What is the Naval Service?

The Naval Service is the Irish State's principal seagoing agency with "a general responsibility to meet contingent and actual maritime defence requirements". It is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles.

Where is the Naval Service based?

The Naval Service is based in Ringaskiddy, Cork harbour, with headquarters in the Defence Forces headquarters in Dublin.

What does the Naval Service do?

The Naval Service provides the maritime component of the Irish State's defence capabilities and is the State's principal seagoing agency. It "protects Ireland's interests at and from the sea, including lines of communication, fisheries and offshore resources" within the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Naval Service operates jointly with the Army and Air Corps as part of the Irish defence forces.

When was the Naval Service formed?

The Naval Service was established in 1946, replacing the Marine and Coastwatching Service set up in 1939. It had replaced the Coastal and Marine Service, the State's first marine service after independence, which was disbanded after a year. Its only ship was the Muirchú, formerly the British armed steam yacht Helga, which had been used by the Royal Navy to shell Dublin during the 1916 Rising. In 1938, Britain handed over the three "treaty" ports of Cork harbour, Bere haven and Lough Swilly.

How many ships are in the Naval Service?

The Naval Service has nine ships - one Helicopter Patrol Vessel (HPV), three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), two Large Patrol Vessel (LPV) and two Coastal Patrol Vessels (CPV). Each vessel is equipped with State of the art machinery, weapons, communications and navigation systems.

What are the Irish Navy ship's names?

The ships' names are prefaced with the title of Irish ship or "long Éireannach" (LE). The older ships bear Irish female names - LÉ Eithne, LÉ Orla, LÉ Ciara, LÉ Roisín, and LÉ Niamh. The newer ships, named after male Irish literary figures, are LÉ Samuel Beckett, LÉ James Joyce, LÉ William Butler Yeats and LÉ George Bernard Shaw.

Are Irish Naval Service ships armed?

Yes. The 76mm Oto Melara medium calibre naval armament is the most powerful weapon in the Naval Services arsenal. The 76mm is "capable of engaging naval targets at a range of up to 17km with a high level of precision, ensuring that the Naval Service can maintain a range advantage over all close-range naval armaments and man-portable weapon systems", according to the Defence Forces.

How is the fleet managed and maintained?

The Fleet Operational Readiness Standards and Training (FORST) unit is responsible for the coordination of the fleet needs. Ships are maintained at the Mechanical Engineering and Naval Dockyard Unit at Ringaskiddy, Cork harbour.

Who is the head of the Irish Naval Service?

The Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service (FOCNS) is Commodore Michael Malone. The head of the Defence Forces is a former Naval Service flag officer, now Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett – appointed in 2015 and the first Naval Service flag officer to hold this senior position. The Flag Officer oversees Naval Operations Command, which is tasked with the conduct of all operations afloat and ashore by the Naval Service including the operations of Naval Service ships. The Naval Operations Command is split into different sections, including Operations HQ and Intelligence and Fishery Section.

What is the Intelligence and Fishery Section of the Irish Naval Service?

The Intelligence and Fishery Section is responsible for Naval Intelligence, the Specialist Navigation centre, the Fishery Protection supervisory and information centre, and the Naval Computer Centre. The Naval Intelligence Cell is responsible for the collection, collation and dissemination of naval intelligence. The Navigation Cell is the naval centre for navigational expertise.

What is the Fishery Monitoring Centre?

The Fishery Monitoring Centre provides for fishery data collection, collation, analysis and dissemination to the Naval Service and client agencies, including the State's Sea Fisheries Protection Agency. The centre also supervises fishery efforts in the Irish EEZ and provides data for the enhanced effectiveness of fishery protection operations, as part of the EU Common Fisheries Policy. The Naval Computer Centre provides information technology (IT) support service to the Naval Service ashore and afloat.

How are shore operations managed?

This headquarters includes specific responsibility for the Executive/Operations Branch duties. The Naval Service Operations Room is a coordination centre for all NS current Operations. The Naval Service Reserve Staff Officer is responsible for the supervision, regulation and training of the reserve. The Diving section is responsible for all aspects of Naval diving and the provision of a diving service to the Naval Service and client agencies. The Ops Security Section is responsible for the coordination of base security and the coordination of all shore-based security parties operating away from the Naval base. The Naval Base Comcen is responsible for the running of a communications service. Boat transport is under the control of Harbour Master Naval Base, who is responsible for the supervision of berthage at the Naval Base and the provision of a boat service, including the civilian manned ferry service from Haulbowline.

Does the Naval Service undertake overseas missions?

Naval Service ships have undertaken trade and supply missions abroad, and personnel have served as peacekeepers with the United Nations. In 2015, Naval Service ships were sent on rotation to rescue migrants in the Mediterranean as part of a bi-lateral arrangement with Italy, known as Operation Pontus. Naval Service and Army medical staff rescued some 18,000 migrants, either pulling people from the sea or taking them off small boats, which were often close to capsizing having been towed into open water and abandoned by smugglers. Irish ships then became deployed as part of EU operations in the Mediterranean, but this ended in March 2019 amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the EU.

