#aquecerio – Ireland is expected to issue details of its selection trials shortly for The Aquece Rio – International Sailing Regatta 2015, the second of two Rio 2016 Olympic Test Events with the first being held in 2014.

Only one athlete per country can be represented with a major fight already on the cards between Finn Lynch and James Espey for the single Irish mens Laser slot.

Rio will welcome sailors once again from 13-22 August 2015 with racing taking place inside and outside of Guanabara Bay.

Each ISAF Member National Authority is entitled to enter one boat in each Olympic event and must apply to enter by 1 May 2015.

Sailors will compete in an opening series before Medal Races on 20, 21 and 22 August bring the regatta to a close.

Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition

The Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition will take place at the Marina da Glória, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and will feature 380 athletes competing across ten events.

Racing is scheduled to take place from 8-18 August 2016 and the competition format for all events is fleet racing.

Aquece Rio – International Sailing Regatta 2014 has drawn to a close with the Laser, Laser Radial and 470 honours being picked up on the final day of action. Ireland's Annalise Murphy, a one time regatta leader in the Radial, finished tenth overall after a tough medal race finish yesterday where she picked up maximum points. The Dubliner is heading home having concluded that she knows what she needs to do to crack Rio.

Racing on the Pão de Açucar race track, a south easterly breeze in between 5-10 knots allowed all the fleets to conclude their racing. The breeze died towards the latter part of the afternoon.

'I finished up 10th overall in Rio today. I have learnt a huge amount about this place over the last two weeks and know what I need to work on to crack this place,' she said after racing yesterday.

Denmark's Anne Marie Rindom claimed a hard fought Laser Radial gold medal following a fourth in the Medal Race.

Rindom trailed overnight leaders Tuula Tenkanen (FIN) and Evi Van Acker (BEL) by two points heading into the final race and was able to advance up to the top of the podium as she explained, "I was in third position and I could become first. I was really nervous, obviously. I was trying not to be but you can't always do that when you have all the adrenaline going on. I tried to stay out of trouble and avoid contact with all other boats and just sail my own race by focusing on my sailing and speed and it turned out really great.

"I saw that the other girls in front of me got a really bad start so from there it was just follow them and make sure they didn't get ahead of me."

Midway through the race Alison Young (GBR) had moved into gold medal position as she took the lead. Rindom had work to do and with Tenkanen and Van Acker struggling behind her she pushed forward. She moved up from seventh to fourth by the conclusion of the race as Young dropped back a spot.

"It's a huge step for me," smiled Rindom. "It's pretty good and a good signal you can sail in the Olympic venue. I think Rio is definitely a hard place to sail. It's so much different to what we're used to in Europe so we're definitely going to have to train here a lot."

Young managed to take silver whilst Van Acker came through in eighth position to hand her bronze. With a ninth place finish Tenkanen dropped from first to fourth overall. Annalise tenth and tenth overall.

After a month of foreign competition – including a stint in the Moth dinghy – Murphy returns to Dublin for a one week break.

#AqueceRio_en – There were ideal conditions of up to 20–knots for Aquece Rio in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil yesterday as Ireland's Annalise Murphy confirmed her medal race participation in the Laser Radial with the title to be decided later today.

There will be some disappointment though that after leading the Olympic test event at the halfway stage on Wednesday, the National Yacht Club sailing star, who had a stunning 1,4,4 in the opening three races, has now dropped to tenth overall after a lowly 20.0, 12.0 and 19.0 in yesterday's final three rounds of the opening series. 

Regardless, the overall result is a credible peformance in a very strong fleet in some tricky conditions and the Dubliner progresses to the medal race stage because the ten boats ranked highest in the 25–boat fleet are assigned to compete.

Annalise said afterwards on facebook: 'A very difficult day yesterday inside Guanabara bay. I had some good moments but made quite a few mistakes including not checking my foils properly which caused me to sail an entire upwind with a plastic bag on my rudder!'

