Mark Lyttle is going well at the 2022 ILCA 7 Masters World Championships in Mexico this weekend.

After six races sailed and one discard to count, the 1996 Atlanta Olympian is two points off the lead in a 24-boat fleet. 

The venue is the same as where Lyttle's clubmate Finn Lynch sailed to his second top ten at the ILCA Worlds late last month.

If the Dun Laoghaire sailor, who is based in the UK, is to reclaim his Grand Master World title in 2018 on home waters, he will need to dislodge all-around Masters legend Brett Beyer of Australia.

Beyer has just graduated from the 45-55 category and has four race wins in his score tally at the halfway point. He previously won seven Laser Apprentice Masters World Championships between 2001 and 2010.

Saturday was a reserve day at Vallarta Yacht Club, with racing scheduled to resume on Sunday running until Tuesday.

Results are here