Foyle Sailability, a voluntary organisation aimed at providing people with disabilities an opportunity to learn how to sail and access water based activities, are having the second regatta in Derry on 18th & 19th June.

Derry~Londonderry~Doire arrived in New York, the city that never sleeps in the early hours of this morning lit up by world famous city skyline. The Northern Irish team put on a competitive performance to claim fifth place in Race 13, the Grange Hotels Trophy, just one week ahead of the highly anticipated Race 14 to Derry-Londonderry.

Foyle Sailability, a voluntary organisation aimed at providing people with disabilities an opportunity to learn how to sail and access water based activities, is inviting expressions of interest from people with disabilities and their representative groups who wish to take part in their two-day regatta in Derry on 18th & 19th June.

Olympic skiff sailors Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern from Belfast lough won silver medals at the ISAF World Cup climax in France this afternoon (2nd May 2014).

Preparations are well underway for the return of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race with one of the most exciting events planned for the year, a weeklong LegenDerry Maritime Festival from 21-29th June 2014.

The Northern Irish entry has finished its toughest leg yet of the 2013-14 edition of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, with rescued crew member Andrew Taylor going to hospital upon arrival following the man overboard incident in the Pacific last week.

The Olympic Sailing Center in Qingdao, China provided the perfect backdrop today as the Northern Irish entry competing in the Clipper 2013-14 Round the World Yacht Race started Race 10 from Qingdao, China to San Francisco, USA .

Derry~Londondery~Doire arrived in Qingdao, China, this morning (local time) to a hero’s welcome following one of the most challenging legs of the 2013-14 edition of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

“It is amazing to finally arrive here in Olympic Sailing Center in Qingdao, China. It has been a really tough race in many ways. In lots of ways we were luckier than some of the fleet who are still yet to arrive," added skipper Sean McCarter.

Ballyholme Yacht Club is the host for this summer’s prestigious F18 catamaran World Championships which will be sailed on Belfast Lough, one of the best sailing areas in Europe. The event, one of the largest in Ireland this year, will run from 4th till 11th July.

HAPPY NEW YEAR F18 SAILORS

We have only 178 sleeps until the F18 Worlds 2104 at Ballyholme Yacht Club commence!  Now that all the festivities have passed, it’s back to work and time to start planning the sailing season – have you looked at travel and accommodation yet?  Check out all the links on the website www.2014.f18worlds.com. 

Ireland and the ISA (Irish Sailing Association) Pathway Programme have once again produced a world champion sailor, this time in the form of Liam Glynn from Bangor, Co. Down. The teenager was today crowned the 2013 Topper World Champion at the international regatta at Loctundy in Brittany, France having been sailing all week against 101 competitors.

Liam Glynn from Ballyholme YC is leading the Topper World Championships in Loctudy, Brittany, France. In a fleet of 102 boats, he has already registered 3 firsts, 1 second and a third.

He has already won the Irish Nationals this summer at Donaghadee where conditions were similar with little breeze and lots of tide. Hopefully there is a little bit more wind forecast today although tomorrow is looking light without a sea or land breeze kicking in during the afternoon. Today is the first of the races where the gold and silver fleets have been separated and the racing starts properly. Ben Martin (BYC), Tom Purdon (BYC and SLYC), Peter Gilmore (SLYC), Lucy Mearns (SLYC) and Emily Hill (CAYC) should also make the Gold fleet.

Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern have won Gold at the Sail for Gold Regatta in Weymouth, home of the London 2012 sailing Olympics. It is a breakthrough performance for the duo who, in the process of securing their first international medal, beat numerous World and European medallists.

Local sailors, Robert Espey and Michael Gunning, got the 2013 RS Season off to a successful start, securing a win at the 2013 RS Irish Eastern Championships, held at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin.

Finishing first on 7 points, a cool 2 points clear of last year’s event winners, the Ryan brothers, the Ballyholme duo have certainly made a lasting impression for the season ahead. Despite the difficult conditions on Saturday, which saw dying and shifting breeze, the boys managed to return to the club as overnight leaders eagerly awaiting Sunday's forecast of heavy breeze.

James Espey from Ballyholme Yacht Club currently leads the last leg of the ISAF World Cup at Hyères having won the first race against the best on the world including Olympic champion Robert Scheidt from Brazil.

James has just started with a new coach in his bid to qualify for his second Olympics at Rio in 2016 (he also sailed the Laser at London 2012), and all the new hard work already seems to be paying off.