Team Ireland has officially selected a team of three sailors to compete in the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer. Olympic Silver Medallist Annalise Murphy is set to compete in her third Olympic Games in the Laser Radial Women, and her teammates Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove will compete in the 49er Men.

The sailing events in Tokyo will run from 25 July – 2 August 2021 at Enoshima Yacht Harbour.

Murphy will be competing in her third Olympic Games; in London 2012 she came agonisingly close to a medal, finishing fourth. Against the odds the Dun Laoghaire based sailor finished second in Rio 2016, winning an Olympic silver medal for Team Ireland. Murphy is back competing in this Olympic category after taking a short break after Rio, when she temporarily switched her focus to the Volvo Ocean Race.

Heading into their first Olympic Games, Dickson and Waddilove are no strangers to success, in 2018 they won the 49er Under 23 Junior World title in Marseille, France making them Irish Sailors of the Year. 

Their qualification for Tokyo came courtesy of a stellar performance in the 49er Olympic Qualifying event in Lanzarote last March, the last opportunity to secure an Olympic berth. A dominant start to the event saw the crew gain enough points to win the Olympic berth in the preliminary rounds, before they competed in the medal race.

Laser Radial Women – Annalise Murphy (Dublin)

On the day she collected her official kit Murphy said, “Getting your gear, that’s when it all becomes a reality. It’s all happening now! It’s when you can believe that I’m going to the Olympic Games for the third time, it’s just mad! After Rio I spent some time in the Volvo Ocean Race, and really enjoyed being part of a crew so I competed for a while with Katie Tingle in the 49er FX, but as Tokyo came closer, I switched the focus back to the Laser Radial. I think the conditions in Tokyo could suit me, and I know I work harder than anyone else out there – so I’m ready for a good competition, and we have a good team out there, with Rob and Seán as well.”

Team Ireland Chef de Mission for Tokyo 2020, Tricia Heberle said, “I’m really pleased to be announcing this sailing team today, they have pedigree and talent. On one hand, we have Annalise who is already an Olympic medallist, bringing the experience to the team heading into her third Olympics. On the other, we have Rob and Seán who are really exciting prospects. They showed their class at the qualifiers in Lanzarote earlier this year, and we are really looking forward to watching them perform in Tokyo."

TEAM IRELAND TOKYO SAILING TEAM:

Laser Radial Women – Annalise Murphy (Dublin)

49er Men – Robert Dickson (Dublin), Seán Waddilove (Dublin)

Team Ireland now consists of 50 officially selected athletes, with over 100 athletes spots confirmed across nineteen sports. The final team announcement is scheduled for the beginning of July.

The Olympic Games in Tokyo will run from the 23rd July to 8th August 2021.

Tokyo bound Annalise Murphy ended a tough week at Medemblik with a black flag disqualification in race eight this afternoon in her final international ILCA 6/Radial event before the Olympic regatta in less than fifty days time.

The Irish Rio silver medalist ended up 37th overall from 58 starters after an exceptionally tricky light and medium winds event on the Dutch ijsselmeer.

A similar black flag fate beset Howth Yacht Club teenager Eve McMahon who had been as high as 11th overall earlier in the series.  The Paris 2024 prospect finished top Irish sailor in 32nd overall.

McMahon's clubmate Aoife Hopkins, also campaigning for Paris was 42nd overall.

Howth's Eve McMahon was as high as 11th at the Allianz Regatta this week before finishing 32nd overall and highest place Irish finisher Photo: Sander van der Borch

The Medal Race line ups have been confirmed for the Allianz Regatta tomorrow in which Ireland will play no part.

Marie Barrue (FRA) has dominated the ILCA 6 all week long and also has a strong lead over the fleet. On 39 points, she is 17 points clear of Maria Erdi (HUN), and a top performance in the Medal Race will confirm gold.

Erdi is just six points ahead of the third-placed Agata Barwinska (POL). Ekaterina Zyuzina (RUS) and Marit Bouwmeester (NED) are in contention for the medals but will need to put several boats between themselves, Erdi and Barwinska to overturn the deficit.

