#rstgyc – A full club house of 250 sailors raised their glasses to a roll call of 175 years of sailing achievements at the Royal St. George Yacht Club this evening in Dun Laoghaire as Ireland's biggest yacht club toasted over 600 international titles. See photos below.
The champions were saluted by international yachting writers and guests of honour Bob Fisher and Afloat.ie's WM Nixon who gave a history of the Royal St. George Yacht Club achievements and a presentation on the very latest from the Americ's Cup.
The awards shared by 255 members include 322 Irish National Champions. Tonight's champion's dinner included 10 Olympians, the club has been represented at all Olympic Games but four since the first Irish participation in 1948. Ireland's only Olympic sailing medallist, Silver medallist David Wilkins from Moscow 1980, was also in attendance.
Royal St. George sailors have also won the Irish Helmsman Champions 30 times with 19 champions.
14 attended tonight's dinner. Round the World Racers Angela Heath & Damian Foxall). In Cruising, awards include circumnavigators of the globe Peyer and Susan Gray and Pete Hogan.
Epic Passages by Paddy Barry and Michael Holland and many transatlantic/transarc passages were also saluted.
Members of the Royal St George Yacht Club who have won the ISA Helmsmans Championship Back Row (l to r): Robin Hennessey, Vincent Delaney, Johnny Ross-Murphy, Brian Craig, Peter Bayly Front Row (l to r): Neil Hegarty, Sean Craig, Tom FitzPatrick, Adrian Bell, Stephan Hyde, Gerald 'Gerbil' Owens, Chris Arrowsmith, Matthew O'Dowd, Commodore Liam O'Rourke. Photo: Gareth Craig
Members of the Royal St George Yacht Club who have represented Ireland in the Olympic Regatta Back Row (l to r): Peter Grey, Robin Hennessy, David Wilkins, Commodore Liam O'Rourke Front Row (l to r) Barry O'Niell, Tom FitzPatrick, Derek Jago, Gerald 'Gerbil' Owens Photo: Gareth Craig
Members of the Royal St George Yacht Club who have circumnavigated the globe, or undertaken other significant cruising achievements: Back Row (l to r) Peter Hogan, Rod Cudmore, Peter Grey Front Row (l to r) Keith Hunt, Michael Holand, Angela Heath, Susan Grey, Commodore Liam O'Rourke Photo: Gareth Craig