With four days to go on discounted early entries to the ICRA National Championships, a strong fleet representing fifteen clubs and all four provinces have already entered the June Championships at the Royal St. George Yacht Club on Dublin Bay.

Stepping out of a committee meeting finalising the social programme (pictured above) Event Chairman Ian Simington commented "We are really encouraged to see early entries from crews in Ulster, Connacht and Munster.

A large travelling contingent makes racing more exciting and the social more lively. We are planning a social and catering programme that will provide for all sailors and really looking forward to a great event. With the first U-25 crews of an emerging class entered we expect them to add to the atmosphere on and off the water".

The ICRA National Championships will be staged from 7th – 9th June.

The three-day ICRA Championships being held in Dun Laoghaire from June 7 will comprise of four fleets accommodating offshore, traditional and white sail racing. Each fleet will get its own race areas with race management lead by International PRO David Lovegrove.

Back on shore, there will be a lively social programme, the renowned Royal St. George Yacht Club welcome and hospitality for all.

‘’The Royal St. George Yacht Club is delighted to be hosting the ICRA National Championships and Corinthian Cups and to welcome sailors from around the island of Ireland and internationally. Together with ICRA and a large team of Royal St. George Yacht Club volunteers, we look forward to creating an environment for enjoyable and competitive racing for these prestigious Championships, said event Chairman Ian Simmington.

"ICRA and RStGYC have worked hard to create a format of World Class racing that sailors want"

ICRA and the Royal St. George Yacht Club have worked hard to create a format of World Class racing that sailors want. We believe in particular, that the addition of the offshore/coastal series for class 0 and 1 and the creation of 2 non-spinnaker classes will provide suitable racing for all classes of boat and crew preference, he added.

There is an increased focus on U25 crews with an U25 prize category, as well as prizes for all female crews.

To achieve this, there may be four fleets and race courses as outlined below:

• Cruiser Division 0 and Division 1 (offshore): Fleet 0
• Cruiser Divisions 1 and 2: Fleet 1
• Cruiser Divisions 3 and 4: Fleet 2
• Cruiser Division 5, Non-Spinnaker 1 and 2: Fleet 3

The new Entry Fee structure as follows:

Entry Before 15 March: - Boats rating 0.895 and under: €165 - Boats rating between 0.896 and 0.985: €195 - Boats rating 0.986 and above: €225

- Under 25 Crews: Complementary. After 15 March: - All boats: €245

Notice of Race and online entry are now available on the event website here with early entry discount available for entries received online by March 15th.

With the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race taking place the following week (12th June), there will be a limited number of complimentary visitor berths available from Sunday 9th of June for yachts competing in both events.

“It's been truly impressive to see the Royal St George event management team kick into action. The 2019 ICRA National Championships are certainly going to benefit from the Club’s experience running major international regattas over the last few years. It's great to see the level of co-operation there is between the Dublin clubs and in particular, we'd like to thank DBSC for making space in their traditional calendar for us. As well as top class racing, we're putting a lot of focus on the social side, making sure that everyone is well fed and watered as soon as they come ashore and have a chance to relive the day’s events into the evening. We have some great prizes lined up care of North Sails, UK Sails, Rope Dock, Racegeek, Dubarry of Ireland and Viking Marine. Everything is set for an event to remember, " said Ric Morris, ICRA Technical Delegate

The mixed Dublin Bay dinghy fleet will have a four-race final race day on September 29th to round out the summer sailing season.

According to organiser Ross O'Leary, the event will provide 'fun sprint racing' for all levels with a party afterwards at the Royal St. George Yacht Club. 

Regular Dublin Bay classes such as the new foiling Waszp, the IDRA 14s, Laser, Fireball and Fevas are targeted but all are welcome.

The Notice of Race is downloadable below. Online entry is here.

The Frank Keane BMW Royal St. George Yacht Club Regatta brought to a close June's Dun Laoghaire Waterfront Regatta weekends with yet another stunning set of sailing conditions for the two-race racing festival on the first Saturday in July.

