The Club held our end of season prize-giving via Zoom last Sunday and we are delighted that so many took the time to enjoy the virtual session. I believe almost 70 members including Juniors, Youths and parents. Our Commodore Ian McCormack introduced the event to celebrate the achievments of our Junior and Youth sailors who between July and first week Sep managed to get in 29 races with 30+ different sailors, mostly Youth but a few Seniors. The youngest sailor and probably youngest crew was Katie Dwyer’s daughter Sophie who had her first races with Katie in the GP14. Full results are avaialble HERE on the home page. 
The presentations were as follows:
1) Most Improved Youth Sailor – The Starfish Trophy
Aoife Clarke (in an Opi..never sailed before start of the year and finished in 3rd in Regatta in September)
2) Tenacity – O’Tiarnaigh Tenacity Trophy
Helen Wilson ( attended almost all the sessions, made big effort to get out on the race course and while not winning races should be acknowledged and lauded for her efforts considering tarvelled from the Naul North Co. Dublin to attend.)
3) Topper (6 diff Boats) – The B&I Trophy
1. Emer Flemming
2. Michel Clarke
3. Jack Beary
4) Laser 4.7 (11 diff Boats) – Ben Eadar Trophy
1. Ciaran Durnford
2. Denis McCarrick
3. Sean O’Connor
5) Laser Radial (8 diff Boats) – Gibson Perpetual Trophy
1. Aedan L’Estrange
2. Sean Ryan
3. Luke Kellet
6) Overall PY Championship – Bronze Mariner Trophy
1. Ciaran Durnford
2. Aedan L’Estrange
3. Denis McCarrick
4. Sean Ryan
5. Emer Flemming
As you can see from the photos, the prize-giving was welcomed and enjoyed by all who attended. Thank you all for making the effort.
Finally we had a New Award – Club Sailor of the Year and a new trophy – ‘The Roy Dickson Afloat Award Trophy’. The award is a Sailing Committee selection, related to sailing and racing but not for results alone but includes contribution to on the water activities.
The award, in honour of Roy Dickson who passed away earlier this year and who was an innovator in terms of boat design and setup and a champion sailor in many Classes while in Sutton Dinghy Club. Roy was a former Commodore of our Club, in 1969 and had previously won a Home International invitation event in UK in 1957 in Yachting World Hornets while a member of Sutton Dinghy Club. He introdiuced the first Fireball to Ireland in early 62’s with Sutton Dinghy Club taking 8 wins from the first 12 National Championships and winning the championship himself once in 1964. He is reputed to have introduced the spinnaker to the Fireball Class and finished 3rd at Fireball World Championships in France in 1967 when there was 5 Sutton Dinghy Club boats on the start line.
He was also key to the introduction of Mirrors to the Club back in early 70’s, building Pink Panther and attending European Championship with his kids Alan, David, Gary and Ian. The Club went on to become a powerhouse in Mirrors launching Olympians such as Dan O’Grady and multiple National Champions from late 70′ through to 2014. Roy later went on to be one of Ireland’s foremost offshore racers in the 80’s and 90’s with many notable achievements including leading Irish boat in Fastnet Race in 1987 and ISORA Champion. His grandson is Robert Dickson who is currently campaigning 49’er for a place on the Irish Olympic Sailing team.
The Trophy (An Afloat Award to Roy from 2001) was donated to the Club by his family. Following his passing earlier this year the Sailing Committe felt it would be appropriate to honour Roy by having this trophy used as our new Club Sailor of Year Award. We welcomed his sons Gary and Ian and Ian family on the Zoom call on Sunday.
The award went to…..For his commitment to getting himself on the water through out a challenging season and his ever present support, coaching and encouragement of our Youth sailors during our racing season, the Sailing Committee unanimously selected Alan Carr as the inaugural recipient for ‘The Roy Dickson Afloat Award Trophy‘ Club Sailor of the Year.
Andy Johnston