2025 brought many highlights, including podium finishes at World Championships, Sailing Grand Slam success, a World Sailing Conference held in our own back yard, a refreshed Champions’ Cup and another excellent Watersports Inclusion Games. Alongside this, new appointments in Racing, EDI and Communications strengthened the organisation and laid solid foundations for the years ahead.
Early in the year, we got down to business with the Irish Sailing Awards, held in the modern surrounds of Windmill QTR in Dublin. Solitaire Du Figaro Paprec winner Tom Dolan was named “Sailor of the Year” and announced his ambition to join the starting line of the 2028 Vendée Globe. Many more sailors, volunteers and supporters of sailing were honoured throughout the evening, you can find all the details here: IRISH SAILING AWARD WINNERS
Next up were our three regional conferences which gave clubs and affiliates a chance to familiarise themselves with the updates to Irish Sailing’s annual strategic review as well as meeting new members of the team. Our regional conferences were held in Sligo Yacht Club for the Western area, Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club for the East and Waterford Harbour Sailing Club for the South.
The Irish Sailing Annual General Meeting took place in Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club and was well attended in person and virtually for the first time. We also held an Extraordinary General Meeting at the Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise on the 28th October. This was called following a comprehensive review of our membership subscription policy and its related systems and processes and the evolving needs of the sport, club management and members.
Training
The Training Team experienced a year of positive transition and progress, with Colum McCaffrey moving from Education and Programmes Officer into the role of Training Manager, setting a clear and ambitious direction for Irish Sailing Training. Irish Sailing now recognises 105 accredited Training Centres nationwide, spanning clubs, marinas and adventure centres. We were delighted to welcome two new Training Centres that joined the network during the year, further strengthening regional access to quality training across sailing, windsurfing and powerboating.
Direct support to Training Centres was a key focus, with on-the-ground Support Visits increasing from 40% to almost 100%. These visits provided guidance on syllabus delivery, shared best practice and reinforced consistent standards in safety and quality across the network.
This work is now supported by the development of 40+ practical guides, helping Training Centres maintain and consistently deliver high-quality training.
The reprint of the updated Small Boat Sailing Scheme (SBSS) Syllabus and Logbook supported an estimated 8,000 adult and junior sailors in 2025. The logbook reinforces consistent skill progression outside of course-time and emphasises that training is about developing confident, independent sailors, not solely for certification. This approach contributed to an incredible 18% increase in participation across the 2025 SBSS Summer Programme nationwide.
This momentum will be further supported by the introduction of a Programme Guide for Club Training Officers.
Looking ahead to 2026, planned developments include updated Instructor Handbooks with defined skill performance indicators; the relaunch of Cara na Mara as an early-entry discovery pathway; the introduction of a new Racing Framework and expanded Coach Development programme; a review of the structure of the WindSurf and WingSurf programmes; and continued support and development of the Instructor Trainer panel to ensure consistent delivery nationwide.
Together, these initiatives will further strengthen participation, progression and long-term engagement across Irish Sailing’s training ecosystem.
Racing
2025 was a standout year for racing in Irish Sailing, with a packed domestic calendar as well as success on the international stage.
We began in March with an update to the Racing Rules of Sailing, issued by World Sailing and included updated Irish Sailing Prescriptions.
The season opened in April with the Irish Sailing Youth Nationals, where almost 170 young sailors competed across six junior fleets at Royal St George Yacht Club. Four days of high-quality racing set the tone for the year.
And the youth sailing didn’t stop there, Dun Laoghaire was host to the ILCA Under 21 World Championships in late August. The event was hosted seamlessly by the Royal St George Yacht Club and the National Yacht Club and generously supported by Sport Ireland. We look forward now to welcoming the senior fleet this year for the Senior ILCA 6 & 7 World Championships, the first time in 25 years Ireland have hosted the event.
You can’t talk about international sailing without mentioning Team Headcase. They delivered a historic double, securing both the J24 European and World titles. Their achievements earned a World Sailing Team of the Year nomination, inspiring sailors at every level of the sport.
Youth excellence continued at the Junior Champions Cup in Schull, where 16 of Ireland’s top junior sailors competed in closely fought racing that went down to the final medal race.
In October, a refreshed Senior Champion of Champions Cup debuted, featuring separate dinghy and keelboat events. The new format proved a success, delivering tightly contested racing and showcasing the depth of talent across both disciplines.
Ireland also hosted world-class competition, with the Dublin Match Racing Cup returning to Dun Laoghaire as part of the World Match Racing Tour, attracting elite international teams.
The cruiser racing scene thrived, highlighted by the Sovereigns Cup in Kinsale, a strong Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, and another outstanding Dun Laoghaire to Dingle offshore race. These events once again underlined the vital role of clubs and volunteers nationwide.
