The Dinghy Champions Cup was held at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire this weekend and it showcased the strong contribution of women across our sport, both on and off the water at this event. Run by Irish Sailing, this weekend brought together 12 of the best dinghy sailors in Ireland to compete for the National Title, three of whom were female; Anna Lowes, Rachel Deasy and Annalise Murphy.
The Principal Race Officer this year was Mairead Ní Cheallacháin who led proceedings on the water, with an all-female committee on the Race Committee boat. Ally Orr was the Safety Lead, Karin Ryan was the Club Liaison Person, and Jennifer Keogh worked as mark layer on the course, while Lisa Jean O'Reilly lead the communications and media coverage on behalf of Irish Sailing for the weekend.
With Annalise Murphy taking the overall title and women making up key parts of the event team, the 2026 Dinghy Champions Cup was a strong example of the growing stength and value of female participation in our sport, providing a snapshot of the many ways women contribute to sailing; both competing at the highest level to officiating, safety and event delivery throughout important events like these.