At the top of the fleet, two points split Tuula Tenkanen (FIN), Evi Van Acker (BEL) and Anne Marie Rindom (DEN) following a topsy turvy day on the Escola Naval race course. Tenkanen picked up an 11-2, Van Acker a 13-1 and Rindom a 10-3. All three sailors count their double digit scores to tighten the points up. Tenkanen and Van Acker have 30 points whilst Rindom has 32, Alison Young (GBR) is fourth on 40 points heading into the Medal Race that starts at 12:40 

Results here

#aquecerio – A light south easterly wind caused problems for Ireland's overnight Laser Radial leader Annalise Murphy at Aquece Rio, the first Olympic test event, yesterday in Brazil. The National Yacht Club (NYC) sailor admits to making 'a mess' of the race due to a seond lap error. She struggled in the typical Guanabara Bay airs and posted a 20th place finish. As a result, the Irish Olympic star drops to seventh. Race victor Erika Reineke (USA) moves up to sixth.

One of Annalise's arch rivals Evi Van Acker (BEL) moves to the top after a second place in Race six, the only race of the day for the Radial fleet. Van Acker leads Tuula Tenkanen (FIN) by one point whilst Anne Marie Rindom (DEN) is third, two points off Tenkanen.

Leader up the halfway stage of the competition, a practice for the Olympic regatta itself in two year's time, Annalise made the following comment (via facebook) about yesterday's single race: '...I was going well for most of the first lap but made a complete mess of the second lap so ended up not so hot by the finish. 3 races tomorrow on another race course inside the bay which should be fun!'

Rio was plagued with light winds across the five race areas making life difficult for the race committees and the sailors. A light south easterly breeze was present with all fleets.

Racing resumes at 12:00 today. The Finn Medal Race will commence first on the Pão de Açucar race area and will be followed by the Nacra 17 at 12:50, the 49er at 13:45 and the 49erFX at 15:00

The remaining fleets will start at 12:00 inside Guanabara Bay. 

Full results here

#aquecerio – Racing in big waves and a consistent breeze, the third day of racing at the Olympic test event at  Aquece Rio saw a range of conditions with wind and waves on the outside courses which were ideal conditions for Ireland's Annalise Murphy to make an early mark on Olympic waters.

The National Yacht Club sailor took an opening race win and followed it with two fourth places. Tuula Tenkanen (FIN) took a pair of bullets in the Laser Radial and with the discard being applied after three races she loses her DNC from the opening race. Tenkanen tops the pack on two points with Anne Marie Rindon (DEN) second on four points and Annalise Murphy is third on five. Full results are here.

The third day of racing saw a range of conditions with wind and waves on the outside courses and tricky breeze inside Guanabara Bay. 

A 15 knot south westerly breeze worked its way across the five race areas with outside courses Copacabana and Niteroi experiencing a stable breeze and wild waves. Inside Guanabara Bay was a different story with an up and down breeze that tested the sailors across Pão de Açucar, Ponte and Escola Naval.

Racing is scheduled to commence at 12:00 local time on 6 August. The 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 have four races scheduled whilst the remaining fleets will sail three.

#rio – For Rio de Janeiro's thousands of tourists Monday 4 August was the perfect day with a beating Brazilian sun, clear South American skies and the occasional gust of light breeze to cool down bathers on Copacabana Beach.

Unfortunately, for the 324 sailors from 34 countries – and Ireland's Annalise Murphy – it was not perfect conditions for sailboat racing at the Aquece Rio - International Sailing Regatta 2014 as light winds forced the Race Committee to cancel all the day's racing by 16:00.

Light winds were predicted for the second day of racing with a maximum of 10 knots on the cards if the breeze played ball. The wind failed to materialise and the decision to cancel the Laser, Laser Radial and 470 fleets, who were scheduled to race on outside courses Copacabana and Niteroi, was made at 14:50.

Fleets racing on the inside courses - Ponte, Escola Naval and Pão de Açucar - were cancelled shortly afterwards to bring an early close to race day two.