Full results in all 28 divisions are downloadable below in a PDF file.

A 10-14–knot south-easterly gradient produced T-shirts and shorts sailing conditions for most of the crews in the cruiser classes and for some of the one design classes too as the heatwave continues across Ireland. Race officer Eddie Totterdell ran the cruiser divisions from DBSC's Mac Lir Committee Boat, Barry O'Neill was in charge of the One Design keelboats onboard DBSC's Freebird and Suzanne McGarry ran the dinghies, Flying Fifteens and Squibs in Seapoint Bay.

Double wins for Frank Whelan's Grand Soleil 44 Eleuthera from Greystones Harbour gave the County Wicklow helmsman the Royal St. George Yacht Club Class Zero title. In a hat-trick for the former pedigree racer 'Holmatro', Whelan adds this to similar victories achieved at the National Yacht Club Regatta (NYC) and the Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) Regatta last weekend. Paddy McSwiney's Royal Irish Yacht D-Tox (X35) was second in the four boat fleet with the National Yacht Club's Beneteau 40.7 Tsunami (Vincent Farrell) third on IRC.

Class Zero winner – Frank Whelan's Grand Soleil 44 Eleuthera from Greystones Harbour. In a past life, the Judel Vrolijk design was a Cowes Week 2003 winner, a Rolex Fastnet 2003 class winner, an Antwerp Race 2003 and a Gotland Rund Sweden race winner too Photo: Afloat.ie

A first and a third was good enough for Tim and Richard Goodbody to wrap up an impressive 19-boat class one IRC fleet. The first five places went to J109s who dominate one of the Bay's most competitive classes. Second was another father and son combination, John and Brian Hall from the National Yacht Club in Something Else who scored a five and a one. Third was the Howth Yacht campaigned J109 Indian (Simon Knowles and Colm Buckley). Knowles will take up a role next month in The Round Britain and Ireland Race with co-skipper, Conor Fogerty, the Irish Sailor of the Year. 

Finishing Fourth overall was the East Coast J109 Champion, HYC Wave Regatta winner and DMYC King of the Bay, Andrew Algeo's Joggerknot. The RIYC boat, helmed for the George regatta by Mark McGibney, took fourth overall. Missing from today's potent class one line up was J109 national champion Storm, the Kelly family's Howth based boat, that is contesting Bangor Town Regatta.

Class One winner – The J109 White Mischief (Tim and Richard Goodbody) took race one by a fine margin after an early tack on to port after a black flag start paid dividends Photo: Afloat.ie

J109 Juggerknot (white spinnaker) and Dear Prudence (black spi) prepare for a gybe and a tight second each (below) in race one Photo: Afloat.ie

John and Brian Hall from the National Yacht Club in Something Else Photo: Afloat.ie

J109 Indian Simon Knowles and and Colm Buckley from Howth Yacht Club Photo: Afloat.ie

The Kirwan Family's Beneteau 36.7 Boomerang (pink spinnaker) takes on a downwind challenge from Paul Barrington's J109 Jalapeno. The pair finished ninth and eighth respectively overall in class one. Photo: Afloat.ie

The First 35 Prima Luce (Patrick Burke) of the RIYC was the Class one ECHO winner Photo: Afloat.ie

Jonathan Nicholson's DBII Red Rhum from the Royal St. George YC. Photo: Afloat.ie

The 12-boat class two division was wrapped up again this month by Howth entries. Wave Regatta Champion David Cullen (Afloat's Sailor of the month for June) sailing his Half–Tonner Checkmate XV took both wins to claim the Royal St. George prize from clubmate Mike Evans in The Big Picture. Third was Anthony Gore-Grimes' Howth-based X332 Dux. 