How can I join the Irish Naval Service?

Essentially, you have to be Irish, young (less than 32), in good physical and mental health and with normal vision. You must be above 5'2″, and your weight should be in keeping with your age.

Are there women in the Naval Service?

Yes, women have been recruited since 1995. One of the first two female cadets, Roberta O'Brien from the Glen of Aherlow in Co Tipperary, became its first female commander in September 2020. Sub Lieutenant Tahlia Britton from Donegal also became the first female diver in the navy's history in the summer of 2020.

What is a Naval Service Officer cadet?

A naval cadet enlists for a cadetship to become an officer in the Defence Forces. After successfully completing training at the Naval Service College, a cadet is commissioned into the officer ranks of the Naval Service as a Ensign or Sub Lieutenant.

What training is involved in becoming a Naval Service officer cadet?

A cadet trains for approximately two years duration divided into different stages. The first year is spent in military training at the Naval Base in Haulbowline, Cork. The second-year follows a course set by the National Maritime College of Ireland course. At the end of the second year and on completion of exams, and a sea term, the cadets will be qualified for the award of a commission in the Permanent Defence Force as Ensign.

What qualifications are required to become a cadet?

A cadet trains for approximately two years duration divided into different stages. The first year is spent in military training at the Naval Base in Haulbowline, Cork. The second-year follows a course set by the National Maritime College of Ireland course. At the end of the second year and on completion of exams, and a sea term, the cadets will be qualified for the award of a commission in the Permanent Defence Force as Ensign. The Defence Forces say it is looking for people who have "the ability to plan, prioritise and organise", to "carefully analyse problems, in order to generate appropriate solutions, who have "clear, concise and effective communication skills", and the ability to "motivate others and work with a team". More information is on the 2020 Qualifications Information Leaflet.

When can I apply to become a Naval Service cadet?

When you are 18 years of age or over and under 26 years of age on the date mentioned in the notice for the current competition, the officer cadet competition is held annually and is the only way for potential candidates to join the Defence Forces to become a Naval Service officer. Candidates undergo psychometric and fitness testing, an interview and a medical exam.

Where is the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI)?

The NMCI was built beside the Naval Service base at Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, and was the first third-level college in Ireland to be built under the Government's Public-Private Partnership scheme. The public partners are the Naval Service and Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and the private partner is Focus Education.

What is a Naval Service recruit?

A Naval Service recruit enlists for general service in the "Other Ranks" of the Defence Forces. After successfully completing the initial recruit training course, a recruit passes out as an Ordinary Seaman and will then go onto their branch training course before becoming qualified as an Able Body sailor in the Naval Service.

What qualifications are required to become a Naval Service recruit?

No formal education qualifications are required to join the Defence Forces as a recruit. You need to satisfy the interview board and the recruiting officer that you possess a sufficient standard of education for service in the Defence Forces.

What training is involved in becoming a Naval Service recruit?

Recruit training is 18 weeks in duration and is designed to "develop a physically fit, disciplined and motivated person using basic military and naval skills" to "prepare them for further training in the service. Recruits are instilled with the Naval Service ethos and the values of "courage, respect, integrity and loyalty".

What is a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) career training?

On the progression up through the various ranks, an Able Rate will have to complete a number of career courses to provide them with training to develop their skills in a number of areas, such as leadership and management, administration and naval/military skills. The first of these courses is the Naval Service Potential NCO course, followed by the Naval Service Standard NCO course and the Naval Service senior NCO course. This course qualifies successful candidates of Petty officer (or Senior Petty Officer) rank to fill the rank of Chief Petty Officer upwards. The successful candidate may also complete and graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Leadership, Management and Naval Studies in partnership with Cork Institute of Technology.

What is pay like in the Naval Service?

Pay has long been an issue for just the Naval Service, at just over 1,000 personnel. Cadets and recruits are required to join the single public service pension scheme, which is a defined benefit scheme, based on career-average earnings. For current rates of pay, see the Department of Defence website

Displaying items by tag: Star

4th February 2011

Annalise Murphy is Ninth in World Cup Standings

Ireland is well placed in the latest world cup standings issued by ISAF this week. After two events Peter O'Leary and David Burrows are ranked 13th in the Star and Annalise Murphy who finished fourth in Miami last week is ninth in the Laser Radial class. More HERE.

Published in Olympics 2012

Tagged under

29th January 2011

Annalise Murphy is Miami Medal Prospect

Annalise Murphy goes in to today's final round of Miami Olympic Classes Regatta in Florida as a medal contender in the Laser Radial class after a string of top results gave her fourth overall last night.

The strong Dun Laoghaire girl relished the prospects of the big winds that blew at times on Biscayne Bay this week. Consistent results of 5, 15, 2, 2, 5, 6 11,9, (21) and 5 never saw her out of the top five.

Tuesday saw her bag two second places in a fleet of 58. It was a turning point in a regatta that she crashed out of last year only to return wth grit to be Ireland's only medal hope today.

