Your 2023 Youth Sailor of the year nominees ....
Ben O'Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain,
National Yacht Club and Royal Cork Yacht Club
Ben and Ethan are the current 29er European champions, Irish National champions and brought home silver at the British Nationals in Weymouth last summer. They then added to this in December winning a bronze medal at the Youth World Sailing Championships in Brazil.
Clementine Van Steenberge,
National Yacht Club
Is nominated for holding to current 29er World Championship Title. She is part of a sibling duo with brother Nathan Van Steen Berge who is a year above the youth category. A huge achievement when considering they came top of the league of 205 competitors from 25 countries in Weymouth last August.
Lucia Cullen & Alana Twomey,
Royal St George Yacht Club & Royal Cork Yacht Club
Lucia and Alana have had a great 2023 on the international stage where they were crowned European Female 29er Champions. This is a repeat nomination for the pair as they were both in the running for the 2022 Youth Sailor of the Year.
Rory Whyte,
Waterford Harbour Sailing Club & Royal Cork Yacht Club
15-year-old Rory Whyte from Waterford Harbour and Royal Cork Yacht Club recovered from a false start in race one in a three-race final series to win the 4.2 World Championship Trophy in July of 2023.
Sienna Wright,
Howth Yacht Club
15-year-old Sienna from Howth Yacht Club is current U17 Vice Youth European and Youth World ILCA 6 Champion following on from a bronze medal at Youth World Sailing Championship in Brazil. These results only serve to highlight this young sailor’s potential where she can be expected to further consolidate in preparation for a senior career option towards the Los Angeles Olympics.
David Evans,
Sligo Yacht Club
David has been a committed and passionate helm on the Sligo racing scene since the early years of primary school, competing in both regional, national and international events in a variety of classes such as the Mirrors, GP14's and Fireballs. In 2023 David was the highest placed Irish helm in the Mirror nationals, he won the U19 category in the Mirror Worlds and came first in the silver fleet in the Fireball Nationals.