€48,268 has been granted to the Irish Sailing Association in the latest Sports Capital and Equipment Programme Capital Allocations for its Paris 202 Olympic bid. 

The grant was described by the Minister for Sport Catherine Martin as "Tokyo to Paris: Max opportunity, lay foundation".

The Association also received €24,873 for its "Irish Sailing Project 18-30".

In a regional allocation, Galway Bay Sailing Club was awarded €140K. Club Commodore Johnny Shorten said: "This will greatly benefit the development of the Club's Training facilities and position the Galway Bay Sailing Club for the future"

Other sailing club allocations included: 

• Iniscealtra Sailing Club Ltd €10,520 for upgrading of toilet/shower block.
• 24th Galway Sea Scouts €39,826 for services to boathouse and toilets.
• Galway Bay Sailing Club Ltd €140,000 for expansion of training and water safety facilities.
• Galway City Sailing Club for €31,276 construction of storage & equipment building.
• Lough Derg Yacht Club €58,712 for an equipment upgrade and access improvement.
• Waterford Harbour Sailing Club for €42,932 refurbishment of boathouse and clubhouse.
• Wexford Harbour Boat and Tennis Club €145,251 for tennis courts upgrade and pontoon repairs.
• Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club €43,232 to develop their disability toilet/access and ladies changing room.
• East Coast Garda Sailing Club €25,355 for equipment, upgrade to club and safety vessels.
• Rush Sailing Club €139,236 for their boat parts shed, a removable pontoon and sails.
• Foynes Yacht Club €37,444 for resurfacing of waterway access.
• Dundalk & Carlingford Sailing Club €150,000 to extend club facilities.
• Blessington Sailing Club €31,358 for their junior clubhouse rebuild and a multiuse education cabin.

Minister Martin announced an overall package of €150 million in new capital grants under the latest round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) on Friday, February 11th.

€144 million is allocated to almost 1,900 applications with €6 million kept in reserve for successful appeals lodged by unsuccessful applicants.

More here

Irish Sailing, the sport's national governing body, has added to its growing fleet of vehicles, this time with a new van for its Olympic Sailing Team.

The vehicle will be used to transport boats and equipment to international events on the road to Paris 2024, the first of which is now only around the corner with the massive Spanish Trofeo Trofeo Princesa Sofía Regatta kicking off in Palma in April.

There's little chance of this latest rig going missing in any airport car park given the not too subtle vehicle wrap of the Mercedes-Benz Vito, a van that is a firm favourite of both the now-retired Olympic silver medalist Annalise Murphy and her Radial rival Aoife Hopkins.

Race Official Technical Delegate & Chief Positions for Paris 2024 Olympic Games have been announced by World Sailing.  The appointees are:

• Ricardo Navarro (BRA), Technical Delegate – Ricardo is the current chair of the Race Officials Committee and was the Field of Play Manager at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. He has served as the Technical Delegate at several Regional Games including the 2019 Pan Am Games, a role he will reprise in 2023. This is his first Olympic Games Technical Delegate position.
• Pinar Coskuner Genc (TUR), Principal Race Officer – Pinar was a key member of the Tokyo 2020 Race Management Team and is currently the Regions and Development Committee Chair.
• Ana Sanchez Del Campo Ferrer (ESP), Chair of International Jury – Ana is currently the Chair of the Racing Rules Committee and represented World Sailing as part of the jury team at Tokyo 2020.
• Jurgen Cluytmans (BEL), Chair of Technical Committee – Jurgen is currently Equipment Committee chair and previously served as the vice-chair of the Technical Committee at Tokyo 2020.

Genc will lead a team of Course Representatives, responsible for organising the racing of each Olympic Event, with a supporting team of additional International Race Officers.

Ana Sanchez will Chair the International Jury, leading a team which will be tasked with ensuring the Racing Rules of Sailing are properly applied to ensure a fair competition.

Cluytmans will chair a committee of International Measurers, each with a specific area of expertise related to the Olympic Equipment used in competition at the Games. The Technical Committee will be responsible for ensuring that each boat complies with the Class-specific rules.

After the third day of qualification racing in light and flukey conditions, both Irish Paris 2024 campaigners will race in the top half or Gold fleet in the Olympic 49er skiff class Worlds Championships in Mussanah, Oman on Friday. 