Last night's move up to fourth overall on the scoreboard is another confidence boost, heightening the prospect of a place on this evening's podium. Conditions in Miami today are forcast to be light, probably not the conditions the National Yacht club girl would have hoped for.

In the Star Peter O'Leary and his crew for his London 2012 bid David Burrows finished with a strong fifth place yesterday but it was not enough to make today's final. They finished 13th overall after counting a black flag disqualification on day two of the event. See all results HERE.

Rival to Annalise, Tiffany Brien from Belfast Lough finished 21st overall.

Her club mate Jame Espey was 49th out of 52 after 7 races in the Laser gold fleet.

More from Miami organisers below:

Waking to a brisk northwesterly breeze, sailors at US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR yesterday made up for races lost to light air Wednesday. The conditions, though chilly by Florida standards, played out perfectly for medals to be determined in three Paralympic classes, while 10 Olympic classes fought their final battles for the right to compete in tomorrow’s medal races, which are comprised of top-ten “sail-offs” for Finn, 49er, Men’s 470, Women’s 470, Laser, Laser Radial, Men’s RS:X, Women’s RS:X and Star classes, and Finals and Petit Finals for Elliott 6m (women’s match racing). The regatta, which began Monday for 716 sailors from 53 nations, prepares Olympic and Paralympic sailing aspirants for the 2012 Games and is the second of seven stops on the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Sailing World Cup circuit.

For France’s Damien Seguin, a two-time 2.4mR IFDS World Champion who is currently ranked #1 in the world, winning gold in the Paralympic 2.4mR class was looking good from day two when he assumed the lead over his 30-boat fleet. Clinching today, however, was not as straightforward as today’s scores seemed to reflect. Following seven boat lengths behind leader USA’s John Ruf (Pewaukee, Wis.) at the finish in race one, Seguin was determined the actual winner when Ruf was disqualified for starting the race prematurely and neglecting to exonerate himself. “After that, for my next two races, my score was such that I needed only to loosely cover Thierry Schmitter (NED),” said Seguin, further explaining that only if he finished worse than sixth would he foil his own plot. Schmitter, another IFDS World Champion, took the Silver Medal, finishing fourth in the first race and winning the next two, each time with Seguin behind in second.

“There were many different winds here,” said Damien about the practice this provides for his run for a spot on the French national team. “We started in strong wind, then there was light wind and today medium-strong. I am very happy for that and for the competition.”

Taking bronze was Canada’s Allan Leibel, who is able-bodied and allowed to compete here, since the class is declared “open” for this event.

The Gold Medal taking in the Paralympic Sonar class by GBR’s John Robertson/Hannah Stodel/Steve Thomas came with an intriguing twist today. With two races completed, the Dutch team of Udo Hessels/Mischa Rossen/Marcel van de Veen were in the lead, and surprisingly, they did not sail the third and final race.

“There were two points between us and the Dutch, so no one will ever know how it would have played out on the water,” said Robertson, explaining that he understands Hessel’s middle crew Rossen, a single-arm amputee, had been having problems with his opposite shoulder and the team had decided beforehand to race no more than two races today.

Robertson’s team, which took the Silver here last year, posted a final score of 30 to the 36 points posted by silver medalists Bruon Jourdren/Eric Flageul/Nicolas Vimont Vicary (FRA). The Dutch team, with 37 points, is going home with the Bronze.

As for his team’s overall strategy here, Robertson said, “We tried to sail our own race and not get hung up with the other guys. Hanna did a fantastic job calling tactics, especially today, as the wind was up and down and all over the place, with 40-50 degree shifts.”

The Australian Paralympic SKUD 18 team of Daniel Fitzgibbon/Liesl Tesch has led their fleet since day one and boasted six victories in their nine-race score line to take the Gold medal. Today they finished 1-1-2.

“We didn’t walk away with it, really, but we were comfortably ahead,” said Fitzgibbon, who won a Paralympic Silver Medal (with a different crew) in Qingdao. "We didn’t expect to have done so well with such a new combination,” he added, noting that he and Tesch, who gave up Paralympic basketball (she is a two-time medalist) for her new-found love of sailing, have only been together on the SKUD 18 for a few weeks. “It’s a new challenge for her and a breath of fresh air for everybody.”
Taking Silver was US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics’ Scott Whitman/Julia Dorsett (USA), with Alexandra Rickham/Niki Birrell (GBR) taking the Bronze.

Medal Races Tomorrow
Top-ten finishers from today in each of nine Olympic classes will get only one chance--a 30- to 40-minute race—to make or break their claim to a podium position. Emulating the Olympic format, the medal race counts double points and cannot be counted as the one allowed discard race when it is added to a sailor’s score line from the rest of the series.

In women’s match racing, US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics members Anna Tunnicliffe(/Molly Vandemoer/Debbie Capozzi (Plantation, Fla., USA/Redwood City, Calif./Bayport, N.Y., USA) will meet Claire Leroy/ Elodie Bertrand/Marie Riou (FRA) in a first-to-three points Finals match tomorrow to determine Gold and Silver medalists. Lucy Macgregor/Mary Rook/ Kate Macgregor (GBR) and Sally Barkow (Nashotah, WI., USA)/ Alana O’Reilly (Charleston SC, USA)/ Elizabeth Kratzig-Burnham (Miami Beach FL, USA) will be fighting for bronze in the Petit Finals.

