2026 Betting Odds

1. Toby Bedell

favourite

3/1

The reigning champion before O'Callaghan dethroned him. The most consistent JD regatta performer by a mile: Bronze in 2023, Gold in 2024, Silver in 2025. The website says he's useless at everything, and yet somehow keeps lifting trophies. This is suspicious. Heavily fancied.

2. Paul McMahon 

favourite

4/1

Multiple Aero National Champion from Howth YC makes his debut. Seems like a proper sailor according to the Internet. What on earth is he doing at this regatta? Echoes of Sean Craig's pot-hunting episode in 2023. Very likely to podium, and maybe clean up. 

3. Laura Dillon

favourite

5/1

Irish Sailing Sailor of the Year 2022. Optimist World silver. Youth World bronze. The only woman ever to win the Irish Helmsman's Championship in its 60-year history. Narrowly missed the 2000 Olympics. The entry bio says she "finally succumbed to years of hassling" — the field should be deeply worried that she's finally showed up.

4. Evan Dolan

contender

7/1

Consistent semi-finalist across multiple years, made the 2025 final and finished in the pack. Needed his wife's permission to sail, which suggests either excellent relationship management or a dangerous rival for the sailing schedule. Reliable points-scorer, just needs one big day.

5. Dylan Gannon

contender

8/1

Former RNLI Regatta champion, so the man can clearly sail. New to the JD but arriving with serious CV credentials. Could be the dark horse who doesn't know he should be afraid of the field. Watch him.

6. Rupert Bedell

contender

10/1

A show pony. Great form early on, lots of fancy gybes, owns his own sailing gear etc. Will win a heat or semi, before self-destructing, much to the entertainment of the fleet. 2022 black flag. 2023 pile-up. 2024 capsize. Talks a good game about Laser sailing in the UK, but no-one believes it. Could be his year? Don't we say that every year?

7. Conal Casey

contender

11/1

Top level dinghy sailor and Two-time Oppie World team member who cannot be overlooked. Recent serious mountain biking injury will not deter him. Also the most respectable member of the mid-1990s Trinity College Sailing team, and the only one to emerge from that dark period without disgracing themselves with on/off water antics. Unlike certain MYC based people I could name. 

 
8. John Marmelstein

contender

12/1

Won SF B in 2025, led up the first beat of the final before an untimely capsize to windward ended his dreams. Has clearly rediscovered his Laser mojo. The bare feet may be unconventional but you can't argue with the speed.

9. Colin 'Cabbage' Kavanagh

contender

13/1

Improving form through 2025, made the final, sailed well. Faster than expected for someone named after a brassica. The nickname suggests he may have been underestimated his entire sailing career, and he may be about to prove everyone wrong.

10. Cian Griffin

contender

14/1

Regular finalist who the market has consistently underrated. Often overshadowed by his celebrity sibling Darren Griffin, Cian has quietly made the final every year of the regatta bar 2025, when he unexpectedly exited in the SF. Could well podium. 

11. Tim Noone

contender

14/1 

Organises the boats for the whole event — the logistical mastery required to do that while also racing competitively is frankly terrifying. He knows the estuary like it's his back yard. Which it is.

12. Sinead Byrne

contender

14/1

Former Oppie contender makes her debut this year. Internet shows recent top-level sailing form helming in J70 Class. This puts her among the leading contenders, although the transition from J70 to ILCA 6 may be challenging. Needs to navigate a tricky Group C but a potential finalist. 

13. Ken Hoffman

contender

14/1

Former Optimist National Champion who found his groove in 2025, topping a difficult group. Fell away in the semis but a man of his pedigree should be feared in 2026. Looks like he could still win the Oppie Nationals this year, if he wasn't 36 years over the age limit. 

14. Gareth Giles

contender

18/1

Made the 2025 final, and has serious boat speed. Has been unfortunate not to progress further in recent years, and is one of the few members of the fleet who actually sails a Laser. Above that, he is a winner. Would be a popular (and stylish) champion. 

15. Andy George

contender

20/1

The website simply calls him "a dark horse," which is exactly what you say about someone you're quietly backing. Unknown form at this regatta is as likely to mean "dangerous unknown" as "politely competitive." At 20/1, worth a flutter.

16. David Killen

contender

20/1

What a difference a year makes. Killen snr has never yet troubled the JD Final order, however in the last year he has raised his game several levels, with a full on ILCA campaign alongside training partner Finn Lynch. Some may feel this is a slightly overcooked approach to a charity regatta, but when Killen is this determined/obsessed, you'd be a fool to overlook him.   