Tokyo 2020 sailors Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove have slipped back from third to fourth place overall after scoring a 14th plus two top six results for the day.

The new Royal Cork pairing of Séafra Guilfoyle with Johnny Durcan saw three 14th places land them inside the top 25 boats to make the gold fleet cut, a significant achievement at their first World championships.

Conditions were once again light, around eight knots and delivering wind shifts of 20-25 degrees.

Eight more races are scheduled over the coming three days with the top ten finalists due to end the series with a medal race on Sunday afternoon.

Tokyo 2020 sailors Robert Dickson (Howth Yacht Club) and Seán Waddilove (Skerries Sailing Club) made further gains at the Olympic 49er skiff class World Championships in Mussanah, Oman today and lying third overall, according to provisional results.

The Dublin crew had third and sixth places before repeating the opening day's performance by ending the day with a race win.

Dickson and Waddilove's second race had been set for a top-three finish on the final leg into the finishing line when they were caught by a 25-degree wind-shift that dropped them to sixth place.

The pair now lie fourth overall with another day of qualification racing planned on Thursday to decide the Gold fleet line-up for the series that ends on Sunday.

Just four points separate the 2018 junior world champions and Afloat Sailors of the Year from the overall lead.

Ireland's other pairing in Oman, the new team of Séafra Guilfoyle with Johnny Durcan (Royal Cork YC) also had a strong day, counting 12th and tenth places before ending with a third place in their first-ever World Championships together.

Forecast conditions of medium winds didn't fully materialise at Mussanah and a sea breeze proved highly tricky and challenging across the fleets in action.

The 49er fleet saw teams go from hero to zero on some of the beats today. Korean and Indian teams felt the pain after their sides caved in as they neared the weather mark. But downwind speed and linking into long shifts allowed the top three in most races to fight amongst themselves.

Locked into that tight battle was the still-hot Australian team of Otto Henry and Miles Davey, who now sit in first.

There is a massive squad of young and hungry Australian skiff teams ready to take over the mantle left by Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen. Almost all of them are stuck at home, however due to virus travel restrictions. All but for Henry and Davey, who escaped in August to race the Junior Europeans and never went back.

Unable to return home, they’ve practiced and raced for the European fall season, gotten to the worlds, and landed on top of the standings after day two. They are as surprised as anyone. Even after a good day on day two, with a 2, 13, 5, they didn’t expect to be trading their third place Forward WiP leaders jerseys for yellow ones.

At nineteen and twenty respectively, Henry and Davey are living the vagabond life Australians dream about. They are under no illusion, however, that the rest of the regatta will be easy. They did seem convinced all their buddies back home will now be saying, ‘That would be us if we were in Oman.’

Meggendorfer with Spranger (GER) had the best day on the water with a 4, 2, 2 and seem pleased to have escaped without any pitfalls. They are tied with the young Aussie team.

Among the 49er teams that sailed well today there seems to be little agreement on how to best navigate the racing. Some claimed fighting hard right was the key. Others looked to play the shifts, but not too hard without over playing things. Others thought picking opportunities to go right was the key, but not to dig in too deeply. After fifteen raceable days in a row, the fleet still has plenty to learn about how to play the venue.

Results are here

Day three was the first full day of racing for both the men’s and women’s fleets at the iQFOiL European Championship (22-28 October 2021) sailed on the Paris 2024 Olympic waters in Marseille, France.

The Men completed four slalom races, women completed six.

There was one solitary women’s race on day 2. No racing at all on day 1.

6-7 knots NW wind gusting 10 knots which dropped and swung more westerly, up to 10 knots gusting 12 as the sun went down.

A string of third places and a first put Islay Watson third in the women’s fleet of 68 sailors.

U21 World Champion Finn Hawkins leads men’s British contingent in seventh overall and first U21 in the 141 strong fleet.

Two race wins helps Matt Barton to 12th. Both Henry Bloodworth (20th) and James Hatcher (24th) claim maiden international race wins.

Andy Brown in 31st, Tokyo 2020 windsurfer Tom Squires, sits 48th, and Sam Sills is 51st.

Saskia Sills notched two race wins and sits in 16th, with Alice Read closely behind in 19th.

Alysia Gibson is 30th, Jennie Roberts sits 36th and Jenna Gibson 47th.