David Cullen's Half–Tonner Checkmate XV from Howth rounds South Bull mark Photo: Afloat.ie

Mike Evans' Half Tonner The Big Picture Photo: Afloat.ie

Nigel Biggs' new Checkmate XVIII  Dillon Photo: Afloat.ie

Anthony Gore-Grimes' Howth-based X332 Dux Photo: Afloat.ie

In Class three, and in another regatta haul, Ken Lawless and Sybil McCormack's Cartoon from the RIYC was the winner of a five-boat fleet. Royal St. George's Peter Richardson was second in Dubious with clubmate Starlet (K Byrne) third.

The Beneteau 31.7 race one start Photo: Afloat.ie

Frank Heath and Ivan Schuster in Crazy Horse of the RIYC were the scratch winners in the Beneteau 31.7s with a one and a two scored. Royal St. George National Champion Jean Mitton in Levante was second with two thirds. Chris Johnston's Prospect from the NYC was third. 

The Beneteau 21 Chinook (A. Bradley) crew celebrate an RStTGYC regatta class win Photo: Afloat.ie

A. Bradley's Chinook won the eight boat scratch battle in the Beneteau 21 class from P. Kingston's Plan B. Third was Greystones Sailing Club's Pete and Anne Evans in Anemos. 

A close finish in the Shipman class Photo: Afloat.ie

Justin Burke (3717) to weather of a bunch of SB20s moments after the start of the second race Photo: Afloat.ie

After the disappointment of fifth overall scored in the SB20 National Championships last weekend on the Bay, Michael O'Connor and his Sin Bin crew were the winners of their own regatta yesterday. The 2017 Corinthian World Champions took the Regatta prize with two straight wins in the eight-boat class that will host its European Championships at the RIYC on the Bay in September. 

The Troy McNamara skippered Royal St. George Yacht Club U sail 1720 was third in the Sportsboat class Photo: Afloat.ie

Merlin (I Cummins) from the RIYC was the Sportsboat winner in a seven-boat contest that included some of the waterfront's club-owned 1720s. Andrew Sarratt's Jheeta was second with the RStGYC's Usail 1720 skippered by Troy McNamara third.

The NYC's women on water crew in the club's 1720 Photo: Afloat.ie

Tom Murphy's Flying Fifteen 'fFlagella' from the NYC Photo: Afloat.ie

On the dinghy, Flying Fifteen and Squib course, Niall and Nicky Meagher were winners of a reduced 12-boat Flying Fifteen fleet. Second was DMYC's Neil Colin and Cormac Bradley in Deranged. Third was Chris Doorly's Frequent Flyer.

Howth's David Quinn was the winner of the 11-boat Laser fleet, Ronan Wallace was second and Eoin Delap third.

Masters Radial Champion Sean Craig of the host club was the Radial class winner.

Sean Craig of the host club was the winner of the 8-boat Laser Radial division Photo: Afloat.ie

IDRA 14 Dinghy No 122 (Ascoop & Henning) Photo: Afloat.ie

In the five-boat IDRA 14s, B Murphy was the winner from Ascoop & Henning in the distinctive yellow-hull number 125.  Frank Hamilton was third in 140, Dunmoanin'.

Full results in all 28 regatta divisions are downloadable below in a PDF file.

This biennial tri-club team racing event championed by the late Harry Maguire for many years was run over the weekend in the Gareloch, Scotland and hosted by the Royal Northern and Clyde YC. The holders Royal St George YC travelled to do battle with Royal Thames and the host club in Sonars. The cumulative age of the team boat crew of four must be 160 years with an opposite gender requirement also providing for a senior more social event. Thames was led by sharp shooter Tom Hebbert (he who wrote the original Team Racing call book with his father Bruce when aged just 16). Fast club sailor and event organiser Nicole McPherson led the RN&CYC. The George helms comprised Ben Cooke and Dragoners Martin Byrne and Neil Hegarty with a supporting crew of nine.