17. Shane Giles

outsider

22/1

Ireland's Greatest Smoker 2002–2008. Six-time champion of a category that absolutely required lung capacity and boat speed in equal measure. Presumably retired from both disciplines now, but the competitive fires — and possibly a Benson & Hedges — still flicker. Almost took the title in 2022 final, but has been quiet since. 

18. Kevin Stanley 

outsider

24/1

Difficult to place. Put him in a Go-Kart or on a Mountain Bike and he's World Class. Yet to really break through at this event, but the competitive fires still really burn. Man-of-the-Match (off the water) in 2025 with his midnight rendition of 'Me Ma's Caravan' at the post-prizegiving. Plays the guitar like it's some sort of weapon. 

19. Jeremy Law

outsider

25/1

Won the Spacker League convincingly in 2025 and made the final — a genuine Leicester City moment. The question is whether lightning strikes twice. Probably not. But the 2025 run suggested hidden depths that the odds don't fully respect.

20. Ciaran Stanley

outsider

28/1

Surprise 2025 finalist via the Spacker League, despite conditions not suiting him — genuinely impressive. Also got eliminated on his birthday in 2024, which is the kind of poetic suffering that breeds champions. Don't write him off.

21. Peter Levins

outsider

30/1

Former Development Squad helm making a "highly anticipated debut." That is a lot of expectation for someone who hasn't sailed the JD format before. Career highlights include UK 4.7 Laser National Champion 1991. Either he arrives like a comet or learns a painful lesson. Either way, we're watching.

22. Padge Stanley

outsider

30/1

Sailing well going into 2026 but an unfortunate collision in the semi-final ended his event early. Sailing well counts for something. Collisions count against you.

23. Fintan Stanley 

outsider

31/1

Surprise finalist in the first JD regatta in 2022, shows anything is possible in this event with the right mindset. May be distracted by everyone ordering a flat white off him every 5 minutes. Questions over his race temperament following online recing incidences. Still, shouldn't be overlooked. 

24. Joe Turner 

outsider

33/1

Respectable Semi Final finish in 2025, in a tough group. Has some recent Laser experience which puts him ahead of 95% of the field. Could well spring a surprise and worth an each-way punt at these odds. If we were accepting each-way bets, which we're not. 

25. Paula McNaughton

outsider

33/1

Semi-finalist in 2025, progressed on countback — a woman who knows how to squeeze every last point out of the system. Escaped the North in 2005 and has been quietly menacing competition ever since.

26. Murrough Kavanagh

outsider

33/1

Patron Saint of the JD Regatta and always the first name on the entry list - he absolutely loves it. Kavanagh posted a famous race victory in 2024*, which is still talked about from Cowes to Sydney, up there with Nelson's victory in the Battle of Trafalgar. Once finished 2nd in a race in the 1985 Optimist trials (behind the great Paul Flynn), so probably deserves to be higher up the list. 

*: Spacker League

27. Helen Vaughan

outsider

35/1

Top lady in 2025 and a regular semi-finalist. Has successfully combined psychotherapy and traffic reporting, which is ideal preparation for reading both the wind and the fleet's mental state. Firm favourite for ladies' honours — though Laura Dillon's arrival may change that calculation.

28. Aisling Fenix

outsider

40/1

Made a strong start in her debut in 2025 before fading in the Semi Finals. Was very surprised to find she actually liked sailing. Unlikely to win overall but might spring a few surprises. One of the favourites to be last person standing in the apres race.   

29. Stephen Kennedy

outsider

40/1

Still searching for the magic Australian-built Laser. Until he finds it, the search for a first strong result continues in parallel. One suspects the boat is not the issue. Still, a man with a quest is a motivated man.

30. Tim Concannon

outsider

40/1

A conundrum since 2001. Nobody quite knows what to make of him, which means nobody quite knows how fast he is. In a format where the draw and the conditions can reverse any result, the unknown quantity is always more dangerous than the odds suggest.

31. Noel Davidson

outsider

40/1

El Vice Commodoro. A man of authority and rank. Has spent enough years watching the fleet from the clubhouse to know exactly what everyone else is doing wrong. Now he just needs to stop doing it himself on the water.

32. Carl Griffin

outsider

40/1

Mast failure in 2024. Still awaiting compensation. A man nursing a grievance against the equipment gods is either dangerously motivated or one rigging failure away from a very long swim. We wish him and his mast well.

33. David McGoldrick

outsider

40/1

Honorary Secretary.