Two top Irish sailing teams, one from Dublin and one from Cork, will contest the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup this September off Rhode Island.

Howth Yacht Club and Royal Cork Yacht Club are in the line-up of twenty teams from 15 countries competing in the 2023 Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup.

2023 will be Royal Cork's eighth visit to the New York Invitational Cup, with experienced Cork Harbour skipper Anthony O'Leary taking bronze in the 2019 event. Howth Yacht Club return for a second time.

The seventh edition of the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, held in September 2021, had nearly everything a great one-design regatta should have: tremendous competitors, great social events, a polished race committee, fabulous sailing conditions and evenly matched boats. But it was missing one thing, a defending champion.

“We were very disappointed that we couldn’t defend our 2019 win as we were not allowed to leave Australia during the Covid lockdowns,” says Guido Belgiorno-Nettis of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. “Of course, we watched the 2021 Invitational Cup with fascination, jealousy and frustration. Sitting on the couch, my team were sure we could have given the 2021 competing teams a good run for their money. But I know that reality will set the record straight when we turn up at the start line in 2023. Then the talk stops and the action will begin.”

So the 2021 event’s loss will be a gain for the eighth edition, scheduled for September 9 to 16. Among the 20 prestigious yacht clubs that will toe the line for Corinthian sailing’s premiere event will now be two teams hoping to carry forward the momentum from the last time they competed in this event: Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and Southern Yacht Club from New Orleans, which claimed the title in 2021.

2023 will be Royal Cork's eighth visit to the New York Invitational Cup. In 2019 under skipper Anthony O'Leary, the Cork Harbour team took bronze Photo: Daniel Forster

The Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup is a biennial regatta hosted by the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court in Newport, R.I. Since the event was first run in 2009, it has attracted top amateur sailors from 48 of the world’s most prestigious yacht clubs from 21 countries on six continents. After five editions in the Swan 42 class, the 2023 event will be the third sailed in the IC37, designed by Mark Mills. The strict one-design nature of this purpose-built class combined with the fact that each boat is owned and maintained by the New York Yacht Club, ensures a level playing field not seen in any other amateur big-boat sailing competition. The regatta will run September 9 to 16, with racing starting on Tuesday, September 12. A live webcast of the regatta will allow fellow club members, friends, family and sailing fans from around the world follow the action as it happens. Twenty teams from 15 countries will compete in the 2023 Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, which is brought to you by title sponsor Rolex and regatta sponsors Helly Hansen

Much to the delight of their enthusiastic membership, Southern Yacht Club has become something of a juggernaut at the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup with two wins sandwiched around a fifth-place finish in the past three editions. John Lovell (top, at left) has been one of the constants. He called tactics in 2017 and 2019 and steered the boat in 2021.

“We have a big group that is very excited for the Invitational,” says Lovell, who won a silver medal in the Tornado class at the 2004 Olympics. “We are working on a budget and practice schedule.”

Both skippers agree that continuity is essential for success in the Invitational Cup. The IC37 is a challenging boat to sail well, and the unique format of the regatta hasn’t traditionally been kind to rookie teams. For the Royal Sydney team, it’s particularly acute since there are currently no IC37s in the Southern Hemisphere and the distance between Sydney and Newport prohibits the team from taking advantage of practice opportunities during the upcoming summer regatta schedule.

“Fortunately for our competitors, our team have not done any racing together since the 2019 Invitational,” he says. “We will just step on the IC37 [in September] looking to do only one thing—have fun among ourselves as a team while enjoying the fabulous camaraderie shared by the New York Yacht Club and all the competing invitational teams from the United States and around the world.”

While yacht clubs take this event very seriously, often investing significant time and money into training in advance of the regatta, staying true to the Corinthian nature of the Invitational Cup remains a priority. The participants are all amateur sailors taking time away from work and family responsibilities to compete, and the regatta is known as much for its competitive sailing as the amazing camaraderie ashore each evening.

“I think the key is sailing as much as possible but keeping it fun,” says Lovell. “I try to sail in many different classes and in as many local events as I can race in.”

