National Yacht club junior awards – Report & Gallery

The annual NYC Junior Awards Ceremony took place at the National Yacht Club on Saturday 26th November. The awards night is the evening when our juniors traditionally take over the club.

This is when the achievements of our juniors in summer courses and in National and international events are acknowledged marking the end of the junior sailing season.

For a full picture gallery of the night, please visit our Facebook page here

 In addition, the evening is an opportunity to thank all our instructors and assistant instructors for their great work over the summer and to acknowledge the huge effort they make in ensuring that our young sailors have a fun summer course whilst nurturing a life long love of sailing in a safe environment.

 It is also an event when parents can get together. Last Saturday the JB room was buzzing with relaxed parents whilst upstairs the dining room was filled with our juniors.

 The evening started for the juniors with spot prizes followed by dinner for both juniors and parents. After the meal, our instructors organised a table quiz with prizes to let the relaxation last a bit longer for the parents. And to finish, there was a selection box for ‘everyone in the audience’ to start the Christmas festivities.

 Thanks to all the staff of the NYC, especially John and Cormac, for their support with hosting over 100 juniors upstairs and 60 parents downstairs. It was a seamless production.

The awards ceremony then began with a total of 137 recipients receiving prizes. We celebrated our juniors’ performance in summer courses to Optimist, Topper, ILCA (formerly Laser), Feva and 29er Fleets in National and international events. In addition, we awarded special individual awards. We also recognised our SI Nicola Ferguson and Assistant SI Clare Gorman for their huge efforts this summer together with all our NYC instructors and assistants. The final part of the ceremony was the trophy ceremony to present special awards to sailors across the Junior Section. The list of the prizes winners is below.

 The evening wrapped up with a raffle in aid of the RNLI and PIETA House, in which we raised €1000. Thank you to Aoife Hofler for organising the raffle and super prizes from our sponsors:

· RTE
· Viking Marine
· Mediacentral
· Spotify
· The Irish Times
· Keogh’s

 Thanks to our head coach Thomas Chaix for all the organising and support he has contributed to our Junior Section since his appointment and for stepping in as main photographer at the award ceremony.

 Thanks also to all the Junior Committee for ensuring our young sailors had a great 2022.

 Happy Christmas and here’s to a happy and healthy 2023.

 (Rebecca Hall, NYC Junior Organiser)

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PART I: Summer Course 2022 Achievement Awards

 · Most Improved Taste of Sailing – Aveline Gaffney, Elodie Chapman
· Most Improved Start Sailing – Albane Rouillon, Freddy Hofler
· Most Improved Basic Skills – Michael O’Brien, Aodh J Carty, Charles Collenette, Isabelle Byrne
· Most Improved Improving Skills – Louis Trickett, Lara Fitzpatrick
· Most Improved Advanced Boat Handling – Jamie Kirrane, Mark O’Meara
· Most Improved Racing – Daniel McDaid, Ethan Verling
· Most Improved Adventure – Siofra O’Donnell, Clarissa Byrnes
· Most Improved J80s – Peadar Doyle, Oisin Alexander, Minnie Mansfield
· Most Improved Feva Helms and Crews – Leonardo Errico, Zara Whelan, Finn Collins, Clodagh Denn, Caoilfhionn Denn
· Most Improved Toppers – Hugo Farrington, Ben Doherty, Rory Brennan Hobbs

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PART II: Trophy Ceremony

 OPTIMIST FLEET

Junior Optimist Fleet

3rd Prize – James Gorman
2nd Prize – Basile Dion
1st Prize, Cullen Cup – Johnathan Dempsey (1st Ranked NYC sailor)

Senior Optimist Fleet

3rd Prize – Hannah Walsh
2nd Prize – Louise Hanley
1st Prize, Ferguson Cup – Felix Dion – Highest ranked NYC sailor

Regatta fleet: Optimist sailors that we should keep an eye on next year

· Aurele Dion
· Jacob Brown
· Michael Hanley
· Louis Trickett
· Felicia De Vreeze

 FEVA FLEET

3rd Prize – Peadar Doyle and Senan Corry (3rd Silver Fleet in Nationals)
2nd Prize – Lizzie Hall and James Hall (1st Silver Fleet Nationals)
1st Prize, Double Hander Trophy (Feva) (Plaque) – Theo Madigan and Cathal O’Regan (6th Gold Fleet in Nationals)

 TOPPER FLEET

3rd Place – Lizzie Hall
2nd Place – James Hall
1st Place, Cooney Cup (Topper Trophy) – Ella Fitzgerald

 LASER 4.7 Trophy (Donal Loghlan O’Sullivan Cup)

Dylan De Vreeze

 LASER RADIAL Fleet

3rd Place – Zoe Hall
2nd Place – Benjamin Reeser
1st Place, Lynch Cup (Laser Radial Trophy) – Sam Ledoux

 29 FLEET

van Steenberge Cup (29er Trophy) – Ben O Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain

Recognition awards for their achievements this season in 29er Fleet for Lauren O’Callaghan and Clementine van Steenberge

Cathy McAleavey Trophy

This award is given to the sailor that has achieved the most in 2022

Clementine van Steenberge (29er).

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PART III: AWARDS to sailors who went above and beyond in 2022

 Shanahan Cup (The most helpful assistant and TY sailor 2022): Conor Staunton

 McDonald Trophy (The most helpful Junior during the summer courses): James Walsh

 

A stand-alone award this year was the Rickard Cup which was awarded to two instructors in recognition of their selfless act of bravery in reacting to an incident over the summer. The qualities the two sailors demonstrated are ones that we would all hope to have and live by. We are so proud to have these sailors on our NYC team of instructors; their actions were truly heroic.

 Rickard Cup for Bravery

Hal Fitzgerald and John Duffy

Special recognition also to

Jack Hall and Nicola Ferguson

 These were a group of instructors whose actions demonstrated maturity beyond their years