Sutton Dinghy Club held its end of season prizegiving online last Sunday with almost 70 people taking part including junior, youth and parents writes the club's Andy Johnston.

Commodore Ian McCormack introduced the event to celebrate the achievements of SDC Junior and Youth sailors who between July and first week September managed to get in 29 races with 30+ different sailors, mostly youth but a few seniors too.

The youngest sailor and probably youngest crew was Katie Dwyer's daughter Sophie who had her first races with Katie in a GP14.

The Sutton Dinghy Club Christmas Tree & a display of club trophies at its Dublin Bay clubhouse - COVID could not stop a virtual SDC awards night

Here is an outline of the Youth Club Racing Presentations

1) Most Improved Youth Sailor - The Starfish Trophy
Aoife Clarke (in an Opi..never sailed before start of the year and finished in 3rd in Regatta in September)

Aoife Clarke

2) Tenacity  - O'Tiarnaigh Tenacity Trophy
Helen Wilson (attended almost all the sessions, made big effort to get out on the race course and while not winning races should be acknowledged and lauded for her efforts considering travelled from the Naul North Co. Dublin to attend.)

Helen Wilson

3) Topper (6 diff Boats) The B&I Trophy
1. Emer Flemming
2. Michel Clarke
3. Jack Beary

4) Laser 4.7 (11 diff Boats) Ben Eadar Trophy
1. Ciaran Durnford
2. Denis McCarrick
3. Sean O'Connor

5) Laser Radial (8 diff Boats) - Gibson Perpetual Trophy

1. Aidan L'Estrange
2. Sean Ryan
3. Luke Kellet

Aidan Lestrange

6) Overall PY Championship - Bronze Mariner Trophy
1. Ciaran Durnford
2. Aedan L'Estrange
3. Denis McCarrick
4. Sean Ryan
5. Emer Fleming

Ciaran Durnford

'The Roy Dickson Afloat Award Trophy' 

Finally, SDC made a new award in 2020 - 'The Roy Dickson Afloat Award Trophy' - Club Sailor of the Year

The award is a Sailing Committee selection, related to sailing and racing but not for results alone but includes a contribution to on the water activities.

In honour of Roy Dickson who passed away in 2020 and who was an innovator in terms of boat design and setup and a champion sailor in many Classes while in SDC. He won a Home International invitation event in the UK in 1957 in Yachting World Hornets while a member of SDC. He introduced the first Fireball to Ireland in early 62's with SDC taking 8 wins from the first 12 National Championships winning the championship himself once in 1964. He is reputed to have introduced the spinnaker to the Fireball Class and finished third at Fireball World Championships in France in 1967 when there were 5 SDC boats on the start line.

He was also key to the introduction of Mirrors to SDC back in the early '70s, building Pink Panther and attending European Championship with his kids Alan, David, Gary and Ian. The Club went on to become a powerhouse in Mirrors launching Olympians such as Dan O'Grady and multiple National Champions from late 70' through to 2014. Roy was a former Commodore of our Club, in 1969.

Roy Dickson's old Afloat trophy was presented to SDC and lives on as a club sailor of the year award

Roy later went on to be one of Ireland's foremost offshore racers in the '80s and '90s with many notable achievements including leading Irish boat in Fastnet Race in 1987 and ISORA Champion. His grandson is Robert Dickson who is currently campaigning 49'er for a place on the Irish Olympic Sailing team.

The Trophy (An Afloat Award to Roy from 2001) was donated to the Club by his family. Following his passing earlier this year the Sailing Committee felt it would be appropriate to Honour Roy by having his trophy used as our new Club Sailor of Year Award.

We welcomed his sons Gary and Ian and Ian family on the Zoom call. The award went to Alan Carr for his commitment to getting himself on the water throughout a challenging season and his ever-present support, coaching and encouragement of SDC youth sailors during its racing season..the Sailing Committee has unanimously selected Alan Carr as the inaugural recipient.