Medal Races are scheduled to commence at 11:00 local time.

Howth Yacht Club teenager Eve McMahon leads Irish hopes at the final international event before the Olympic Games at the Allianz regatta at Medemblik, Holland this week and lies in 11th place in the 58-boat women's ILCA 6/Radial fleet.

Ireland's Tokyo nominated Annalise Murphy is 32nd and McMahon's clubmate Aoife Hopkins is 45th.

The second day of racing at the Hempel World Cup Series - Allianz Regatta saw the leaderboards take shape in the ILCA 6, ILCA 7, Men's and Women's RS:X and the Nacra 17.

Having been in the top ten after the first day's racing, McMahon stays on target for a gold fleet place just two points outside the top ten.

For the ILCA 7, it saw an end to their qualification phase with the top half of the pack progressing to the gold fleet and the lower half settling for the silver.

Thursday's racing played out in a stronger breeze than the day before with 7-10 knots prevalent across the two racing areas in Medemblik, The Netherlands.

Sailors looked to play some of the shifts on the water to maintain their position in the fleet as they target the Medal Races this coming Sunday.

The seven-boat Women's RS:X fleet is compiled of seven Tokyo 2020 athletes, all of whom who have their eyes on a medal at the Olympic Games.

Katy Spychakov (ISR) snapped up two races wins and leads on six points. Marta Maggetti (ITA) won the days other race and is second on seven points.

Tokyo 2020 will be Patricia Freitas' fourth Olympic Games. She is using Medemblik to continue her Games preparations and is currently in fourth, two points off the third placed Lilian de Geus (NED).

Racing continues on Friday 4 June from 10:30 local time.

Full results here

Ireland's Annalise Murphy finds herself in a Rio replay of five years ago this week when she confronts fellow 2016 podium finishers, Marit Bouwmeester (NED) and Anne-Marie Rindom (DEN) as the 2021 Hempel World Cup Series kicks off at the Allianz Regatta in Medemblik, The Netherlands today. 

Murphy and Rindom will test themselves in the ILCA 6 against Bouwmeester as they aim to upgrade their silver and bronze medals from five years ago at Tokyo 2020.

Also racing from Ireland in the ILCA 6 are Aoife Hopkins and Eve McMahon, both of Howth Yacht Club.

As regular Afloat readers will know, the battle is well and truly on for the National Yacht Club's Murphy to improve her consistency as she finished 46th in April at the Vilamoura International Regatta, an event which Rindom won in convincing style.

There are no Irish men competing in the ILCA 7 class in Holland, just over a month on from the disappointment of failing to qualify for Tokyo at Vilamoura.

The Dutch regatta runs through to 13 June with eight Olympic classes and world-class talent on the water.

A total of 350 sailors from 47 countries will race across eight Olympic classes, in what will be the first Hempel World Cup Series event since the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

For many sailors, the Hempel World Cup Series – Allianz Regatta will serve as the final major competition before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The Hempel World Cup Series – Allianz Regatta has a rich past, building on the legacy of the Spa, Holland and Delta Lloyd Regatta. Since 1985, it has been a leader in the list of European Olympic sailing events, and is renowned amongst Olympic sailors as providing a tough test on a competitive racecourse.

The Hempel World Cup Series – Allianz Regatta will take place over two weeks, to allow sufficient time and space for sailors to compete while abiding by coronavirus restrictions regarding social distancing.

From Wednesday 2 to Sunday 6 June, the ILCA 6, ILCA 7, Men’s and Women’s RS:X and the Nacra 17 fleets will all take to the water. The 49er, 49erFX and Finn will follow from Wednesday 9 to Sunday 13 June. The Men’s and Women’s 470 were cancelled due to insufficient numbers but large fleets are expected in all other classes.

Dutch hopes for the Hempel World Cup Series – Allianz Regatta will be pinned on home favourite Marit Bouwmeester (NED) in the ILCA 6. The Dutch racer, gold medallist at Rio 2016, has faced injury setbacks throughout the Tokyo quadrennial but is focusing on returning to winning ways.