Another sunny day is expected tomorrow with a wind range of 10-14 knots with the potential for a long day of racing for the competitors.

You can find the full results here.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved Men's and Women's Kiteboarding (Formula Kite) for the Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing Competition, bringing the curtain down on the highly anticipated mixed offshore sailing event.

The Men's and Women's Kiteboarding Events will replace the Mixed Kiteboarding and Mixed Offshore Events that were democratically selected by World Sailing's members and remained World Sailing's first-choice events for Paris 2024.

In December 2020, the IOC advised World Sailing that a further review into the Mixed Offshore event would be undertaken to properly assess key considerations.

Further updates from the IOC in April 2021 specified that the proposal continued to be reviewed, consistent with the approach taken for other sports, and highlighted challenges for the Mixed Offshore Event existing in the areas of Field of Play security, scope and complexity, broadcast cost and complexity, and World Sailing not having the opportunity to deliver an Offshore World Championship.

Whilst the final IOC assessment of the Mixed Offshore Event continued, World Sailing was requested to put forward alternative event proposals for sailing's 10th medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

World Sailing's Council approved the Men's and Women's Kiteboarding (Formula Kite) and Men's and Women's Two Person Dinghy (470) as the first and second alternative event proposals following their meeting at the 2021 Mid-Year Meeting.

The decision was taken at the meeting of the IOC Executive Board today, Thursday 10 June 2021 in Lausanne, Switzerland following a recommendation from the IOC Programme Commission.

David Graham, Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The World Sailing community selected the Mixed Offshore Event and our slate of events gave a true representation of the depth and breadth of our sport.

"Throughout this process, the Mixed Offshore Event remained our first choice event, with the entire offshore community putting considerable time and effort into the discipline. Today's news will be upsetting for the thriving offshore community, but we will continue to ensure the growth and long-term sustainability of offshore sailing.

"The IOC provided us with clear guidance and their decision-making is consistent with other sports and events. The World Sailing community acted at pace to propose alternative events and we are delighted the IOC have followed our guidance and selected our first alternative proposal of Men's and Women's Kiteboarding.

"Men's and Women's Kiteboarding will bring huge opportunities in terms of universality, developing women's sailing and the media appeal of these exciting events. We now look forward to supporting our athletes on the journey to Paris 2024 and showcasing the sport on the beautiful Marseillaise waters in the south of France."

President Quanhai Li said, "The World Sailing community had limited time to decide on the alternative event for the IOC's consideration. I would like to thank our Council, Member National Authorities, my Board of Directors and management for their big efforts to ensure we had a democratically decided alternative event within a short time frame. I also thank the IOC for their support within the process."

The first half of the Allianz Regatta in Holland, part of the World Cup Sailing Series, has concluded with the awarding of gold, silver and bronze World Cup medals in the ILCA 6, ILCA7, Men’s and Women’s RS:X and the Nacra 17.

None of Ireland's three campaigners including Tokyo nominated Annalise Murphy were medal race participants today as Afloat reportted earlier here.

After five days of racing, Marie Barrue (FRA) and Lorenzo Chiavarini (GBR) took gold in the ILCA 6 and ILCA 7, Piotr Myszka (POL) and Marta Maggetti (ITA) won the Men’s and Women’s RS:X, and home nation favourites Laila van der Meer and Bjarne Bouwer took the Nacra 17 honours.

Medemblik saved the best for last on the final day, with 15-16 knots of consistent breeze and plenty of waves under a clear blue Dutch sky.

Poland’s Piotr Myszka and Italy’s Mattia Camboni opened up a points gap between themselves and the rest of the Men’s RS:X fleet ahead of the Medal Race, so whoever came out on top in the decider would claim gold.

Unsurprisingly there were some match racing tactics at play on the race track between the pair, but Myszka gained the advantage and never looked back as he finished second to clinch gold.

“Today the weather was perfect,” commented Myszka. “We had 15-16 knots and I really like these conditions. From the beginning, I was leading Mattia as I was only fighting him. We were match racing and I controlled him from the beginning. Mattia was far away from me as I finished second so I’m very happy.”

Camboni finished sixth which was enough for second.

Myszka was visibly delighted ashore after racing and immediately set his sights on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

“I am very happy because it’s been an amazing week here,” expressed the Polish racer. “I really don’t remember such a good week here and I’ve been here many times. This has been the best week. I’ve been on the podium many times, but I’ve never won here before in my whole career.

