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Sigma 33 Offshore One-Design Championship at Howth Yacht Club

by Julie Manahan 30 Jun 18:27 BST 26-29 June 2025

The Sigma 33 Class Championships were hosted by Howth Yacht Club for the first time from June 26-29, which incorporates the Irish and UK fleets.

Howth delivered four spectacular days of racing under the expert guidance of Scorie Walls and her race management team. A total of 11 races were completed, thanks to the class's decision to run windward-leeward courses—maximising racing opportunities and keeping the action tight.

It was a standout regatta for Stephen Mullaney and his local team aboard Insider, who delivered a commanding performance to claim the championship title with an extraordinary 9 bullets from 11 races, discarding a fourth place. With this result, Insider becomes just the second Irish boat ever to win the Sigma 33 Class Championships since the first event in 1979, following in the wake of Tim Goodbody's White Mischief from the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

The 2023 winner, Griogair Whyte's Close Encounters from the Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club (RNCYC) finished as runners-up with a notably consistent performance, including six second-place finishes.

The defending champions, Harper/Robertson's Leaky Roof 2, from Cove SC, completed the podium in third overall, winning two races—including Race 1 on Friday, which earned them the prestigious RNCYC Trophy.

The Silver Fleet was won by Mark & Andrea Mackey's Mithril, who also took home the Quaich Trophy for the best newcomer to the class—a promising debut that signals a bright future.

Beyond the racing, camaraderie was alive and well at the traditional Sigma 33 Class Dinner, hosted on Saturday evening in the fabulous restaurant facilities at Howth Yacht Club. The celebrations ran late into the night, and it's fair to say that not all crews were quite as fresh on Sunday morning as they were at the start of the regatta!

The Sigma 33 class now looks ahead to their next major event with their own start in the Volvo Dún Laoghaire Regatta with many visitors coming for both events. The class will be aiming to build on the success of Howth as they head to Bangor in 2026 for the Class Championships.

Overall Results:
If you finished in the top ten at the Sigma 33 nationals then enter your Gear Guide information here

PosFleetBoat NameSail NoOwner(s)ClubR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10R11Pts
1stGoldInsider4444Stephen MullaneyHowth YC111‑4111121111
2ndGoldClose Encounters8858Griogair WhyteRNCYC / CCC‑4322223232425
3rdGoldLeaky Roof 24607Harper & RobertsonCove SC525134‑9313229
4thGoldSquawk8148Emma & Paul PrenticeBYC / RUYC3‑733552574643
5thGoldFlyover4571David Marchant & John McDonaldWaterford Harbour SC6445464‑757550
6thGoldExcelle4462Claridge & FoxFlushing SC2597636(DNF)65352
7thSilverMithril4505Mark & Andrea MackeyBYC/RUYC/Quoile YC98‑108895646770
8thSilverMoonshine4999R Moloney D O' Flynn & F O'SullivanRStGYC/Baltimore SC(DNF)1066778498873
9thSilverElandra of Down4536Martin DewsRoyal Ulster YC767998788(DNS)978
10thSilverSpringer4464Ian BowringRStG YC89810101010910DNS(DNC)95
11th Mayrise8856James MillerHelensburgh SC(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNC180
11th Folly IV of Tamar4555Peter VitaiRoyal Cornwall YC(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNC180
11th An Oifig4443Niall Sabongi & Ger SmithSkerries SC(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNC180
11th Partisan5690Dan LewisNeyland YC(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNC180
11th Afrita4264Andrew LamingSt Mawes(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNC180
11th Sonic4399Ruairidh CampbellToward Seasports C(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNC180
11th Rajah1685PJ MoranNational YC(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNC180

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