#olympicsailing – With exactly a year to go to the Rio Olympics Irish Olympic Sailing crews laid out their stall at a press conference this afternoon, outlining major regattas where Ireland hopes to qualify in a fourth dinghy sailing class. Today's event featured Irish Olympian, Annalise Murphy, Ryan Seaton (49er class) and 10 time Paralympian John Twomey with crew.
The globetrotting fixtures for the Irish Olympic sailors include this month's Olympic test event at Aquece Rio Intl Regatta (Rio 2016 test event) from 12-22 Rio de Janeiro. The test event gives the Irish sailors a final opportunity to familiarise themselves with the environment they will experience at the Olympics next year.
Sailing was one of the first sports to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympics, with three boats qualifying the nation in Santander, Spain in September 2014 – Laser, Laser Radial and 49er and now the hope is to qualify two more boats before the end of 2015 in the 49erFX class for the Olympics and Sonar for the Paralympics.
Andrea Brewster and Saskia Tidey, who also featured at the conference, aim to qualify a fourth class at the 49erFX World Championships in November 2015 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Other major events where Ireland will participate are:
· Laser Radial World Championships – 17-26 November 2015, Al Mussanah Sports City, Oman
· IFDS Combined World Championships – 24 November - 3 December, Melbourne, Australia (Rio 2016 Paralympic qualifier event)
The conference also featured members of the ISA Development Academy; all campaigning for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games but who could also qualify for Rio, especially in a trial in the mens Laser class that will feature up to five sailors as Afloat's Water Rat has previously discussed.
Also announced was the news that Ireland's Paralympic Sonar team will attempt to qualify for the Rio 2016 Games at the IFDS Combined World Championships in November in Melbourne, Australia. Helm, John Twomey from Kinsale will be hoping to qualify for his 11th successive Paralympic Games.
Providence Team IRL
Annalise Murphy (Laser Radial)
James Espey (Laser)
Ryan Seaton & Matt McGovern (49er)
Andrea Brewster & Saskia Tidey (49er FX)
John Twomey, Ian Costello, Austin O'Carroll (Paralympic Sonar)
The Irish Olympic Team had their most successful Sailing Olympics for thirty years at London 2012 with a 4th, 10th and 14th place finishes. Their target is to build on this success using the support of world class coaches, and following a structured and comprehensive programme of preparation in advance of Rio 2016
With one year to go until the Olympic Games, eyes are fully focused on Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as the Rio 2016 Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Brazil, as a nation, gear up for the grandest of sporting spectacles.
In the build up to Rio 2016, the city will host 45 sporting contests to test operations, competition areas and results systems. In ten days' time sailing gets its second turn to host a test event out of Marina da Gloria with racing taking place across course areas inside and outside of Guanabara Bay.
The Test Event will allow ISAF the opportunity to evaluate and make key decisions in advance of making the final decisions that will govern the main event. The health and safety of the competing athletes is paramount. ISAF continues to address concerns and is taking steps to ensure the health and safety of all athletes who will be competing in the test event and the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition.