Greystones’ sailor Pamela Lee finished in the Top 10 spot at the end of the Class40 Championship season and was first female skipper. Whilst 26-year-old Mark O’Connor of the National Yacht Club completed his solo journey across the Atlantic Ocean in the Mini Transat race – the youngest Irish sailor to do so. Rounding out the year, an Irish team claimed bronze at the revived 2v2 World Sailing Team Racing Championship at New York Yacht Club, further reinforcing Ireland’s presence on the global stage.
Schools’ racing saw a resurgence in 2025 with the formal establishment of Irish Schools Sailing Association. This is an exciting step to take and the association will be run by a committee of focused volunteers who have been working hard to put in place a sustainable framework to grow schools sailing across the Country.
On the administrative side the number of Race Officials grew to 199, a rise of 20%. This is a great figure to be able to share. We also ran 19 training programmes in 2025 for Race Officials.
Performance
Through the lens of performance sailing, it has been a strong year, with results that show real momentum in the lead up to the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.
The commitment across the performance pathway is a credit to the athletes, their families and the clubs. Our Performance Director, James O’Callaghan and Technical Director Rory Fitzpatrick, continue to guide the programme strategically with bold ambition and careful thought in a demanding environment..
The 2025 season began in style, with Finn Lynch medalling at the inaugural World Sailing Grand Slam event in Palma. Across the five-regatta global series, Irish sailors claimed five medals, including gold for Eve McMahon in Los Angeles and gold for Finn Lynch in the Grand Slam Final.
Eve McMahon continued to make history with a World Championship bronze in China, the first ever for an Irish female sailor. Her Rising Star Award at the Team Ireland Olympic Awards was richly deserved. Ewan McMahon also enjoyed a breakthrough year, reaching his first international medal race and delivering top-ten finishes at European and Grand Slam level.
The double-handed classes saw strong progress, with emerging talent to the fore. Erin McIlwaine and Ellen Barbour stepped confidently into the senior ranks following an U23 World Championship bronze, while Ben O’Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain claimed gold at the Junior Europeans. All now have their sights firmly set on Los Angeles.
The depth of talent coming through the pathway remains hugely encouraging, with strong performances by Sienna Wright and Fiachra McDonnell amongst others across the development squads.
Dun Laoghaire hosted the U21 ILCA World Championships, a fantastic event in itself which saw Irish Sailors taking full advantage of the opportunity to compete on home waters, with several standout performances in this young fleet over the week. Fiachra McDonnell narrowly missed out on a top 10 finish, placing 11th overall gaining valuable experience ahead of next year’s Senior World Championships, which will take place on the same waters.
I’d like to take the time also to thank the Irish Sailing Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Performance Team, who continue to support the Team. 2025 was a pivotal year for the Foundation, driven by the generosity of both long-standing and new donors and the tax incentives provided in the 2024 Finance Act. They provided support of more than €500,000 to Irish Sailing’s Performance Pathway, entirely from philanthropic donations. These funds help bridge the resource gap within performance sailing and support our talented and dedicated young athletes reach their potential.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding remained a central priority for Irish Sailing this year, underpinned by a strong culture of care and shared responsibility across the community. Clubs, centres and volunteers continued to demonstrate a commitment to creating safe, welcoming and child-centred environments for young sailors.
Our new National Children’s Officer, Luke Murphy, joined Irish Sailing in March this year, filling a very important position. 51 Sport Ireland safeguarding workshops were held alongside five national webinars, all of which saw high levels of attendance and active participation.
In 2026, Irish Sailing aims to build on this strong compliance foundation by expanding safeguarding work beyond compliance to actively capture and reflect young sailors’ voices on issues that affect them. We will be reviewing and updating safeguarding policies to ensure they are clearer, more accessible and easier to implement for clubs, training centres and affiliate organisations.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Early on in the year we were delighted to welcome Oonagh Healy aboard as EDI Executive, and she has definitely made her mark in the area.
Inclusion across Irish Sailing continued to grow in 2025, driven by strong club engagement and national participation. Funding was delivered through three core strands, Women on the Water, Club Disability, and Watersports Inclusion Games, with 48 club applications supported and all allocated funding successfully distributed.
A standout highlight was the 2025 Watersports Inclusion Games, hosted by Malahide Yacht Club in July. The event welcomed 326 participants, supported by 317 volunteers, and showcased the sailing community’s commitment to providing meaningful, inclusive experiences for people of all abilities and backgrounds.
Beyond the Games, Safe Haven Ireland, Sail Training Ireland, and Sailing into Wellness received Volunteer Supports funding, enabling participation opportunities for a combined 669 individuals.
