Topper Irish National Championships at Lough Erne Yacht Club - Preview
by Carolyn McCaldin 22 Jun 10:53 BST
4-6 July 2025
Toppers at Lough Erne © Michelle Green
Lough Erne Yacht Club is looking forward to welcoming Topper sailors to the Irish National Championships over the weekend of Friday 4th - Sunday 6th July.
The Topper dinghy is sailed by junior & youth competitors from around 10 years old up to the age of 16. It is one of the most competitive and active junior / youth class of boat in Ireland and is recognised by the Royal Yachting Association and Irish Sailing organisations as an Olympic pathway class. Many sailors who start their sailing journey in a Topper have gone on to compete in the Olympics and continued their childhood hobby into adulthood.
Around 50 talented young sailors will travel from all over Ireland with some venturing from Scotland to compete on the waters of Lower Lough Erne for the Irish Champion title.
The event will be held over three days with up to nine races. There will be separate starts for the 5.3 and smaller 4.2 rigs. All ages within each class compete together on one course as do males and females. There will be separate prizes for junior and youth male and female categories as well as trophies for the overall Irish National Champion, Irish Female Champion and Irish 4.2 Champion.
Racing will be led by Derek Bothwell from Howth, Co Dublin, a national race officer. The event could not happen without the help of many volunteers both on and off the water.
This event is the final one before 18 of the competitors travel to Holland for the 2025 International Topper Class Association World Championships which are being held from 19-25th July. If you would like to support these young sailors in their journey they have set up a gofundme page where donations can be made.
Last July, 32 Irish youngsters travelled to Mar Menor in Spain for the 2024 World Championships. There were around 200 competitors at the event and we are proud to say that a number of our Irish sailors featured on the podium. We are hopeful of bringing more medals back to Ireland again this year.
The event is kindly supported by newly established Covy Watersports, Spar Lisnarick, Tayto, Aghinver Boat Company and Rooster.