The third day of racing will see a cold front pass through Rio de Janeiro that will bring showers, stronger breeze and an increase in wave size. Having lost a day of racing all of the fleets will sail three races on Tuesday with seven set to commence racing at the earlier time of 11:00.

www.aquecerio.com/en/competicoes.php
www.sailing.org/2014-test-event.php

#rio2016 – More than 320 sailors from 34 nations will compete at the first test event of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games from 2-9 August from the Marina da Gloria.

The Aquece Rio – International Sailing Regatta 2014 is set to be the largest Olympic classes sailing competition ever held in Brazil and many of the world's top competitors are ready for the test.

Organised by Rio 2016 and Confederação Brasileira de Vela (CBVela) in conjunction with the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), the regatta will test the field of play, equipment, workforce, systems and procedures two years out from the Olympic Sailing Competition.

Five race courses will be assessed during the course of the regatta with three areas – Ponte, Escola Naval and Pão de Açucar –situated inside Guanabara Bay and the other two - Copacabana and Niterói – located outside the bay in open water.

The Test Event will be the first opportunity to start developing the skills of the 1,000+ workforce who will be critical to the success of the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition. The on water race committee teams are one such group and their training programme will get underway under the guidance of International ISAF officials from Brazil and overseas.

Media coverage and results from the Aquece Rio will be delivered by the Rio 2016 team and ISAF through www.aquecerio.com/en/competicoes.php and http://www.sailing.org/2014-test-event.php

Each nation is entitled to two places per Olympic event for the Aquece Rio – International Sailing Regatta and two teams will have full squads racing on Rio's water.

The British and Brazilian teams will have 20 boats and 30 sailors competing throughout the week however the Brazilians will benefit from it being their home waters.

World #1 49erFX team Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze (BRA) will be the favourites in the 16-boat fleet having finished on the podium at 11 of 14 ISAF ranked regattas since jumping in the skiff. The pair are local to Rio but won't be taking anything for granted, "It is very hard to tell what is going to happen. We have to be prepared for everything and whatever comes, will be.

"We train here but racing is always different. I expect a low number of sailors but with a high level so it will be the perfect training session."

As Grael predicts the level is set to be high in the 49erFX fleet with 2013 World Champions Alex Maloney and Molly Meech (NZL) within the fleet. Speaking on their blog the pair said, "The main goal for the trip is to get accustomed to being in Rio, and the sailing conditions here. This competition is the first run-through event for both the organisers and sailors, and it will be great to get to know the rough course areas planned for the 2016 Olympics. After a great break, we are ready to get back into and learn as much as possible."

Strong teams from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden and the USA will join the Brazilians and Kiwis on the 49erFX start line in Rio.

Fresh from 49er Open European success Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (NZL) will spearhead the 19-boat 49er fleet. The Kiwis have won five consecutive 49er regattas including two ISAF Sailing World Cup regattas, one World Championship and two Open European Championships.

The Aquece Rio – International Sailing Regatta will be their first opportunity to showcase their talent on Olympic waters but they will be joined by a small yet competitive fleet that includes London 2012 gold medallists Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen (AUS) and consistent British racers Dylan Fletcher and Alain Sign.

The Laser Radial fleet features 28 sailors and includes six of the world's top ten, including World #1 Marit Bouwmeester (NED).

Many of the Laser Radial competitors have Rio experience under their belt and that includes Annalise Murphy (IRL) who, like many of the competitors, isn't focused on the end result, "I am really looking forward to experiencing some proper fleet racing in Rio, I think racing two years out from the Games is going to be hugely beneficial in my preparation for the Olympics.

"I hope to get a better understanding of Rio, get a feel for the bay and the different conditions we will experience. Everything is important to get used to, the wind, the tide, the food and finding a gym.

"I came to Rio for three weeks training last year and experienced a big mix of conditions; it is pretty tidal so it is going to be a tricky event. I think the racing will be very competitive; nearly everyone is here for this regatta so it will be a very high standard. I am looking forward to going out and enjoying myself on the water."

Joining Bouwmeester and Murphy in the fleet will be World #2 and ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres victor Evi Van Acker (BEL), ISAF Sailing World Cup Qingdao gold medallist Dongshuang Zhang (CHN) and World Cup Miami winner Paige Railey (USA).

