Ulster Championship’s at Howth Yacht Club
Howth Yacht Club hosted 145 Oppies for the final ranking event of the season during the local Maritime Festival weekend.
The IODAI Optimist regional has its biggest Irish fleet this weekend with 85 main fleet and 60 regatta fleet sailors.
With a big mix of conditions PRO Richard Kissane delivered 6 races by getting 4 races in the bag on Saturday in light conditions and 2 windy race on Sunday in the shelter of Claremont Strand.
Dun Laoghaire sailor Jules Start was 1st in the Senior fleet with local sailor Harry Dunne missing out due to a Black Flag in race 6.
In the Junior fleet Lilly Donagh from Lough Derg was the first of three siblings (Emily and Maeve) to take 1,2 and 3.
Kate Spain was best local sailor.
Top Five Senior:
- Jules Start (RSGYC)
- Caoillin Geraghty McDonnell (RSGYC)
- Conor Cronin (MYC)
- Jude Hynes Knight (TBSC)
- Gemma Brady (LDYC)
Top Five Junior (U12)
- Lilly Donagh (LDYC)
- Maeve Donagh (LDYC)
- Emily Donagh (LDYC)
- Kate Spain (HYC)
- Finn Foley (RSGYC)
The Optimist class run a Gold, Silver and Bronze league to maintain competition throughout the fleets.
There was lots to do for families at the Fingal Maritime Festival in Howth Harbour this weekend, which carried on inside the club with the IODAI regatta coaching (7-9) initiative occupying the younger sailors with games, sailing, coaching and kyaking.
The Regatta Racing Fleet (9-10) for the less experienced got 8 races under IODAI coach Kate Darcy and PRO Dave Sargent. With Aurele Dion (NYC), Dylan O’Sullivan (RCYC), Oliver Ryan (MYC), Jacob Browne (NYC) and Arthur Fegan (MYC) sharing the prizes.
Next stop on the IODAI calandar is the National Training week on 2-5 November at Lough Derg which is supported by Irish Sailing and aimed at the whole fleet while developing coaches for the future.
Further details can be found on the IODAI website: http://www.iodai.com
Photographs courtesy of Craig O'Neill
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