“I started in the blue jersey, but I finished with the yellow. I’m so happy and I hope I keep it up until the end of the Olympics.”

Angel Granda Roque (ESP) completed the Men’s RS:X podium.

Marta Maggetti (ITA) and Katy Spychakov (ISR) fought each other all week long at the top of the Women’s RS:X fleet, and that battle continued in the deciding Medal Race.

Maggetti remained consistent once again, finishing second to Spychakov’s third to clinch gold for Italy with Israel settling for silver.

“I started on port, alone,” explained Maggetti on her Medal Race strategy. “I decided to go alone because I didn’t feel so good in planing conditions with this gear. I focused on my planing and I did a good tack on the upwind and I was able to finish second. I’m pleased with the result this week.

“We were in a small fleet but we are all really good girls who are on top in the world, so it was really good preparation for Tokyo.”

Dutch favourite Lilian de Geus took bronze.

In the ILCA 7, Lorenzo Chiavarini (GBR) needed to finish ninth or better to confirm gold after a dominant week on the water.

Croatia’s Filip Jurisic was Chiavarini’s nearest rival and he kept him close by, but admittedly had some nerves on the race track. “I tried to keep it tight with Filip,” explained Chiavarini. “He did a good job at sailing away a few times. I was a bit scared at the first windward, but the rest of it was quite okay. I had a few boats behind me so I was quite comfortable. It’s always tense right up until the end.”

Chiavarini came through in seventh which confirmed the gold.

“It feels fantastic,” commented Chiavarini on his win. “I’m really happy with how this week has gone.”

Meanwhile, Jurisic finished fourth but that was not enough for silver as Joel Rodriguez (ESP) took the race win to advance up one position. The Croatian rounded off the podium.

Marie Barrue (FRA) also went into the ILCA 6 Medal Race in a comfortable position, needing to finish seventh or better.

Things panned out slightly better for Barrue than Chiavarini as her main rival, Ekaterina Zyuzina (RUS), crossed the start line early and received a full 22 points from the race.

“As soon as I saw the Russian girl was out, I was like, okay just do it, don’t touch the mark, don’t take a yellow flag, don’t capsize, don’t break the boat,” commented Barrue. “I was quite relaxed from there and I’m happy it’s over.”

Barrue has not been selected to represent France at Tokyo 2020 but her win demonstrates she has what it takes to excel at the highest level. She has her eyes set on Paris 2024 now but will also support her training group who will head to Tokyo.

“This is my first medal and it’s nice to get it before the Olympics. We’ve been working hard this winter so we’re heading in the right direction. I’m going to do some big boat racing in Switzerland, then I’m off to Hungary to do some preparation with my team mates to help them prepare.

“Paris 2024 is at home and I have to try to make that, of course.”

Maria Erdi (HUN) snapped up silver and Agata Barwinska (POL) sealed bronze.

Laila van der Meer and Bjarne Bouwer (NED) won gold ahead of the Medal Race in the Nacra 17.

“This was our first World Cup and a first win,” said der Meer through a big smile. “We were a little bit disappointed at the beginning, but we made the most of it this week. Even though it’s a small fleet, these boats are going to the Youth Worlds so it was good to sail against them.”

Silver and bronze was to be decided in the Medal Race with Jesse Lindstaädt and Jill Paland (GER) and Andrea Spagnolli and Alice Cialfi (ITA) going head to head. As the Dutch claimed the race victory, the Germans came through in second to take silver, with the Italians winning bronze.

Regatta Center Medemblik will now reset as the venue welcomes the 49er and the 49erFX fleets. Racing is scheduled to start on Wednesday 9 June and run through to Sunday 13 June but there is no Irish entry from Tokyo qualified Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove.

World Sailing’s Council has approved the Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding (Formula Kite) and Men’s and Women’s Two Person Dinghy (470) as the first and second alternative event proposals to Mixed Offshore at Paris 2024 following their meeting at the 2021 Mid-Year Meeting.

Held yesterday [Friday 14 May] from 0900 - 1500 UTC, the meeting of World Sailing’s Council concluded the Mid-Year Meeting, which also saw the Constitution Committee, Equipment Committee and Events Committee meet earlier on in the week.