While Southern and Royal Sydney may have the pedigree of being the only two clubs to win an Invitational Cup sailed in the IC37s, they are far from the only clubs with a strong chance of winning the trophy. Of the 20 clubs, 19 have previously competed in the regatta and many will be sailing in IC37 events this coming summer to prepare. There's every reason to believe that the eighth edition of the regatta will be the most competitive yet.

The following yacht clubs will compete for the 2023 Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup: The Corinthian Yacht Club (Marblehead, Mass.), Howth Yacht Club (IRL), Itchenor Sailing Club (GBR), Japan Sailing Federation, New York Yacht Club, Norddeutscher Regatta Verein (GER), Nyländska Jaktklubben (FIN), Real Club Náutico de Barcelona (ESP), Royal Canadian Yacht Club, Royal Cork Yacht Club (IRL), Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (CHN), Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Royal Swedish Yacht Club, Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (AUS), Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (CAN), Royal Yacht Squadron (GBR), Southern Yacht Club (New Orleans), Yacht Club Argentino, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (ITA), Yacht Club Punte del Este (URY)

One of Ireland's longest-running winter dinghy series returns this November for another selection of top-class racing in Howth. The series that began in 1974 goes from strength to strength, with people coming from further and further afield to take advantage of HYC's experienced race management and versatile race areas.

Racing kicks off on Sunday, November 6th, running through to the season-closing Round the Island Race on March 12th. The series was traditionally reserved for the hardened Laser/ILCA sailors, however, in recent years the RS Aeros have been taking part, and this year it grows again as the club will welcome a PY fleet. Sailors have the option of signing up for the whole winter, or just the pre or post-Christmas series. All Laser/ILCA and all RS Aero rigs are welcome, and early entrants can also participate in the Howth Dinghy Regatta on Sunday, October 30th.

In the established Howth Frostbite series, there are 2 races with a first gun at 10.45 each Sunday, and dedicated committee boat starts used exclusively for the dinghies. Proper championship courses in the sheltered water just outside the harbour make for fair and challenging racing, but with two 40-minute races, seasoned regulars claim it never gets too cold. And most entrants adjourn to the cosy environs of the HYC bar afterwards for a tipple to warm up anyway, a more than acceptable incentive to get up and get out racing.

For years, the Wallace family of Wexford have been participants in the Howth Laser Frostbite series, and Ronan Wallace (above) is currently a defending champion in the long-established series

The series has become famous for its welcome, with senior sailors always willing to coach and encourage newcomers, both ashore and on the water, and there is always lively banter in the bar afterwards. There is something for sailors of all levels, with 2022 National & Leinster Champion Dan O'Connell and Connacht Champion Rory Lynch taking part and sharing their secrets afterwards. The RS Aeros will also have their fair share of competition, with their 2022 National Champion Daragh Sheridan taking part.

Last year saw a range of winners across the classes, with Ronan Wallace and Daragh Kelleher taking the series wins in the ILCA 7/Standard rig, John Phelan and Daragh Sheridan taking the series wins in the RS Aero class, and Peter Hassett winning both series in the ILCA 6/Radial class.

Notice of Race and online entry are available at hyc.ie/openevents, the entry fee covers racing and storage for the duration of the series. This year, entry to the Frostbites also gets sailors free entry to the HYC Dinghy Regatta on Sunday 30 October, to dust off the cobwebs before the real winter racing begins.

Any questions can be directed to the HYC Class Captain Conor Murphy via the HYC Office at +353 1 832 2141 or [email protected]

Grabbing the weather window….there may be bad weather very evident in the sky far to the north, but the compact Sunday morning format for the winter-long Howth Laser Frostbite Series maximises the use of any benign opportunities.

#squib –  Yesterday there was no racing at the National Squib Championship in Howth due to a rough sea state and winds of 29knots.

Today we had the opposite conditions, with not enough wind. Race officer David Lovegrove had his hands full with the unsuitable weather conditions that he had to deal with. Did he rise to the occasion? The answer is yes, He and his team made all the right decisions on a very difficult day.