After intensive social interaction the previous night in the Rhu Inn Saturday dawned sunny and with little promise of wind on the glassy Clyde. The towed Sonars were treated in the Gareloch to the sight of a sinister black submarine of unknown nationality and class sailing to base. The George faced Thames in the first match and took early blood. As the racing continued intermittently in the shifting light easterly it required constant course changes. Missed opportunities were rued and windshifts regretted in the tight racing many times only an point deciding the win. The George came out with three wins tied with the hosts and Thames on two; all to play for the following day. A scrumptious dinner was enjoyed in the beautiful Victorian clubhouse which alas is to be vacated by the RN&CYC in 2020 as they are relocating to the Rhu Marina in a new clubhouse. The large overhead in maintaining and preserving a listed building being the driver.

Racing continued intermittently at the Millennium Bowl event on the Gaeloch in the shifting light easterly

Sunday provided even lighter conditions and frustration to the race committee and sailors alike. The first race was abandoned being out of time and the subsequent racing was conducted in zephyrs taxing the concentration of crews. The draw continued with the George and Clyde on 4 wins but the hosts had two races yet to sail. The hapless Thames fell to the Clyde’s superior light weather skills giving them a winning score of 6 wins. A great event in the stunning surroundings was the sailor’s verdict as we bid a sad farewell to the grand old clubhouse.

The weather in recent weeks has been variable and has curtailed a number of 420 training weekends around the country but three Irish boats travelled to the UK Spring Championships on the 10th and 11th March at Royal Torbay Yacht Club in the hope of some good sailing. Torbay on the south coast of England brands itself as the 'English Riviera' but the Irish boats arrived to sail in testing conditions. On the Saturday after an initial delay to the sailing whilst the race officer waited for the wind to swing round and the visibility to improve, racing kicked off in 20+ knots and rolling waves.

Link to 420 video from Torbay showing the testing conditions here

There were numerous capsizes, some before the start of race one and a number of DNS/DNC’s appearing across the fleet as sailors struggled with the occasional gust of up to 32 knots recorded on the committee boat. Sunday morning was a lot more promising, the wind had dropped slightly to around 15+ knots and swung round to the east. The bad news was there were now some very larger rollers heading into Torbay. For most sailors it was slightly easier, fewer gusts, and a more consistent wind. Of the top 10 boats, 3 were all girl boats and only 2 were all boys. The other 5 boats all being mixed crews of which 4 of the boats had girls helming, interesting statistics for the sailing community in general. Irish boats finished as follows, 10th overall and 3rd girls were Gemma Mc Dowell and Emma Gallagher of Malahide Yacht Club, 15th Michael O’Suilleabhain and Michael Carroll of Kinsale Yacht Club, and 24th Nicola and Fiona Ferguson of the National Yacht Club.

The second spring event scheduled in the UK was to be the Inland Championships at Rutland Sailing Club on the 17th and 18th March, however the Beast from the East II put paid to this event with strong winds and freezing temperatures. The Irish boats made it back across the Irish Sea before the worst of the weather arrived and in good time for the upcoming 420 Class Open training weekend to be held on the 1st and 2nd April at the National Yacht Club.

The training weekend provides an important warm up to the Volvo Irish Sailing Youth Pathway National Championships 2018 being jointly hosted by the National and Royal St. George Yacht Clubs.

There will be a dinner and reunion of the international 12 foot class on 6th April 2018 in the Royal St. George Yacht Club at 20.00hrs.

The class is interested in making contact with any owners of these old but lovely dinghies. On the evening, class activist Vincent Delany will launch his book "The International 12 foot Dinghies in Ireland."

Anybody interested in the class or in the April event should contact Vincent Delany at 086 857 5374 or at [email protected]

The Royal St. George Yacht Club saluted its top performers at its Dun Laoghaire Harbour clubhouse on Saturday. The Black Tie gala dinner recognised some outstanding sailing exploits from youth to offshore as well as cruising and team racing achievements in the club's 180th year.

In a special presentation for a significant contribution to the sport, the Waterfront Award went to Dublin Bay Sailing Club's long serving Honorary Secretary, Donal O'Sullivan.

