Royal Cork Yacht Club Shines at the Optimist Connacht’s at Lough Derg YC
Royal Cork Yacht Club Shines
at the Optimist Connacht’s at Lough Derg YC
The Lough Derg Yacht club hosted 180 optimist sailors for the Connacht Championships last weekend. Royal Cork Yacht Club saw a fantastic turnout with 34 sailors competing across the Senior Fleet, Junior Main, and Regatta divisions. The club had the largest showing of any yacht club and prize winners in all divisions.
Day 1 brought light and shifty winds, challenging sailors to stay sharp and adaptable. In the Junior Gold fleet, Dylan O’Sullivan delivered a standout performance, securing three wins out of four races. In the Senior Gold fleet, Isaac Vaughan claimed victory in the opening race. Despite a gear failure in Race 2, George Creighton was able to continue racing thanks to the generous loan of a boat from Ellen Kingston, who herself received a spare boat to continue in the Regatta Racing fleet. Ellen’s sportsmanship and generosity earned her the Sportsmanship Prize a well-deserved recognition!
Day 2 tested sailors with heavy rain and poor visibility, but the dedicated Race Committee managed to run two more races. Winds varied between 10–15 knots, offering a dynamic range of conditions for competitors. John Keating delivered a steady performance with two 6th-place finishes, securing his spot among the overall prize winners.
Nicholas Nyhan led the charge to win the Regatta Racing fleet, claiming three impressive wins out of six in a strong 45-boat fleet.
A special shoutout to the sailors making their debut in the main fleets: Antonia Twohig in her first Senior Main event, and Luke O’Connell, Ewan Twohig, and James Nyhan transitioning from Regatta Racing to Junior Main. Their progression is a testament to the strength and development of Royal Cork Yacht Club Optimist sailing program.
Our sailors were supported throughout the weekend by RCYC coaches James Dwyer, Conor Horgan, and Oisín Pierse, whose guidance was instrumental in preparing the team for a variety of challenging conditions.
Well done to all sailors, parents, and coaches—RCYC continues to lead by example, both on and off the water!
Results