2018 World Champion Emma Plasschaert (BEL) joins the 69-boat fleet alongside Olympic medal hopefuls Paige Railey (USA), Tuula Tenkanen (FIN), Josefin Olsson (SWE) and Maria Erdi (HUN).

The ILCA 7 will feature 80 world class racers aiming for bragging rights ahead of Tokyo 2020. The fleet will be spearheaded by Rio 2016 silver medallist, Tonci Stipanovic (CRO) and London 2012 silver medallist, Pavlos Kontides (CYP). Further contenders include Juan Ignacio Maegli (GUA), Charlie Buckingham (USA) and Hermann Tomasgaard (NOR).

Dutch windsurfers Kiran Badloe and Lilian de Geus have been the dominant force in the Men’s and Women’s RS:X in recent years and will be firm favourites in their respective fleets.

Badloe will race in a 21-boat fleet that includes Tokyo 2020 rivals Tom Squires (GBR), Piotr Myszka (POL) and Thomas Goyard (FRA). A small, yet competitive 8-boat fleet will race in the Women’s RS:X.

In the Nacra 17, Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Nacra 15 gold medallists Dante Cittadini and Teresa Romairone (ARG) will make their Nacra 17 senior debut. They will compete in a 13-boat fleet that features five strong French teams.

40-boats will face-off in the 49er fleet with strong presence from Danish, Dutch, French and German teams. Meanwhile in the 49erFX 28-boats will line up.

The 12-boat Finn fleet will include ten Dutch sailors, including the Tokyo 2020 bound Nicholas Heiner (NED). Overseas competitors include Facundo Olezza (ARG) and Vasilii Kravachenko (RUS).

Racing will take place across two race areas from 11:00 every day. The Medal Races will follow back to back on both Sunday’s to conclude the competition.

As the Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) confirms its third athlete for Tokyo 2020 last week, Annalise Murphy, who was nominated for the team 11 months ago is still awaiting official OFI selection.

Murphy was nominated by Irish Sailing in controversial circumstances when trials were cut short cut in June 2020.

One of the reasons given for the termination of the trial then was that "by nominating her now the Irish Sailing Board have ensured that team preparations can move focus to the Olympics".

Nearly, a year later, however, there is still no ratification of the silver medalist's place even though other athletes have been confirmed.

Afloat enquiries to the OFI back in February were told: "she has been nominated for the spot by her National Federation but not officially selected yet, so the next step is once the OFI convene and all the protocol has been satisfied, she can be considered for official selection".

Flyweight boxer Brendan Irvine was officially selected to represent Team Ireland at the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer last week.

The Rio Olympian from Belfast secured his Olympic berth at the European Olympic boxing qualifier in London in March 2020, shortly before the event was postponed. 

This is the third official Team Ireland Tokyo team announcement, and currently, Team Ireland has achieved 65 quota spots across thirteen sports, with many athletes and sports at various stages on that qualification journey. 

Twenty-four-year-old Irvine joins Canoe Slalom racer Liam Jegou and Jack Woolley from Taekwondo as officially selected Team Ireland members for the Games which run from the 23^rd July to 8^th August.

Irish Sailing Team manager James O'Callaghan told Afloat that the pandemic has delayed the process of a sailing team announcement. "It's going to happen shortly we've just not been able to coordinate a date that suits OFI, Radial team and 49er team as they've been busy in prep. It will be announced very soon". 

Ireland's 2016 sailing star is currently focusing on training in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands and Vilamoura in Portugal as she turns her attention to the Olympic Regatta on Enoshima Bay in two months time.

Annalise Murphy (National YC) revelled in the strong wind conditions winning four consecutive races in the Radial Silver fleet of the Vilamoura International Regatta to win the second fleet overall.

It will be small consolation for  Ireland's Olympic silver medallist, however, who knows full well that with less than 70 days to go to Tokyo, the battle is well and truly on to improve her consistency if she is to deliver on her gold medal ambition. The point was reinforced by the fact that the Rio bronze medalist, Anne Marie Rindom won overall by a significant margin (39 points) in the Danish girl's own preparations for Enoshima Bay. 

