A Sunday afternoon downpour might have delayed it, but the 2023 Topper Dinghy World Championships Opening Ceremony and Competitors Parade was a colourful sight (despite no pipe band rain due to the rain) as it passed through Crosshaven village in Cork Harbour.
Royal Cork Yacht Club hosts 250 participants from the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, Malta, the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Brazil for this year's competition this week, with entrants aged eight years to their teens.
Taking place at 6 pm on Sunday, the competitors – at the biggest ever championships – meandered their way with national flags along the road from Royal Cork Yacht Club to Crosshaven House, where the Opening Ceremony was held.
Competitors were officially welcomed for five full days of racing from Monday morning, with the prize-giving ceremony taking place this Friday evening, July 28th.
Speaking at the opening ceremony were Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Kieran O'Connell, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney and Cork County Councillor Audrey Buckley, along with Topper International representatives.