The Laser fleet will be the largest in Rio with 36 boats registered to race. Top competitors include home favourite and 2013 Laser World Champion Robert Scheidt (BRA), Australia's Tom Burton, World #2 Nick Thompson and strong Kiwi sailors Andy Maloney and Sam Meech.

The Nacra 17 fleet will see 16-boats on the start line and includes a number of leading teams. 2013 World Champions Billy Besson and Marie Riou (FRA) will be joined by the experienced Darren Bundock and Nina Curtis (AUS), World #2 Ben Saxton and Hannah Diamond (GBR), Franck Cammas and Sophie de Turckheim (FRA) and World #3 Thomas Zajac and Tanja Franck (AUT).

Giles Scott (GBR) is the Finn class' man of the moment having won nine of the last ten regattas. Scott has won his last five regattas and will be the one to beat in Rio but strength in depth is present throughout the fleet. Brazil's Jorge Zarif and Bruno Prada will have home water advantage whilst World #2 Bjorn Allansson (SWE), World #3 Thomas Le Breton (FRA) and the seasoned Jonathan Lobert (FRA) and Pieter Jan Postma (NED) will provide stern competition.

Aquece Rio - International Sailing Regatta 2014 is the first of two test events with the second following in 2015, provisionally scheduled for 12-22 August.

#rio2016 – Ireland's Annalise Murphy has arrived in Rio for next week's Aquece Rio - International Sailing Regatta 2014, the first test event of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games that takes take place from 2-9 August from the Marina da Gloria.

The Dubliner touched down in Brazil and was reunited with her boat and container that shipped to Brazil some weeks earlier. Unfortunately, her sailing gear and lost luggage has yet to be found as she posted on her facebook page.

Murphy will be one of 324 athletes from 34 nations, racing in 215 boats, it is set to be the largest Olympic classes sailing competition ever held in Brazil. Last week, the National Yacht Club sailor was crowned Women's Moth World Champion in Hayling Island.

Organised by Rio 2016 and Confederacao Brasileira de Vela (CBVela) in conjunction with the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), the regatta will test the field of play, equipment, workforce, systems and procedures two years out from the Olympic Sailing Competition.

The venue has already come in from heavy criticism from Irleland among other countries with one Irish Sailing coach branding it a 'sewer' last December.

All five proposed Olympic race course areas will be assessed during the course of the regatta. Three course areas - Ponte, Escola Naval and Pao de Acucar - are situated inside Guanabara Bay with the other two - Copacabana and Niteroi - located outside the bay in open water.

Pae de Acucar, the proposed Medal Race course area with its spectacular Rio backdrop, will be put through its paces from day one.

Come Games Time, a workforce of over 1,000 people are expected to be working on the Olympic Sailing Competition and a key objective of the Test Event is to start developing the skills of the team who will be critical to a successful regatta. The on water race committee teams are one such group and their training programme will get underway under the guidance of International ISAF officials from Brazil and overseas. More on this event here.

Meanwhile, the sailors to represent Ireland at the ISAF Sailing World Championships to be hosted in Santander, Spain from 12-21 September were announced today at a press conference in Dublin. This event will be the first opportunity to qualify Ireland for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in the following classes:

Providence Team IRL (sailors that competed in London 2012)
49er – Ryan Seaton & Matt McGovern
Laser Radial – Annalise Murphy
Laser Standard – James Espey

ISA Development Academy (sailors in training for 2016 or 2020)
49erfx – Andrea Brewster & Saskia Tidey
Laser Standard – Finn Lynch

Also announced was that the Rio 2016 Paralympic qualifier event will take place at the IFDS World Championships in Halifax, Canada from 19-24 August. John Twomey from Kinsale will be hoping to qualify for his 11th consecutive Paralympic Games.

Providence Team IRL – Paralympic Team
Sonar (Paralympic) – John Twomey, Ian Costello & Austin O'Carroll

The Irish Sailing Team had their most successful Olympics for thirty years at London 2012 with 4th, 10th and 14th place finishes and their target is to build on this success as they commence the road to Rio 2016.