The video below, a masterpiece of hindsight brought to you by www.sailing-tv.tv, firstly features ISA performance director James O'Callaghan describing the task ahead of the Irish Star trio at the world championships in Miami, namely nabbing one of the last four Olympic qualification slots.
As James is interviewed ahead of the regatta, it's hard to tell whether uncertainty or diplomacy prevents him from putting his money on any one of the three to qualify the country, although he does tip his hat to O'Leary and Milne as the 'form horses' going into the Worlds.
Money quote: 'It's an interesting mix of sailors that we have and it's a great position that the Irish Sailing Association finds itself in.'
Perhaps that statement would be revised slightly now, with the ISA's embarrassment of riches squabbling noisily for the slot in an appeal that could heighten Irish sailing's reputation as the spoilt child of the Olympic system.
And, going against the qualify, qualify, qualify mantra spouted by everyone else, Anthony Shanks gives us this casual little gem: 'Well, our regatta is about forgetting about qualifying the nation and actually focusing on having the best world championships we can possibly have.'
A noteworthy performance also from Cork's Prof O'Connell, who we hear has been approached by national broadcaster RTE to be the television face of Olympic sailing. Prof, you're the real star in all of this.
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Previous Afloat items on this story:
Star appeal expected todayAppeal halts Olympic squad launch
Olympic update - launches and litigation
Star choice turns tabloid
