This year's nomination list for the ISA Awards includes 5 Howth sailors with an unprecedented representation in the 'Youth Sailor of the Year' category. Of the six nominations in that category, no less than four HYC sailors have earned the distinction.

The Nominees for the Youth Award were selected on the basis of results from World and European championships. Each nominee will be presented with an award, and the ISA Youth Sailor of the Year 2015 will be announced in the presence of state dignitaries, the media and key stakeholders from within the Irish Sailing community. The nominees for 2015 are: Ewan McMahon (Howth YC) – 2nd under 17 Laser Radial Youth Europeans, 3rd under 17 Radial Youth Worlds; Douglas Elmes (Howth YC) and Colin O’Sullivan (Howth YC) – Bronze Medal ISAF Youth Worlds; Aisling Keller (Lough Derg YC)- 6th Laser Radial Youth Worlds, 10th ISAF Youth Worlds; Aoife Hopkins (Howth YC) – 9th place Laser Radial Europeans, Qualified for ISAF WC Weymouth and Geoff Power (Waterford Harbour SC) – 4th Topper Worlds.

Dave Cullen is nominated in the 'Afloat Sailor of the Year' category, along with a host of monthly winners from Afloat Magazine during 2015. Dave earned his place following his superb win with the Howth team in Checkmate XV at the Half Ton Classic Cup in Belgium in August. There is an online poll which is designed to indicate preferences and help the adjudicating committee decide on a winner. You can vote here

HYC's Ross McDonald said of the nominations: 'Clearly it's not just ourselves that see how great our sailors performed last year. It's fantastic that the ISA are also recognising these achievements and hopefully we might see some of our sailors with a new title to add to their collection.'

The ISA have posted the full details of the awards on their newly designed website - see here