🎄❄️ BOXING DAY SWIM 2025 ❄️🎄
Join us for our legendary Boxing Day Swim, the ultimate festive refresh! Whether you're in it for tradition or just a good laugh with friends, this is your chance to dive into the chill and support an important cause.
🌊 WHEN: Friday 26th December @ 11:00 AM
📍 WHERE: Ballyholme Yacht Club
🎁 £5 Donation in support of the RNLI
Great craic, great people, and a perfect way to end the year with a splash. Hot drinks and biscuits available afterwards.
Spread the word and tag your swim crew!
Register here - ballyholme.com/events/boxing-day-swim-26th-december-2025/#tkt-slctr-tbl-19180
#BoxingDaySwim #FestiveDip #WinterSwimChallenge #RNLI #SplashInto2026
Visit Ards and North Down Northern Ireland Open Water Swimming Bangor by the Sea
On Saturday 18th October, Ballyholme Yacht Club delivered the goods for Round 3 of the IWA Slalom Series 2025 and it was epic!
Steady SE winds (15–20 knots) and top class sailors setting the scene for fast and exciting slalom racing. From foils to fins and wings, every fleet brought the heat on Belfast Lough.
Check out the official event highlights by the IWA here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOw5KvHFaGE
Massive shoutout to our sponsor North Down Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Clinic for their generous support, and to all the competitors, volunteers & BYC crew for making it happen!
www.northdownchiro.co.uk/
RESULTS ROUND-UP 🏆
🌬 Windfoil Fleet
🥇 Dave Garvey
🥈 Robbie Walker
🥉 Joe Galeckas
🪂 Wing Fleet
🥇 Jonathan Crean
🥈 Noah Dorman
🥉 Ciaran Moore
4️⃣ Rory Moore
5️⃣ William Dempster
6️⃣ Damian McGrogan
🏄♂️ Fin Fleet
🥇 Brian Kelly
🥈 Philip McMullan
🥉 Colin Mayrs
Irish Windsurfing Association Ards and North Down Borough Council Visit Ards and North Down Northern Ireland Sports Forum RYA Northern Ireland
What a cracker video. Very interesting to see the speed variation between the foolery and windsurfers. Well done to the drone cameraman 👍
Great to see them flying around the bay and well done to all the organisers and volunteers .
well done Rob for brining the boarders to BYC
👏👏👏
Topper Triumph as BYC Sailors selected for Irish Topper Squad!
We are incredibly proud to announce that three of our very own BYC sailors have been selected for the Irish Sailing Topper Squad.
A massive well done to Leo West-Hurst, Emma West-Hurst and Caroline Byrne. All three sailors have had an epic sailing year so far, from topper travellers, local championships and racing at national level and the worlds. A fantastic step forward, your skill and determination have clearly shone through and this recognition is just the beginning!
Wishing you all the best as you continue your sailing journey with the squad, we’ll be cheering you on every step of the way!
Photo credits from Wavelength Image of the trio in action!
#juniorsailing #toppersuccess #BYC #irishsailing
Very well done.
🥇🥇Ballyholme Yacht Club is extraordinarily proud of the achievements of two of its youth members, Emily Ridout (pictured left) and Annabel Ridout (pictured right), who have been crowned RS Feva Female European Champions 2025 at the European Championships held last weekend in Riva, Italy.
Additionally, in a fleet of over 100 teams, the sister duo finished an impressive 4th overall. This result follows their outstanding performance at the RS Feva World Championships in July, where they placed 2nd in the female rankings and 10th overall in the world standings.
Emily and Annabel have been sailing since the age of six, starting out in Ballyholme Yacht Club’s Dolphins & Sharks programme — designed to help young children gain confidence on the water and take their first steps into sailing.
The Ridout family have been instrumental in driving the growth of RS Feva sailing at Ballyholme. With support from Ards & North Down Borough Council, who provided funding for the purchase of three Fevas, youth sailing at the club has continued to go from strength to strength — an investment that is clearly paying off.
Today, as well as winning championships, Emily and Annabel give back by helping out with the Dolphins & Sharks sessions, inspiring a new generation of young sailors to discover the fun of double-handed sailing.
RYA Northern Ireland
Ards and North Down Borough Council
Amazing! Well done ladies!
Amazing!! Well done!
They are great role models, and also give back into sailing by helping with the BYC Dolphins and Sharks 👏🏅👏🏅
Well done to two fantastic girls. They work hard and compete but they never lose sight of the joy of sailing. ⛵️ onwards xx
Well done Emily and Annabel, a wonderful achievement. You’re both great role models for our younger sailors. ⛵️
Awesome result🙌!!! Congratulations Emily and Annabel, well done on this amazing achievement!
How lovely to be young, beautiful and talented. Me? I was just young, but that was a long time ago 🙂
Awesome achievement👏👏👏. Congratulations Emily and Annabel, very well done.
Always the most helpful, kind and hard working around the club, particularly with the younger sailors. 🐬🦈Well done Emily and Annabel- enjoy all your well deserved success!!🎉🎉🎉
Congratulations Emily and Annabel! Great result!
Congratulations Emily and Annabel! This is amazing news!
Congratulations! Brilliant result!
Congratulations you are amazing .
Fantastic. Congratulations girls 🏆
Absolutely amazing! Congratulations!
Well done girls! X
Fantastic result from two brilliant sailors. 🎉
Fantastic girls!!’💕
Brilliant ladies👏
Well done Annabel and Emily 🤩 Super well done 👏🏻
Fantastic 👏
Well done
Wonderful wonderful! So well deserved x 🎉🎉
Well done girls xx
Brilliant Emily & Annabel! 🙌🙌🙌
Exciting plans are taking shape for Ballyholme Yacht Club!
Tomorrow, Saturday 11th October (10am-12:30pm, 2pm-4pm) , the club will be open for the Public Drop-In Information Session hosted by Ards and North Down Borough Council, where the Council and Design Team will present the concept designs for the redevelopment of the club.
These plans aim to enhance access to watersports and make even more of Bangor’s beautiful waterfront location.
Everyone with an interest in the project is welcome to come along, view the designs, and share their feedback.
@followers Bangor by the Sea RYA Northern Ireland Ards and North Down Borough CouncilProgress continues on the Bangor Waterfront Redevelopment as we unveil concept designs for the new Ballyholme Yacht Club Watersports Centre.
📍 Drop in at Ballyholme Yacht Club
📅 Saturday 11 October 🕙 10AM–12:30PM & 2PM–4PM
Whether you're a sailing pro or just curious about the future of our waterfront, come see what's on the horizon!
#Yourvoicematters #Bangorwaterdfrontredevelopment #BallyholmeYachtClub
