The HYC K25 team continued their winning ways at the J24 Nationals in Foynes Yacht Club at the beginning of the month, with an impressive performance aboard Kilcullen.

The weekend's team consisted of Dylan Cassidy, Ciara McMahon, Archie Malcolm, Fiachra Farrelly, Aoibhín Farrelly and Cian Kelly (pictured above with FYC Commodore Patricia McCormack, left, and T. Shanehan of McHale Komatsu, right), with Jamie Malcolm joining the team for two days of racing. They faced a challenging weekend of racing, with conditions changing dramatically from day to day. Anyone familiar with Foynes will know just how tidal it can be, and the fleet experienced everything from strong winds on Friday to much lighter conditions by Sunday.

Despite the challenging weather, Race Officer Derek Bothwell delivered an impressive nine races across the three days.

Kilcullen put in a consistently strong performance, posting race results of 6th, 5th and 4th, even while dealing with a number of breakages and two protests.

Going into Sunday, the K25 team were fighting for 6th place overall. Unfortunately, an unlucky gooseneck break meant they were unable to compete in the final three races, effectively sitting out a third of the competition. Despite this setback, the team still finished 8th overall, 2nd in the Silver Fleet and 1st K25, an excellent result in a highly competitive fleet.

At the front of the fleet, Jupiter remained firmly on form, retaining a top-two position in every race, while Snoopy, Blind Squirrel and Stoopshe also put in strong performances throughout the championship.

There were plenty of adventures off the water too. Friday morning brought a battle with a blow-away tent, while on Saturday night Fiachra took the microphone from a paid performer, suggesting that the crew’s talents may extend beyond the racecourse.

The team were full of praise for the hospitality at Foynes Yacht Club, with a particular thanks to Commodore Patricia McCormack for creating such a warm and welcoming atmosphere throughout the weekend.

The crew would also like to thank everyone who has supported them throughout the season. From those cheering them on from the shore to everyone who has helped, encouraged and backed the team along the way, their support has been hugely appreciated.

With a strong result despite the setbacks, the crew of Kilcullen have certainly left their mark on the J24 Nationals. We’ll be keeping an eye on what Aoibhín, Archie, Cian, Ciara, Dylan, Fiachra and Jamie get up to next season!