Aoife Hopkins and Eve McMahon, both of Howth YC finished 6th and 9th respectively in the 44-boat Silver fleet.

Full results here

A building southwesterly sea breeze did not seem to suit the Irish women on day three of the 2021 ILCA Vilamoura European Continental qualifier for the Olympic single-handed dinghy.

In the two races, the best any of the three could manage was the 20th place scored by HYC's Aoife Hopkins who paired that with a 32nd to lie in 51st place overall. Annalise Murphy (NYC) (25,43) is four places behind in 55th, while Eve McMahon (HYC) is in 77th following a 43rd and 20th in the 89-boat fleet.

None of the Irish women qualifies for gold fleet racing tomorrow.

A race start of the 2021 ILCA 6 Vilamoura European Continental qualifier for the Olympic single-handed dinghy Photo: Joao Costa Ferreira

Denmark's Anne-Marie Rindom, bronze medallist in Rio in 2016, continued to exert her dominance adding a fourth race win and discarding an 11th place to give her an eight point lead at the halfway stage.

Racing continues tomorrow. Full results here

Day one of the 2021 ILCA Vilamoura European Continental qualifier for the Olympic single-handed dinghy (M&W) was sailed in a six to 15 knot southwesterly, backing during the day.

The women's ILCA 6, formerly known as the Radial dinghy, got their two races in first, Rio Bronze medallist and 2019 World Champion Anne-Marie Rindom (DEN) taking two wins to tie the overall lead with Vasileia Karachaliou (GRE).

Annalise Murphy of the National Yacht Club (already nominated for Tokyo) and who has described this regatta as 'just a training event' scored 29,8 to lie 34th overall, while Aoife Hopkins of Howth Yacht Club is 38th (15,23) and Eve McMahon, also HYC is 77th (39,33) in the 89-boat fleet. 

Racing continues tomorrow. Full results here

Mercedes-Benz has added further wind to the sail of Irish sailing star Annalise Murphy as she ramps up her preparations for the forthcoming Tokyo Olympics, due to take place later this year.

Radial helmswoman Murphy, who won Olympic silver in Rio, is the only Irish nominated sailor for Tokyo so far. 

In a move that sees Mercedes-Benz retain its status as the only vehicle manufacturer supporting Annalise’s bid for further Olympic glory, the company has renewed their backing for the 31-year old Rathfarnham native who will continue to drive a top-of-the-range X-Class pickup for use in transporting her Laser Radial, her team and her equipment to events, here in Ireland and overseas.

Annalise Murphy competing at her winter training base in Lanzarote

Finished in the now familiar yet eye-catching Kabara black, silver and grey livery, her 190hp X-Class is festooned with features fit for a sailing star. Amongst them are 4MATIC 4x4 automatic transmission, chrome style bar, reversing camera, cruise control power, rear sliding window and a style pack that includes roof rails and side steps.

Wishing the Olympic silver medal winner of the National Yacht Club every success on her road to Tokyo, Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles sales manager, Fergus Conheady says: “Mercedes-Benz is proud to extend its support to one of Ireland’s leading medal contenders in her quest to achieve further success.”

A massive breaking wave capsized Ireland's Olympic silver medalist sailor Annalise Murphy yesterday during training in Lanzarote.

As Ireland's only sailor so far nominated for Tokyo, Murphy continues to train with some of her rivals in the Canary Island's this week. The training camp has certainly been getting conditions they can expect in Japan this July at the Tokyo Olympic venue.

Of course, the National Yacht Club ace is well used to such big seas on her own Dublin Bay but she declared on social media that yesterday's Canary capsize was her first-ever experience of a 'backflip' in a Laser.

The footage is certainly dramatic (below).

I did my first ever backflip in a laser today! pic.twitter.com/sP0UAjznsi

— Annalise Murphy (@Annalise_Murphy) February 6, 2021

Murphy, dropped back to fifth overall at the end of the ten race Lanzarote Winter Series Regatta in January, having held second overall in the ILCA 6 fleet until the penultimate day. It was a result that led to an honest review of her first regatta since the Euros in Poland last October.