Match racing starts on its own course at 9:30 tomorrow, with fleet racing starting at 11:00 am on two additional courses. Fleet races are planned to be approximately 30 minutes in length and started 40 minutes apart. No racing will start after 1:40 p.m., so it will be an early day.

US SAILING has partnered with the city of Miami to provide world-class venues for competition. Additional hosts for the event include Coral Reef Yacht Club, Key Biscayne Yacht Club, Coconut Grove Sailing Club, Miami Rowing Club and Shake-a-Leg Miami. These sailing organizations host classes onshore, as well as help run the on-the-water racing. The Coral Reef Yacht Club also hosts the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

In addition to title sponsor Rolex Watch U.S.A., US SAILING’s 2011 Rolex Miami OCR is also sponsored by AlphaGraphics, Gowrie Group, Chubb Insurance, Sperry Top-Sider, Harken McLube, Trinity Yachts, University of Miami Hospital and Kattack.

A complete roster of competitors can be viewed at the event website, RMOCR.ussailing.org, where real-time racecourse blogging, commentary and fan interaction, regatta results, photos and news updates will be integrated into a live coverage platform once racing begins. Video highlights produced by Gary Jobson and presented by Rolex air daily and are available on-demand on the event website. Fans can also follow the event on Facebook/RolexMiamiOCR and Twitter/RolexMiamiOCR.

27th January 2011

Miami Update: Star Pairing in 16th

Two more races in the Star keelboat at Miami Olympic classes regatta today has not brought any improvement for Peter O'Leary and David Burrows in the Star keelboat. The Cork -Dublin pair stay in the top third though, dropping one place to 16th in the 57-boat fleet after a day spent waiting for wind.

Published in Olympics 2012

Tagged under

25th January 2011

Murphy Moves into Third in Miami

Two seconds in today's Laser Radial racing on Biscayne Bay give Dun Laoghaire's Annalise Murphy third overall at Miami Olympic Classes Regatta but the news in the Star class is not as good after Ireland's Peter O'Leary and David Burrows nosedive after a Black Flag Disqualification in race four.

Single hander Murphy, from the National YC, is racing in a highly competitive 58-boat fleet that is led by Belgium's Evi Van Acker. Winds over 16 knots ideally suited the National YC sailor wh now counts a 5, 15 and the two second places. Results HERE.

O'Leary and Burrows dropped from fourth to 23rd after counting a 28th and the Black Flag result today in their 56-boat fleet. Results HERE.

radial-start

Annalise to leeward in a start in great conditions in Miami. Photo: Daniel Forster/Rolex

Published in Olympics 2012

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25th January 2011

O'Leary and Burrows off to Flying Start in Miami

Ireland is off to a flying start at Miami Olympic Classes Regatta in the Star Class. Peter O'Leary and David Burrows lie fourth overall in a fleet of 58 boats. Former Laser ace Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada from Brazil lead from Sweden's Frederick Loof and Max Salminen. Racing continues today. More HERE. Peter O'Leary podcast interview HERE.

Published in Olympics 2012

Tagged under

4th January 2011

Boats for Sale: Your Chance to Shine Among the Stars

Fancy having a crack at some of the top sailors in the world? They'll be here in Irish waters later this year competing for European honours in the Olympic Star keelboat class.
Olympic campaigner Max Treacy is selling a 1995 Star Boat with milled keel,
spars, sails, trailer and covers. It's ready to race against an expect fleet of 60 on Dublin Bay. The boat is posted on the Afloat boats for sale site for 9k. More HERE.

Published in Boat Sales

Tagged under

14th August 2010

Update: O'Leary and Kleen Win Gold in Weymouth

Peter O'Leary and Frithjof Kleen have won gold for Ireland this afternoon at the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta. The Irish -German duo left in their wake a string of world champions and Olympic medallists including Torben Grael, Robert Sheidt and the current Olympic Gold Medallists, Britain's Ian Percy and Andrew Simpson.

Dun Laoghaire's Annalise Murphy who raced in the medal race for the Laser Radial class has finished tenth overall. Results HERE.

S4G10md_M9213

Peter O'Leary and Frithjof Kleen (IRL) in action before competitng in the

Star class medal race on day 6 of the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta.

Peter O'Leary and Frithjof Kleen (IRL) in action in theStar class medal race on day 6 of the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta. Photo: On Edition

Australia went home laden with gold after an astonishing week of racing in Weymouth Bay – the 2010 Olympic venue. The Aussies picked up gold in four classes; Nicky Souter, Nina Curtis and Olivia Price in the Women's Match Racing, the Skud-18 was won by Daniel Fitzgibbon and Rachael Cox on Friday, Tom Slingsby took gold in the Laser Men, and Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen made up the top quartet with a win in the 49er class.

