The 2026 Grant Thornton ILCA Irish Championships were officially launched this week at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire, ahead of what promises to be one of Ireland's largest dinghy events of the year.
Hosted by the Royal St George Yacht Club from 24th-26th July, the championship will welcome more than 100 sailors competing across the ILCA 4, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 fleets. Competitors, ranging from 14-year-old youth sailors through to senior adults, will battle for national titles in the world's largest one-design dinghy class.
This year's championship will also mark several firsts for Irish dinghy racing. ILCA Ireland will become the first Irish dinghy class to introduce robotic race marks at a national championship, while electronic safety tally fobs will also be used for the first time at an Irish regatta, further enhancing race management and sailor safety.
Competition is expected to be exceptionally strong, with all three reigning 2025 national champions returning to defend their titles. Alongside the racing, organisers have planned a busy shoreside programme featuring daily race debriefs with leading sailors and prize raffles supported by Rooster and Covy.
The championship will conclude on Sunday, 26th July, with the presentation of the national championship trophies and the announcement of the 2026 ILCA Ireland Transition Year Scholarship recipients. Two young ILCA sailors will each be awarded a month of winter training in Valencia, Spain, providing a valuable opportunity to further develop their racing skills.
Irish Sailing wishes ILCA Ireland, the Royal St George Yacht Club, all competitors, volunteers and sponsors every success for what promises to be an outstanding championship.
Photo L-R– Jason Crawford, Partner Grant Thornton Ireland, Paul Molloy, Commodore Royal St George YC, Mick Shelley Partner, Grant Thornton Ireland.