The 2026 schools sailing season is off to an exciting start, with strong participation, competitive racing and growing interest from schools across the country. Early regional championships in Leinster and Munster have already delivered thrilling competition and highlighted the depth of emerging sailing talent nationwide.
The Leinster Schools Sailing Championship saw a record 19 teams and 114 sailors take to the water, making it one of the largest events in the Irish Schools Sailing calendar. After more than 70 races, the championship came down to a dramatic tie-breaker and sudden-death final between St Andrew’s College and The Institute. St Andrew’s ultimately claimed gold, with The Institute taking silver and Gonzaga College securing bronze.
The event also welcomed Campbell College from Northern Ireland, whose young team impressed on their debut by reaching the quarter-finals. The competition was run smoothly by race officers Ronan McDonell and Scorie Walls, supported by a large team of volunteers.
Meanwhile, the Munster Schools Team Racing Championship in Schull also delivered a superb day of racing. Fifteen teams representing 90 sailors competed in challenging conditions at the Fastnet Marine Outdoor Education Centre, completing 60 races throughout the day.
Schull Community College dominated the championship, taking both first and second place, while Christian Brothers College Cork secured third place after a dramatic tie-break between four teams. The event also marked the first official competition organised under the banner of Irish Schools Sailing, with debut schools Mount Saint Michael, Rosscarbery and Newtown School, Waterford joining the fleet.
Attention now turns to the Ulster and Connacht Schools Team Racing Championship, which will take place at Galway City Sailing Club on 14 March, bringing together teams from across the northern and western regions.
The schools sailing season will then culminate in the Irish Schools Sailing National Team Racing Championship, hosted by the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire on 25- 26 April.
If the excitement and standard of racing seen so far are anything to go by, the Nationals promise another outstanding showcase of schools team racing and youth sailing in Ireland.