GP14 Leinster Championship 2026 at Howth Yacht Club

Sam Street, Pathfinder - GP14 Leinster Championship at Howth © Karolina Kernan

Torrens leads Street - GP14 Leinster Championship at Howth © Karolina Kernan

Six race winners but Boyles take the title

Thirty-two GP14s travelled to Howth Yacht Club on the 4th and 5th of July for the GP14 Leinster Championship. With the World Championships at Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club only a few weeks away, the event provided one of the final opportunities for crews to sharpen their skills, particularly with the much talked about Gate Starts that will be used at the Worlds.

On arrival on Saturday morning the fleet were greeted by a fresh south-westerly breeze of 15-20 knots and bright sunshine over Dublin Bay. Race Officer Scorie Walls and her experienced race management team wasted no time in getting racing under way, while the safety crews stood ready as squally showers were forecast later in the day. The Gate Starts were executed flawlessly throughout the weekend thanks to the excellent boat handling of Tommy and Dillon on the Gate Launch, together with Eoin and Karolina aboard the Guard Launch.

Race one got under way in ideal conditions, with the fleet quickly spreading across the course in search of pressure. David Evans and William Draper of Sligo Yacht Club judged the opening beat perfectly and led the fleet around the course to take the first race win of the championship. Peter and Stephen Boyle of Sutton Dinghy Club finished second, with Adam and Emily Torrens of Newtownards Sailing Club crossing the line in third.

Race two saw the Boyles respond immediately, finding the best of the breeze to take a convincing victory. Keith and Matéo Louden of Lough Foyle Yacht Club sailed a consistent race to finish second, while Adam and Emily Torrens once again claimed third to remain firmly in contention for the overall title.

By race three the forecast squall had arrived, bringing stronger gusts and challenging conditions across the racecourse. Several crews were caught out by the sudden increase in breeze, resulting in a number of retirements throughout the fleet. Rob Lee and Stephen Lynch of Greystones Sailing Club and Lough Derg Yacht Club handled the conditions superbly to take the race win ahead of David Evans and William Draper, with Conor Twohig and Matthew Cotter of Sutton Dinghy Club taking third.

Sunday dawned with another fresh south-westerly breeze and the championship still wide open. Race four belonged to reigning National Champions Ger Owens and Melanie Morris of Wicklow Sailing Club, who sailed an excellent race to finish ahead of Peter and Stephen Boyle, while David Evans and William Draper completed the top three.

Race five saw Adam and Emily Torrens produce one of the performances of the weekend, taking a well-deserved victory from Ger Owens and Melanie Morris. Jess and Mark Greer of Sligo Yacht Club sailed an excellent race to finish third overall and first Silver Fleet boat.

Going into the final race several teams were still in with a chance of lifting the Leinster title. John and Donal McGuinness of Moville Boat Club finished the weekend in style with victory in the final race, ahead of Bran Morrison and Steven Nelson of Lough Erne Yacht Club. David Evans and William Draper crossed the line fourth, while Peter and Stephen Boyle finished sixth, securing enough points to claim the overall championship.

With six races completed, and six separate race winners, Peter and Stephen Boyle of Sutton Dinghy Club were crowned 2026 GP14 Leinster Champions with a net score of 15 points after counting five top-six finishes and discarding a ninth place. This was Peter Boyle's first major title win after knocking on the door for a number of years.

A big shout out to HYC and Scories for the effort in providing the gate starts. For 3 GP14 Crews this was their first time experiencing the thrill of being the Pathfinder, with Adam Torrens and Rob Lee taking victory as well.

Adam and Emily Torrens of Newtownards Sailing Club finished just two points behind on 17 points, while David Evans and William Draper of Sligo Yacht Club completed the podium on 21 points. National Champions Ger Owens and Melanie Morris finished fourth overall, with John and Donal McGuinness of Moville Boat Club rounding out the top five.

In the Silver Fleet, Jess Greer and Mark Greer of Sligo Yacht Club claimed the honours with an excellent eleventh place overall. Meg Tyrrell and Katie Dwyer of the Royal Irish Yacht Club finished second in Silver, while Patrick Hamilton and Hana Stolkova of East Down Yacht Club completed the podium.

The Bronze Fleet was won by Lauren O'Hare and Aisling Kelly of Rush Sailing Club after a consistent series. Lisa Flynn and Savannah Lloyd of Blessington Sailing Club finished second, with Daniel O'Hare and Ciara McMahon of Rush Sailing Club and Howth Yacht Club taking third.

The prize-giving with event organiser Jill Sommerville and GP14 President Andy Johnston presnting prizes took place in the welcoming surroundings of Howth Yacht Club veranda. The competitors were full of praise for Scorie Walls, the race management team, safety crews and volunteers who delivered six excellent races and a superbly run championship. A huge thank you goes to the event management team and everyone at Howth Yacht Club for their hospitality both afloat and ashore.

Attention now turns to the highlights of the season with the Championship of Ireland at Carrickfergus and the GP14 World Championships arriving at Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club for the first time in August. With over 100 boats expected on the start line, the standard of racing at the Leinster Championships suggests the Worlds are set to be one of the most competitive in recent years.

Overall Champions Peter and Stephen Boyle - GP14 Leinster Championship at Howth - photo © Karolina Kernan

Overall Results: