As Ireland celebrates a new world sailing champion in the Topper class, more top youth dinghy performances are in the offing this week with Irish crews prominent at the Mirror World Championships on Lough Derg, while in Denmark, an Irish Skiff crew made the 29er World Championship Gold fleet cut.
Fresh from winning the Topper Nationals in Donaghdee, Co Down in July, teenage helmsman Liam Glynn, from Ballyholme YC on Belfast Lough, won the Topper world championships in Loctundy, Brittany last weekend.
The final day of racing was scrubbed so Liam remained top of the 102-boat fleet with a solid 13point lead. Niamh Doran was 12th, Tom Purdon 14th and Conor Sherriff 17th.
Final races
On fresh water, Douglas Elmes and Scott Levie lead Irish hopes into this morning's final races on Lough Derg. Royal Cork's Elmes moved from fifth to second going into yesterday's penultimate round. Although South African's Ryan and Michaela Robinson maintain a healthy margin, only eight points separate Elmes and sixth place.
In Denmark, making amends for disappointment at the ISAF Youth worlds a fortnight ago, the National Yacht Club pair of Seán and Tadhg Donnelly made it through to the Gold fleet of the massive 216-boat 29er Skiff Worlds but a black flag penalty proved costly for the duo who lie 49th out of 53.
At the 420 World World Championships in Valencia, Spain, this week the best-placed Irish crews re Howth’s Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove in 55th, not high enough to make the gold fleet, but the third-best under16 crew.