The French team pushed Australia all the way, with three gold medals – Pierre Leboucher and Vincent Garos won the 470 Men, Charline Picon took gold home in the RS:X Women, and in the 2.4mR, it was Damien Seguin who did the business for France. The Dutch team then edged the home nation out of the gold medal table with wins in two classes, Marit Bouwmeester in the Laser Radial and Udo Hessels, Marcel van de Veen and Mischa Rossen in the Sonar. While Team Skandia GBR were left with a single gold, which was Giles Scott in the Finn. The consolation for the most successful Olympic sailing nation of the last three Olympiads was a hatful of silver and bronze – two silver and four bronze.

The venue, Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is the 2012 Olympic venue and it threw everything at the competitors this week – saving the best for last, with a medal race day that was the best of the British summer; wind, rain, calms and even a little sunshine right at the end. The huge entry of 975 sailors from 57 nations spread across 712 boats in 13 classes will go home having learned to expect the unexpected in August 2012.

470 Men Results

Gold Leboucher and Garos FRA 31 points

Silver Belcher and Page AUS 35 points

Bronze Patience and Bithell GBR 58 points

470 Women's Results

Gold Kondo and Tabata JPN 74 points

Silver Pacheco and Betanzos ESP 91 points

Bronze Maxwell and Kinsolving USA 91 points

49er Results

Gold Outteridge and Jensen AUS 65 points

Silver Kruger Andersen and Thorsell DEN 82 points

Bronze Morrison and Rhodes GBR 84 points

Finn Results

Gold Scott GBR 60 points

Silver Lobert FRA 63 points

Bronze Kljakovic Gaspic CRO 66 points

Laser Results

Gold Slingsby AUS 62 points

Silver Goodison GBR 74 points

Bronze Leigh CAN 93 points

Laser Radial Results

Gold Bouwmeester NED 40 points

Silver Multala FIN 43 points

Bronze Winther NZL 46 points

RS:X Men's Results

Gold Rodrigues POR 38 points

Silver Van Rijsselberge NED 42 points

Bronze Dempsey GBR 43 points

RS:X Women Results

Gold Picon FRA 44 points

Silver Manchon ESP 50 points

Bronze Shaw GBR 63 points

Star results

Gold O'Leary and Kleen IRE 52 points

Silver Loof and Tillander SWE 61 points

Bronze Kusznierewicz and Zycki POL 65 points

Women's Match Racing

Gold - Souter, Curtis and Price AUS

Silver - Leroy, Bertrand and Riou FRA

Bronze - Tunicliffe, Vandemer and Capozzi USA

2.4mR Results- Final

Gold Seguin FRA 12 points

Silver Schmitter NED 13 points

Bronze Kol NED 27 points

Skud-18 Results- Final

Gold Fitzgibbon and Cox AUS 11 points

Silver Rickham and Birrell GBR 14.7 points

Bronze McRoberts and Hopkin CAN 26 points

Sonar Results – Final

Gold Hessels, Rossen and Van de Veen NED 21 points

Silver Robertson, Stodel and Thomas GBR 26 points

Bronze Cohen, Vexler and Efrati ISR 27 points

Published in Olympics 2012

Tagged under

14th August 2010

Ireland Guaranteed Medal in the Star Class Today (Podcast here)

Ireland is guaranteed a medal today at the British Skandia Sail for Gold regatta in the Star class but Peter O'Leary's clean run in the keelboat this week was not without drama yesterday when his crew Fritjof Kleen slipped overboard 300 metres from the finish line.

The slip has cost them the lead at the top of the 36-boat fleet. Instead of having a six point cushion they have instead a 3 point deficit going into today's final that counts for double point scores. A medal is guaranteed and it may yet be gold.

Annalise Murphy in the single handed Laser Radial dinghy can also rise as high as fifth in today's medal race that starts at 11am.

Overall the result for both boats is being hailed by team management as a major step forward in Ireland's build up to the London Olympics in two years time.

Unfortunately for organisers who are aiming to put on a big show for sailing at the medal race finale, weather this morning in Weymouth is miserable.

Listen now to the podcast below with Ireland's team manager James O'Callaghan as Ireland goes afloat for a medal.

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Peter O'Leary and Frithjof Kleen (IRL) against Fredrik Loof and Johan Tillannder (SWE) in the Star class on day 5 of the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta. Photo: onEdition

Published in Olympics 2012

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12th August 2010

Ireland Racing for Medals in Star and Laser Radial

Ireland races in two medal races tomorrow at the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta following strong performances by its Olympic squad across dinghy and keelboat classes. Annalise Murphy is ninth and on her way to a convincing overall performance but by far and away the stand out story in Weymouth this week has come from Royal Cork's Peter O'Leary whose speed in the Star class has beaten the very best in the world bar none. He lies at the top of the leaderboard tonight seven points clear, an achievement made all the more remarkable because he sailed with a standby crew, German sailor Fritjof Kleen, without any pre event practice.

Today we saw the gold fleets split off. The majority of the sailors were dispatched to silver and bronze fleets – with no more chance at the podium. But if that was a deep cut, then the next will hurt even more, as many top seeds have just one more day to rescue themselves. Tomorrow night the top ten will be decided for Saturday's medal races, and if you have to be in it to win it.

