SPORT: Local sailors win top award

COLIN O’Sullivan, from Malahide, and Kilkenny’s Doug Elmes jointly took home the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) Youth Sailor of the Year award at a recent ceremony in Dublin.

The Howth Yacht Club sailors were hotly tipped following their recent Bronze medal success at the 2015 Youth World Championships in Malaysia, where they took Ireland’s first double-handed youth world’s medal in 19 years. 

The shortlist included Howth’s Aoife Hopkins and Ewan McMahon, Tipperary’s Aisling Keller and Waterford’s Geoff Power.

National Yacht Club sailor Liam Shanahan was named the 2015 Afloat Irish Sailor of the Year. Drawn from a star-studded shortlist, which included Volvo Ocean race winner Justin Slattery; round-Ireland record-setting Sidney Gavignet; and 11-time Paralympian John Twomey amongst others, Shanahan had a remarkable year, including victory in the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race in June on his boat Ruth with two miles to spare.

The Mitsubishi Motors Sailing Club of the Year award was presented to the Royal Irish Yacht Club in honour of their success at local, national and international level, and Mullingar Sailing Club took home the ISA Training Centre of the Year award.