Strong demand was also evident for the Club Disability Capital Grant, launched in November from previously unclaimed funding. Eighteen applications were received for four grants, which were awarded to Kinsale YC, Blessington SC, Bray SC, and Lough Derg YC.
Across the year, inclusion initiatives engaged approximately 800 participants through Club Disability activities, almost 700 participants through Women on the Water programmes, and a further 250 participants through club-hosted Inclusion Games events.
The Irish Sailing Connemara Outdoor Community Sports Hub also recorded a strong year, engaging 665 participants across a wide-ranging programme of camps, training, courses and regattas, continuing to build impact and connection within the local community.
The Board
2025 saw a number of significant changes to the Irish Sailing Board. With the conclusion of John Twomey’s term as President, the Board nominated me to succeed him. I would like to sincerely thank John for his immense service to the sport and for the lasting legacy he leaves.
Several Board appointments were made during the year. Nigel Moss (Galway Bay Sailing Club) was co-opted as Director and Chair of the Cruising & Recreation Policy Group, while Valda Boardman (Royal Irish Yacht Club) was co-opted as Director and Chair of the Communications Policy Group. Both had previously served as members of their respective groups.
Following her co-option in November 2024, Deirdre Tingle (RCYC) was ratified at the AGM as Director and Treasurer. She chairs the Finance Committee and serves on both the Board and Governance Committee. David Love (RCYC) also joined the Board in November, was ratified at the March AGM, and now chairs the Racing & Classes Policy Group.
The Board extends its thanks to outgoing President John Twomey and Board members Andrew Bradley, Vera Quinlan, and Katie Dwyer for their valued contributions, and wishes them well in their future endeavours.
EGM
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all our Clubs for your input, attendance, and participation at the Extraordinary General Meeting which was held at the Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise on the 28th October. Your engagement and your votes have delivered a decisive outcome in favour of key reforms that will strengthen and modernise our organisation.
The proposal on Membership Subscription Fees was resolved with 11,417 votes in favour and 2,576 against, a strong 81.5% approval that marks an important milestone in our shared commitment to future-proof Irish Sailing.
This was followed by a resounding 98% vote resolving to development of a new Member Management System (MMS), an essential step in enhancing our digital infrastructure, governance, and transparency across the sport.
The EGM raised a number of issues, particularly around our engagement and communication with Clubs and Affiliates. The question, “What does Irish Sailing do for you?”, arises regularly, and I am pleased to say that our Communications Department has made strong progress in addressing this.
Our regular newsletters to clubs, distributed through the “SailSmart” database, continue to perform very well, with high delivery and open rates and a steadily growing subscriber base. Engagement has also increased through our regular “RoundUp” communications and social channels are on an ever upward curve. In addition, we produced a document outlining the benefits and work of Irish Sailing on behalf of our members. This was circulated directly to members and published on sailing.ie in the “About Us” section.
Overall, it was a positive year for general communications, particularly in terms of media exposure. Our performance athletes featured frequently across television and radio broadcasts, alongside regular profiles in print media. Our partnership with Afloat.ie has also proven highly beneficial, enabling Irish Sailing to share news and important updates with the community in an effective and timely manner, while also supporting the wider services that underpin our sport.
Partnerships
Sailing is founded on teamwork, support and cooperation, values that are reflected in the strength of our partnerships. I would like to sincerely thank our sponsors for their continued support throughout the year.
McWilliam Bags of Crosshaven have proudly sponsored our athletes’ kitbags since the Paris Olympic Games, and their presence at competitions around the world is a visible reminder of their commitment. We were also delighted to welcome Dubarry as our official shorewear partner across the organisation, and it is a source of pride to have such a respected Irish brand supporting Irish Sailing.
Waterman Tecsar Engineering have now supported the Irish Sailing Youth Nationals for two consecutive years, and their contribution has been instrumental in the continued growth and success of this important event.
And of course, our activities in providing service and support to our members would not be possible without the continued financial support and operational guidance of Sport Ireland for which we remain very grateful.
Before signing off for the year it’s important to say a huge thanks to all the Volunteers, Commodores, Flag Officers, Committee members, Instructors, Coaches, Junior Organisers, Training Officers, Race Officials, Women on the Water Leaders, Child Safety Officers, Centre principals, Instructor Trainers and everyone else involved in making this happen and helping so many new members get involved and stay involved in the sports we all love.
I would also like to thank the Irish Sailing Board Members for so generously giving of their time to our sport and also to the many policy and working groups who supported the Board in their work. And lastly, a big thank you to the management and staff of Irish Sailing for their support and dedication during 2025.
Wishing you, our members and friends, a very Happy 2026 and a wonderful year on the water.
Fair winds,
Sue Concannon
President, Irish Sailing