Screen_shot_2010-08-12_at_22.33.07

The leaderboard tonight at the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta showing Ireland in the hunt for two medals

The 470 Women have been brutally competitive all week, as we highlighted yesterday. No less so today, where the Dutch World Champions and overnight leaders Lisa Westerhof and Lobke Berkhout dropped to third - the Spanish team of Tara Pacheco and Berta Betanzos are now taking the top spot. The situation is even worse for the Danish team that was third overall in the ISAF Sailing World Cup going into this regatta - Henriette Koch and Lene Sommer are currently lying 12th - over the edge for the medal race if they can't pick up a couple of places tomorrow.

There's another big name in trouble in the 470 Women and that's double Yngling gold medallist Sarah Ayton and her crew Saskia Clark, now in 18th and 31 points adrift of the medal race. But e can't leave the 470s without some good news, and a mention for an outstanding performance today from Americans Erin Maxwell and Isabelle Kinsolving, who scored two bullets. The 470 Men were a little more predictable, with World Champions Matt Belcher and Malcom Page ascending to the top of the leaderboard, and none of the top seeds looking like missing the cut.

In the Stars, there were some very familiar names around the medal race cut - Szabo and Strube in 10th, Mendelblatt and von Schwarz in 11th (they were looking for a podium in the ISAF SWC going into this regatta), Marazzi and de Maria in 12th (second placed at the 2010 Worlds), Negri and Voltolini in 13th, Rohart and Ponsot in 14th, Campbell and Funk in 16th, Horton and Lynne (also looking for a podium in the ISAF SWC) - and on it goes, but I guess that's the Star fleet for you... O'Leary and Frithjof Kleen still control the fleet with a seven point lead. O'Leary's rivals Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks who were 25th overall did not compete in either race today.

I guess the most worried man in the Finn fleet right now would be Rafael Trujillo. The Spanish silver medalist (Athens, 2004) was on form at the Europeans with a fourth, but is currently lying in 14th and staring the cut for the medal race in the face. The outstanding performer in that fleet today was the Brit... no, not Ben Ainslie, but Giles Scott. Scott scored a second and a third to go to the top of the scoreboard, pushing aside the long-time leader, Frenchman Jonathan Lobert.

In the 49er the Brits, John Pink and Rick Peacock, were second at the Worlds in 2009, but are struggling just below the cut in 11th - a good day tomorrow should get them through. Also in trouble are the top guys in the ISAF Sailing Cup, so we could see that settled early. Leading the SWC into this regatta was Nico Luca Marc Delle Karth and Nikolaus Leopold Resch, who look safe in eighth place tonight. But chasing them was Allan Norregaard and Peter Lang who may not make it into the medal race, currently 12th. That would play into the hands of SWC third placed Manu Dyen and Stephane Christidis – the Frenchmen are still leading Skandia Sail for Gold.

In the RS:X MEN, the Beijing gold medallist and 2008 World Champion, New Zealander, Tom Ashley is close to the drop, in ninth place after an eighth and an eleventh today. Otherwise it was service as usual, with the top seeds in good shape. Britain's Athens Bronze medallist, Nick Dempsey still leads overall by four points. Things are all also going according to plan in the RS:X Women, where none of the seeds are in danger. The Spanish sailor and last year's Skandia Sail for Gold Champion, Blanca Manchon, retains her lead.

In the Laser Radials it's Tatiana Drozdovskaya from Belarus who's in trouble - fifth at the worlds and currently lying 15th. The top American sailor, Page Railey is also in a bit of trouble in eighth, but she helped her cause no end with a second this afternoon. Another Radial sailor that got themselves out of danger was today's outstanding performer, Sari Multala – the 2010 World Champion and last years Skandia Sail for Gold winner sailed beautifully to get a fourth and a first and move up to fifth.

The Laser Men were last on the water, and full results were not published when we went to press (as they used to say in the good old days). But names to watch that are near the drop zone for the medal race cut are the UK's Nick Thompson, second in the ISAF Sailing World Cup going into this regatta. And from Chile, Matias Del Solar, France's Jean Baptiste Bernaz, Spain's Javier Hernandez and Austria's Andreas Gertizer were all struggling. Australia's Tom Slingsby, winner here last year, was leading overall – by a long way.

There are four fleets that are unconcerned by the threat of the cut for the medal race, and one of them is the Women's Match Racing, now at the quarter final stage. It got exciting very quickly when the round robin produced a QF between the ISAF Sailing World Cup's overall leader, Great Britain's Lucy and Katie MacGregor and Annie Lush, and the US team just one point behind them – Anna Tunicliffe, Molly Vandemer and Debbie Capozzi. Victory for either would put the other out of the running for the ISAF SWC title. And it was the Americans that held the advantage at the end of play – 2 – 0 up, and with Macgregor receiving a -0.75 penalty for damage done in a collision.