When the fleet got out to the start area there appeared to be three winds fighting for supremacy, one from the north, a sea breeze from the east and the forecast breeze from the south east.
The OOD had no choice but to postpone racing until one of the winds dominated. After about and hour, he laid a course, and made the necessary signals on the committee boat. About three minutes before the start gun he had to abort the start when all of the Squibs lining up to start on starboard tack, suddenly gybed.

Eventually a breeze filled in and a race was started. The Squib fleet were raring to go, so there was a general recall. On the second start under the 'U' flag the fleet started on a windward-leeward course with about 5 knots of wind. On the first beat the Squibs which headed towards Portmarnock beach on the right hand side of the course found a wind bend which took them to the windward mark. It was former NSOA chairman David Wines and Keith Davies from West Hoe Sailing Club in 'White Magic' who lead the fleet from frequent championship competitors Gerard Dyson and Tony Saltonstall from Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club in 'Alchemy'. On the run the wind disappeared completely. The 49 competitors hunted for wind, which eventually came from the shore at about 6 knots. The O.O.D. decided to finish the race off the leeward mark, reducing the race to one lap of the course, at which time the finishing positions were a reversal of the places at the first mark.

1st. Alchemy, 800, Gerard Dyson and Tony Saltonstall R.Y.Y.C.
2nd. White magic, 828, David Wines and Keith Davies. W.H.S.C.
3rd. Helmut Shoing II, 105, Nigel and Jack Grogan. R.C.Y.C.

This result cracked the regatta results wide open.

Race five followed immediately after the completion of the previous race.
Again the wind teased the O.O.D. endlessly. As soon as a real wind appeared, it disappeared again. Eventually a reasonable light wind covered the whole course. Starting arrangements were made. Again the OOD had to abort the race during the starting sequence due to a ten degree shift which favoured the pin end of the line. When the fleet tried to start again there was a general recall. On the second attempt under the 'U' Flag the fleet got away with a five lap windward leeward course. Who would come to the fore this time? The wind came and went over the duration of the race. On the second lap the wind went very light and a new 10 knot breeze came form out to sea. This race was concluded after three laps. At the finish the placings were:

1st. Banshee, 65, Nigel Harris and John Stephenson. S.C.Y.C.
2nd. Lady Penelope, 819, Malcolm Hutchings and Andy Ramsay. R.C.Y.C.
3rd. Quickstep, 820, Gordon Patterson and Ross Nolan R.N.I.Y.C.

The overall results have been turned inside out by today's races. The first discard kicks in today. The scoreboard has changed, with most of the leaders carrying a poor result. The scoreboard now looks like this:

1st. Lady Penelope, 819, Malcolm Hutchings and Andy Ramsay. R.C.Y.C., 2,3,3,(26),2.
2nd. Banshee, 65, Nigel Harris and John Stephenson. S.C.Y.C., 6,1,7, (29),1.
3rd. Helmut Shoing II, 105, Nigel and Jack Grogan. R.C.Y.C., 7,6,1,3,(17).

First Irish boat is Aficionado, 78, John Driscoll and David Cagney in 6th. place.

First lady is Pamela Phelan crewing for sailmaker Dick Batt, who lie in 13th. place.

Howth Yacht Club had a particularly busy season and is looking forward to an equally active sailing schedule in 2011. Already in situ the club has secured a full calendar of sailing events for the year ahead and will be requiring your valued support.

New volunteers are sought to assist the many aspects in running the numerous championships and regattas. The club are inviting those to provide assistance in the following roles: Events Organisers and Personnel, Race Management Personnel, Mark-Boat Drivers and Crew, Rescue-Boat Drivers and Crew, Race Office Staff, Protest Panels and Assistant Race Officers for East-Pier (held on Saturdays).

If you are interested in becoming a new volunteer, please contact the Sailing Secretary or the Sailing Committee. Please indicate what you are interested in and when you might be available to participate. The website of the yacht club can be found at www.hyc.ie