Donal O'Sullivan (right) receives his award from RSTGYC's Peter Bowring

Sean Flanagan (right) as outgoing Junior organiser won the Causeway Cup

The Club's Causeway Trophy for Sportsmanship went to Sean Flanagan. Flanagan as outgoing Junior organiser was described as 'a true champion for the RStGYC younger sailors and someone 'who worked tirelessly to represent junior interests in the club'.

Youth sailor Greg Arrowsmith (with microphone) has been heavily involved in getting young people involved in Team Racing

The Youth Award went to Team Racing Captain Greg Arrowsmith. The Saint Andrew's College Leaving Certificate student has been heavily involved in getting young people involved in Team Racing.  He also organised the Elmo Trophy (Youth Team Racing) for the second year and led the ‘Team George Racing Team’ in the Cup. The award citation on Saturday night said 'the team is a shining example of the success of the revitalised team racing initiative at the club'. Many of the team finished second for the second year running against much more experienced team racers. Team members were Greg Arrowsmith/Sarah Fogarty - Henry Higgins/Emily Arrowsmith - Toby Hudson Fowler/Kathy Kelly.

Frank O' Beirne with the O'Hanlon Cup for the best cruise in 2017

The O'Hanlon Cup for the best cruise of 2017 went to ‘Samphire’ – Kieron Guilfoyle and Frank O’ Beirne's Anglesey cruise, followed by an extended cruise to Cork and beyond.

The Vice-Commodore's Cup for a significant dinghy performance went to Jack Fahy (Laser Radial Youth). 2017 was a great sailing year for young Fahy. Among his achievements was a first in the Laser 4.7 youth nationals in Ballyholme at Easter, first in the Laser 4.7 Laser Nationals in August, first in the Laser 4.7 Connaughts in Wexford harbour in July. His performance has been recognised by Irish Sailing who invited him to join the Laser Radial Academy.

The Commodore's Cup for the best offshore sailing performance went to ‘Aurelia' (Chris Power Smith). Power Smith's J122 was highly competitive in both the Dun Laoghaire Regatta and the ISORA 2017 series. Aurelia also finished third in the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race. 

The Enriquetta Cup for significant keelboat performance went to Michael O'Connor in his SB20 ‘Sin Bin’, the Irish National Champion and Corinthian Division winner of the 2017 SB20 World Championships. Hi result of Top Irish boat overall (6th) was the best ever result for an Irish sailor in this event.

An end of Season race for all Dublin Bay Dinghies fleets is taking place on Saturday, 21st October. To be called the 'Final Fling 2017',  the new fixture is supported by DBSC and hosted by Royal St. George Yacht Club. 

The racing will showcase dinghy racing that takes place on Dublin Bay run by DBSC every Tuesday evening during the summer, according to organiser Ross O'Leary, a DBSC Laser helmsman.

With quick 1-2-3 starts, four sprint races lasting 30 to 35 minutes aim to guarantee some fun, competitive racing.

All fleets welcome. Entry €20 per boat on the day.

An Apres Sail will be held in the Royal St. George Yacht Club. 

Register your entry now: email [email protected] text/call/WhatsApp 087 6642297. Download the poster below.

A group of Royal St. George Yacht Club members have 'joined together' to purchase Irish Sailing's ten-year-old J80 fleet on behalf of the Dun Laoghaire harbour Club.

The Royal St. George Yacht Club was one of several bidders for the eight boat fleet that was originally purchased by the then ISA with a Sports Capital Grant at a cost of circa €240k plus VAT in July 2007.

Writing to members to outline the 'exciting development', Club Commodore Michael Pomeroy says the initiative is to 'meaningfully re-engage with the 25 to 50s and to create a less time consuming more value-driven racing environment for young adults'.

Pomeroy also says it will allow the club, one of the largest in the country, to promote corporate sailing and other activities to further increase Club participation. Pomeroy's full statement is on the club website here.