We talked to Lucy Macgregor afterwards, "I'm pretty gutted really [that the two Quarter Final matches out there didn't go to plan]... The next match is really crucial; it's the first to three points so we will be having a good night's rest, coming back fighting in the morning and putting everything into it. They didn't let us get away with anything out there - positionally they were good, but we felt pretty strong against them around the course, so really gutted to come away with a 2- 0 defeat."

And Anna Tunnicliffe had this to say afterwards, "Lucy's a great competitor and we still have plenty of racing ahead of us. We put ourselves in a good position [for a Semifinal spot] and tomorrow's a new day, so hopefully we will continue. It was very tricky sailing out there, very shifty, very puffy, the boat behind downwind had very powerful control of the race and Lucy always ran behind us and made it really hard on us."

Three other classes finish their regatta tomorrow without the complication of a medal race. So we really are at the business end of the regatta for the Skud-18s, where the Australian pair of Daniel Fitzgibbon and Rachael Cox have been battling with GBR's Alexandra Rickham and Niki Birrel. The pair had traded first and second places until the final race of today, when Rickham and Birrel had a rudder problem and were forced to retire. It's given the Aussies a four point advantage going into the final day.

In the Sonar class, the Dutch high-fliers, Udo Hessels and Mischa Rossen once again had their wings clipped by the British team of John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Stevie Thomas. The Brits had a great day with two thirds and a win, and are now just one point off the lead. Hannah Stodel said afterwards, "Today has not been too bad we had a second and a first, which has made the points very interesting, as we were four behind the Dutch but it looks like they had an average day. I am not sure if we are first, but it will be tight, the conditions were shifty and pretty exciting today, luckily it's our favourite condition... random!"

In the 2.4mR, France's Damien Seguin and the Netherlands Thierry Schmitter continued their week long battle. Schmitter had got the advantage going into the final race, but then slipped to fifth, allowing Seguin to take back the overnight lead – this one looks like it will be settled in the final beat of the final race.

Results Day 4 – Top Five

(results conditional on protests)

470 Woman Results (After eight races)

1st Pacheco and Betanzos ESP 43 points

2nd Kondo and Tabata JPN 45 points

3rd Westerhof and Berkhout NED 49 points

4th Petitjean and Douroux FRA 53 points

5th Rol and Defrance FRA 57 points

470 Men Results (After eight races)

1st Belcher and Page AUS 20 points

2nd Leboucher and Garos FRA 21 points

3rd Patience and Bithell GBR 31 points

4th Asher and Willis GBR 33 points

5th Fantela and Marenic CRO 38 points

49er Results (After ten races)

1st Dyen and Christidis FRA 28 points

2nd Outteridge and Jensen AUS 30 points

3rd Morrison and Rhodes GBR 36 points

4th Sibello and Sibello ITA 47 points

5th Draper and Greenhalgh GBR 52 points

Finn Results (After eight races)

1st Scott GBR 31 points

2nd Lobert FRA 32 points

3rd Wright GBR 40.3 points

4th Kljakovic Gaspic CRO 44 points

5th Ainslie GBR 45.4 points

Laser Results – (After eight races)

1st Slingsby AUS 11 points

2nd Leigh CAN 42 points

3rd Goodison GBR 50 points

4th Murdoch NZL 55 points

5th Tom Burton AUS 59 points

Laser Radial Results (After seven races)

1st Steyaert FRA 24 points

2nd De Turckheim FRA 26 points

3rd Bouwmeester NED 27 points

4th Winther NZL 29 points

5th Multala FIN 34 points

RS:X Men Results (After eight races )

1st Dempsey GBR 18 points

2nd Bontemps FRA 22 points

3rd Van Rijsselberge NED 26 points

4th Tobin NZL 27 points

5th Rodrigues POR 27 points

RS:X Women Results (After eight races)

1st Manchon ESP 26 points

2nd Picon FRA 35 points

3rd Tartaglini ITA 40 points

4th Shaw GBR 41 points

4th Linares ITA 46 points

Star results – (After eight races)

1st O’Leary and Kleen IRE 28 points

2nd Loof and Tillander SWE 38 points

3rd Kusznierewicz & Zycki POL 42 points

4th Percy and Simpson GBR 45 points

5th Florent and Rambeau FRA 46 points

Women’s Match Racing

Quarter Final 1

Souter, Curtis and Price AUS and Kjelleberg, Kallstrom and Harryson SWE tied 1-1

Quarter- final 2:

Leroy, Riou and Bertrand FRA and Spithill, Eastwell and Farrell AUS tied 1-1

Quarter -final 3:

Renee Groeneveld, Annemieke Bes, Brechtje van der Werf and Sally Barkow, Alana O’Reilly, Genny Tulloch tied 1-1

Quarter -final 4:

Tunicliffe, Vandemer and Capozzi USA leads Macgregor, Lush and Macgregor GBR 2- -0.75 (0.75 points deducted from Macgregor for damage)

2.4mR Results – (After eight races)

1st Damien FRA 11 points

2nd Schmitter NED 11 points

3rd Kol NED 22 points

4th Tingley CAN 32 points

5th Pascoe GBR 42 points

Skud-18 Results – (After eight races)

