Royal St George Yacht Club sailors delivered an outstanding performance at the Irish Sailing Youth National Championships, held last weekend in Ballyholme, with strong results across multiple classes in what proved to be a challenging and demanding regatta.
Competitors faced a testing mix of fluky breezes, very gusty and at times near‑gale conditions, combined with an unexpectedly sharp wind chill for the time of year. Nevertheless, the commitment, resilience, and benefits of a full winter training programme were evident throughout the event, as RSGYC sailors represented their club with pride, determination, and excellent spirit.
ILCA 6
RSGYC enjoyed a superb showing in the highly competitive ILCA 6 fleet, with club sailors claiming the top two podium positions.
- Conor Cronin sailed a consistent regatta to secure 1st place,
- followed closely by Marcus Shelly in 2nd place.
They were pushed hard throughout the series by fellow RSGYC sailors Max O’Hare, Rory Brennan‑Hobbs, and Jack Ives, all of whom delivered impressive performances in extremely testing conditions. Zita Tempany was the first RSGYC girl in the fleet, rounding out a particularly strong club presence. With challenging squalls and a deep, competitive fleet, the class provided tough days of racing — well done to all involved.
ILCA 4
In the ILCA 4 fleet, RSGYC once again featured prominently on the podium.
- Kate Spain produced a near‑faultless regatta to claim 1st place overall,
- while Tom Darcy finished an excellent 5th in a hotly contested fleet.
With four of the five races completed in a single demanding day, it was an exhausting but rewarding championship for the sailors, who certainly earned their rest afterwards.
29er
Under the guidance of coach Ellie Cunnane, the RSGYC 29er squad also enjoyed a very successful championship.
- Juliet Ryan and Ella Rock delivered a standout performance, finishing 1st all‑girls crew and 3rd overall in the fleet.
The club was further represented by Dan Moran and Cian O’Flannagain, who competed confidently at their first away event in the class, gaining valuable experience in challenging conditions.
RSGYC members also featured prominently on the overall podium, with
- Caolinn Gearty McDonnell and Eoin Byrne (NYC) finishing 1st, and
- Louise Hanley and Sebastian Wright (NYC) taking 2nd place in a very competitive fleet.
Topper 5.3
In the Topper 5.3 class, Cian Farrell was the sole RSGYC representative in one of the largest fleets at the championships. Against stiff competition, Cian sailed exceptionally well to finish a brilliant 5th place, only a handful of points from the leaders — an impressive result in a demanding fleet.
Optimist
RSGYC had a particularly strong presence in the Optimist class, with 20 sailors making up nearly half of the 44‑boat fleet. The club dominated the podium, achieving a clean sweep:
Congratulations to Emily Donagh, who was crowned 2026 Irish Sailing Youth National Champion (Optimist) at the Irish Sailing Youth Nationals, her twin sister Maeve finished 2nd overall, having won the same title in 2025. Following the event, Emily and Maeve have both secured places on the Irish Worlds Team and will represent Ireland at the 2026 Optimist World Championship in Tangier, Morocco (18th–28th June).
- Gold: Emily Donagh
- Silver: Maeve Donagh
- Bronze: Philippa Arthurs
Further excellent results followed, with Holly Cantwell, Ruairí Slattery, Felix Crinion, and Arthur Fegan finishing 5th, 6th, 8th, and 10th respectively.
Congratulations also go to all RSGYC Optimist sailors who represented Team George with distinction: Jess Walsh, Ollie Ryan, Ava Molloy, Louis Trickett, Kai Lawton, Kate Kovtun, Éabha Brennan‑Hobbs, Andrew Arthurs, Leo Smyth, Ben Smyth, Zoe O’Hare, Rian Foy Joyce, and Lucille Mullett.
In total, RSGYC sailors made up 45% of the Optimist fleet yet secured an impressive 58% of the available Irish team selection places, highlighting the depth, quality, and strength of the club’s youth programme.
Congratulations to all sailors, coaches, and supporters on a tremendous weekend of racing.
Royal St George Yacht Club can be immensely proud of this outstanding team performance at national level.
