Thursday marks the start of the Irish Sailing Youth Nationals, taking place this year at Ballyholme Yacht Club—one of the standout events in the youth sailing calendar. Over four days, 200 sailors across seven fleets will compete for national titles and Irish Sailing medals, with the Optimist and 29er fleets also vying for international selection. The club will field around 20 of the 45 Optimist entries, alongside competitors in the ILCA 4, ILCA 6, Topper, and 29er classes. Beyond the racing, the event offers a great chance for sailors to reconnect early in the season and see the progression between classes—often inspiring Optimist sailors to make the leap into a 29er. We wish all our sailors the very best of luck and fair winds for the week ahead. —Paddy Ryan, RC (Sailing)