1st Fitzgibbon and Cox AUS 8 points

2nd Rickham and Birrell GBR 12 points

3rd McRoberts and Hopkin CAN 20 points

4th Hovden and Millward GBR 27 points

5th Hall and Faulks GBR 33 points

Sonar Results – (After eight races)

1st Hessels and Rossen NED 14 points

2nd Robertson and Stodel GBR 15 points

3rd Kroker and Prem GER 21 points

4th Cohen and Vexler ISR 26 points

5th Doerr and Freund USA 31 points

Results Day 4 – Top Five
(results conditional on protests)

470 Woman Results (After eight races)
1st Pacheco and Betanzos ESP 43 points
2nd Kondo and Tabata JPN 45 points
3rd Westerhof and Berkhout NED 49 points
4th Petitjean and Douroux FRA 53 points
5th Rol and Defrance FRA 57 points

470 Men Results (After eight races)
1st Belcher and Page AUS 20 points
2nd Leboucher and Garos FRA 21 points
3rd Patience and Bithell GBR 31 points
4th Asher and Willis GBR 33 points
5th Fantela and Marenic CRO 38 points

49er Results (After ten races)
1st Dyen and Christidis FRA 28 points
2nd Outteridge and Jensen AUS 30 points
3rd Morrison and Rhodes GBR 36 points
4th Sibello and Sibello ITA 47 points
5th Draper and Greenhalgh GBR 52 points

Finn Results (After eight races)
1st Scott GBR 31 points
2nd Lobert FRA 32 points
3rd Wright GBR 40.3 points
4th Kljakovic Gaspic CRO 44 points
5th Ainslie GBR 45.4 points

Laser Results – (After eight races)
1st Slingsby AUS 11 points
2nd Leigh CAN 42 points
3rd Goodison GBR 50 points
4th Murdoch NZL 55 points
5th Tom Burton AUS 59 points

Laser Radial Results (After seven races)
1st Steyaert FRA 24 points
2nd De Turckheim FRA 26 points
3rd Bouwmeester NED 27 points
4th Winther NZL 29 points
5th Multala FIN 34 points

RS:X Men Results (After eight races )
1st Dempsey GBR 18 points
2nd Bontemps FRA 22 points
3rd Van Rijsselberge NED 26 points
4th Tobin NZL 27 points
5th Rodrigues POR 27 points

RS:X Women Results (After eight races)
1st Manchon ESP 26 points
2nd Picon FRA 35 points
3rd Tartaglini ITA 40 points
4th Shaw GBR 41 points
4th Linares ITA 46 points

Star results – (After eight races)
1st O'Leary and Kleen IRL 28 points
2nd Loof and Tillander SWE 38 points
3rd Kusznierewicz & Zycki POL 42 points
4th Percy and Simpson GBR 45 points
5th Florent and Rambeau FRA 46 points

Women's Match Racing
Quarter Final 1
Souter, Curtis and Price AUS and Kjelleberg, Kallstrom and Harryson SWE tied 1-1
Quarter- final 2:
Leroy, Riou and Bertrand FRA and Spithill, Eastwell and Farrell AUS tied 1-1
Quarter -final 3:
Renee Groeneveld, Annemieke Bes, Brechtje van der Werf and Sally Barkow, Alana O'Reilly, Genny Tulloch tied 1-1
Quarter -final 4:
Tunicliffe, Vandemer and Capozzi USA leads Macgregor, Lush and Macgregor GBR 2- -0.75 (0.75 points deducted from Macgregor for damage)

2.4mR Results – (After eight races)
1st Damien FRA 11 points
2nd Schmitter NED 11 points
3rd Kol NED 22 points
4th Tingley CAN 32 points
5th Pascoe GBR 42 points

Skud-18 Results – (After eight races)
1st Fitzgibbon and Cox AUS 8 points
2nd Rickham and Birrell GBR 12 points
3rd McRoberts and Hopkin CAN 20 points
4th Hovden and Millward GBR 27 points
5th Hall and Faulks GBR 33 points

Sonar Results – (After eight races)
1st Hessels and Rossen NED 14 points
2nd Robertson and Stodel GBR 15 points
3rd Kroker and Prem GER 21 points
4th Cohen and Vexler ISR 26 points
5th Doerr and Freund USA 31 points

Published in Olympics 2012

Tagged under

10th August 2010

Big Breeze Brings Big Results in Weymouth

Peter O'Leary and newly adopted German crew Frithjof Kleen were winners in the single Star keelboat race today but only after an international jury granted redress to the Cork helmsman who crossed the line second at the Skandia Sail for Gold regatta in Weymouth this afternoon. A second win for Ireland was secured in the big breeze by Annalise Murphy in the Laser Radial class who also scored second in this morning's race, rounding off a successful day for the 11 strong Irish crew off the Portland Bill. Below is a podcast update from Team Manager James O'Callaghan as the crews came off the water this evening.

S4G10dt_M0945

(Above) Ed Butler and Ben Lynch (IRL) in action in the 49er class on day 2 of the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta and (below) Saskia Tidey in the Laser Radial . Photo OnEdition