EXCITEMENT is building at Ballyholme Yacht Club as a strong group of sailors prepare to compete in the Irish Youth Nationals, taking place on home waters from April 9-12.
Representing the club, are Alex and James Eadie, Sally Nixon, Jessica Dadley Young, Cormac Byrne and Caroline Byrne, all looking forward to showcasing their progress at one of the key events in the youth sailing calendar.
Alex and James have recently stepped up into the ILCA 4 class after progressing through the Topper fleet.
Alex’s achievements include finishing first girl at the Topper Youth Nationals and being named first girl Topper Ireland, while James secured second youth boy at both the Southerns and Northerns.
The twins also gained valuable international experience competing in the gold fleet at the Topper World Championships.
Since moving into the ILCA 4, both have been training with Northern Ireland Sailing Team coach Chris Penney and sailing coach Roger Craig, focusing on race strategy and tactical awareness. Both are aiming for top 10 finishes at the Nationals.
In the RS Feva class, Sally and Jessica are targeting a podium finish in their final year together in the fleet.
The pair have continued their development through the Northern Ireland Sailing Team, achieving third overall at the John Minnis Youth Championships and second at the RS Feva Nationals Grand Prix at Ballyholme in 2024.
They are also preparing for the RS Feva World Championships in Travemünde, Germany, later this year, where they will represent Ireland.
Cormac will compete in the ILCA 6 class after a busy year racing internationally, including at the Europa Cup in Germany, where he competed in a fleet of 140 sailors and qualified for gold fleet.
Balancing sailing with his A-Level studies, he continues to gain experience racing against adult competitors.
Reflecting on the upcoming event, Cormac commented: “Thank you to Irish Sailing, Ballyholme Yacht Club, Ards and North Down Borough Council, all the sponsors and volunteers who are here to help make this event happen.”
“Having home support and opportunities like this on our doorstep makes a massive difference and enables us to continue developing and competing at this level, bringing the competition home.”
Caroline, sailing in the Topper class and a member of both the Irish Sailing squad and Northern Ireland Sailing Team, has also recorded strong results, including first girl at the John Minnis NI Youth Championships and first junior female at the Topper Northern Championships 2025.
Ballyholme Yacht Club is proud to be represented across multiple fleets and looks forward to welcoming sailors from across the country for what promises to be a highly competitive regatta.
The club extends its best wishes to all competitors and thanks all sponsors and partners supporting the event.
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