The Mid-Year Meeting was dominated by alternative event proposals for the Mixed Offshore Event at Paris.

In April, the IOC informed World Sailing that they were continuing their assessment of the Mixed Offshore Event to address challenges raised, but formally requested that World Sailing propose alternative events.

World Sailing received 23 submissions, consolidated into 15, and throughout the week the Committees discussed and voted on the options.

The outcome of the process would be a Council-made decision of two alternative event proposals, ranked in order of preference, ahead of the 26 May 2021 IOC deadline.

World Sailing’s Council received the Events Committee recommendation to select the Men’s and Women’s 470 as first alternative and Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding as the second alternative. After a lengthy debate, Council voted against the recommendation with 23 against, 15 supporting and 3 abstentions.

They moved into the Equipment Committee recommendation to select Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding as the first alternative and Men’s and Women’s 470 as the second alternative.

Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding was approved as the first alternative with 33 votes in favour, 2 against and 6 abstentions. Men’s and Women’s 470 was approved immediately after as the second alternative with 37 votes in favour, 1 against and 2 abstentions.

World Sailing will now propose to the IOC that should the Mixed Offshore Event not be approved by the IOC Executive Board, they should consider Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding as the first alternative event and thereafter Men’s and Women’s 470.

Throughout the session, Council members spoke positively about the Mixed Offshore Event, noting that it remains the preferred and first option but acknowledged the request set out by the IOC.

World Sailing President Quanhai Li commented, “The process to select alternative events for Paris 2024 has not been easy. We have all had to act at pace within a very small window. It has been heart-warming to see the World Sailing community come together and make some very important decisions for the common good of our sport.

“Decisions have been made and now is the time for the entire sailing community to show unity and solidarity. We remain committed to showcasing the Mixed Offshore Event at Paris 2024 but we will now report back to the IOC with our first and second alternative events.”

David Graham, Chief Executive Officer commented, “The Mixed Offshore Event was democratically selected by our members and remains our first-choice event for Paris 2024. It was evident throughout the Council session that our members remain committed to this event. We have made this clear to the IOC and will continue to do so.

“That said, the IOC requested we make alternative event proposals and the entire World Sailing community has acted with speed and with precision to make this very important decision for our sport. I want to thank the Committee members and Council members, all of whom are volunteers, for their hours of unrelenting support and work on this process. We are grateful to have this experience and expertise within our community.”

Markus Schwendtner of the International Kiteboarding Association said, “The IKA is respectful of the decision made by Council members to select the Mixed Offshore event for Paris 2024 and are delighted that Mixed Kiteboarding has been approved by the IOC.

“Today’s vote by Council to propose Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding as the first alternative events shows the trust they have in kiteboarding. We await the next steps from World Sailing and the IOC and, if called upon, will act immediately to inform our community and continue the growth and development of the discipline.”

After the IOC informed World Sailing that they are continuing their assessment of the Mixed Offshore Event to address challenges raised but formally requested that World Sailing propose alternative event(s).

Following a request from the IOC for such proposals, MNAs, Class Associations, Committee Chairs and the Board were invited to propose alternative event suggestions in the form of submissions.

World Sailing received 26 submissions, and these were considered by the President and the Board with respect to their adherence to Regulation 23.1.11 which includes the IOC criteria framework.

The World Sailing Board and President approved three alternative event proposals in the 30 April 2021 Board Meeting. These are: - Individual Men's and Women's Kiteboard Events - Formula Kite - Individual Men's and Women's Two Person Dinghy Events - 470 - Mixed Team Racing - ILCA 6

The Board discussed and agreed there wasn't strong enough alignment to the IOC criteria for all other submissions and one submission did not comply with the requirements of Regulation 23.1.11.

The Board's considerations regarding all submissions received is available (as a PDF) to download below. Where submissions were identical, these were consolidated to one joint submission in the name of all submitters.

At the 2021 Mid-Year Meeting the Constitution, Events and Equipment Committees will each meet on 10-11 May 2021. They will consider the submissions on alternative event(s) and make their respective recommendations to Council.

World Sailing's Council will meet on 14 May 2021. They will discuss and vote on the three approved submissions. The outcome of the process will be a decision of two alternative event proposals, ranked in order of preference, ahead of the IOC deadline, which is 26 May 2021. -- Daniel Smith, Director of Communications and Digital