Trinity Sailing Club celebrated a significant milestone by hosting its 10th Anniversary Alumni event on Saturday, November 2nd. An early 9 o’clock saw sailing club members both past and present embark upon the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire to rig the boats and prepare for the day ahead. With 18 teams and over 100 participants, the event saw record numbers of participation.
This reporter had the privilege of experiencing some of the action firsthand, with club secretary Adam Leddy bringing me out on the water to witness some of the 45 races that took place throughout the day.
Despite my limited knowledge of sailing, Adam provided a crash course on the rules, explaining the intricacies of team races, which involve six boats, three per team, navigating a course filled with twists, turns, and expertly executed manoeuvres. Many of the sailors were keen to test out the new sails, funded by support from the club’s alumni trust.
Indeed, the relationship between alumni and current members is as close as it is competitive. Some former members volunteered as marshals and umpires, enduring the cold Dun Laoghaire harbour for hours to ensure the event ran smoothly. “We’re actually ahead of schedule,” noted club captain Finn Walker upon my arrival. “This doesn’t normally happen.”
The battles between past and present members were fiercely contested, often drawing family rivalries into the fray. Some older readers might recall former Entertainment Officer Greg Arrowsmith, who claimed victory in the bronze final against a boat crewed by his brother and sister. The silver final saw old club captains from ‘97, ‘98, and ‘99 competing, with one edging out his daughter to claim the win. “That’ll be more donations for us,” quipped one current member, hoping that the alumni’s victories might boost raffle ticket sales at the dinner later that evening.
“The battles between past and present members were fiercely contested, often drawing family rivalries into the fray”
That would be far from the last humorous remark I heard from a quick-witted sailor that day. When I asked one boat of alumni members about their race, their reply was “DFL,” which they clarified stands for Dead Fucking Last. “Please don’t print that in Trinity News,” one of them joked. Sorry lads.
Equally entertaining was learning the various niche terms for different aspects of sailing. Terms like “tacking” (changing direction by turning the bow through wind), “tillers” (steering levers controlling a sailboat’s rudder angle), and “baling” (frantically and furiously shovelling water from the boat) became more familiar as the races progressed.
From an outside perspective, the close-knit community within the sailing club becomes quickly apparent. Many of the sailors have grown up competing against and alongside each other in junior competitions, with some beginning their sailing journey at the Royal St. George as children. Family connections also played a significant role, with captain Finn joined at the event by his younger brother Kei and their father, who officiated the races from the committee boat.
Nonetheless, both past and present members were eager to highlight the variety of backgrounds within the sailing club, noting that Trinity Sailing Club is “far less South Dublin-centric” than other clubs.
“Both past and present members were eager to highlight the variety of backgrounds within the sailing club, noting that Trinity Sailing Club is “far less South Dublin-centric” than other clubs”
What was also evident was the passion each club member has for Trinity Sailing. Hosting an annual sailing event for ten years requires considerable logistics and coordination, especially given Ireland’s notoriously unpredictable weather. It was clear that each sailor was thrilled to be out on the water and racing with favourable winds. Although the wind died down toward the end of the event, members eagerly sailed back to the boat club to prepare for the evening’s big dinner.
With smiling faces and good spirits in the air, Trinity Sailing Club had every reason to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the alumni race, a well-run club centred on community, competition, and camaraderie.
