Ireland's 'Green Armada' Lying Second in SSL Gold Cup Qualifiers in Switzerland

22nd May 2022

Ireland's Green Armada team in Switzerland is: Bow -Simon Johnson, Mid Bow/grinder/strategy - Ryan Glynn, Pit - Cian Guilfoyle, Grinder - Grattan Roberts, Trim - David Kenefick, Trim - George Kingston, Main/tactics - Nin O’Leary and Helm - Harry Durcan Credit: Martina Orsini

Ireland's 'Green Armada' Irish sailing team captained by Nicholas 'Nin' O'Leary have a foothold in the final series of the SSL Gold Cup after finishing in second place to Estonia in the qualifying races on Lake Lake Neuchatel in Switzerland.

In today's races, Lake Neuchatel was so flat, The Icebreakers from Estonia might have thought it was ice. That could explain how comfortable Tonu Toniste's crew won that race. From Mark 1 to finish, the team in blue was never really worried about what happened in their back and rolled to victory, which was not really the case for Ireland.

Nin O’Leary on mainsheet and Harry Durcan driving for the Green Armada team at the SSL Gold Cup Photo: Martina Orsini

Just in front of the finish line, Ireland's Green Armada team got trapped in a dying wind under the attack of The Belgian Sea Devils. It took them a double gybe to get through and finish 2nd, just.

The Belgian will be disappointed by their result, but their false start did not help them. Serbia closed the race again today, but again they sailed clean and don't have to be ashamed about their performance on the water.

Estonia (11 points) and Ireland (10 points) may have half a foot in the Final Series (October-November) as they took control of Group 2. SSL Team Belgium "Sea Devils" and SSL Team Serbia "Eagles" are lacking behind, but tomorrow's Golden Day, where races count for double points, could change the deal.

SSL gold cup Fleet 2 scores

Ireland's Green Armada team in Switzerland is:

Bow -Simon Johnson
Mid Bow/grinder/strategy - Ryan Glynn
Pit - Cian Guilfoyle
Grinder - Grattan Roberts
Trim - David Kenefick
Trim - George Kingston
Main/tactics - Nin O’Leary
Helm - Harry Durcan

Published in SSL Gold Cup

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SSL Gold Cup

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About the Star Sailors League Gold Cup

In 2022, Sailing finally got its own World Cup, according to the promoters of the SSL (STAR SAILORS LEAGUE) Gold Cup.

Like football in 1930 and rugby in 1987, the SSL Gold Cup is designed to crown the best sailing nation of all! The World's Top 56 countries, selected on their SSL Nation ranking, will battle their way through to raise the coveted and only Sailing World Cup trophy.

The SSL is the global inshore sailing circuit launched by Olympic athletes in 2012, by sailors for sailors. Its main philosophy considers the athletes (not the boats) as the “Stars” and it aims to showcase the annual global sailing championship with its over 15’000 regattas; it determines and celebrates the world leaders in sailing promoting the inshore regattas to the global audience.

The three main components of the SSL Circuit are the SSL Ranking published every Tuesday, updating the position of over 100,000 leading athletes, thus highlighting the world’s top inshore sailors. The SSL Finals taking place every year around November-December, it’s the annual final of the SSL Circuit among the 20/25 best athletes of the ranking, to crown the champion of the season. And the SSL Gold Cup, the ‘ultimate’ championship of the circuit with 56 nations among World Sailing members, to crown the best sailing nation.

In a mechanical sport where the race for technology sometimes gets in the way of the race for glory, the SSL aims for equal competition where the talent of the sailors is at the forefront and the champions become heroes that inspire new generations of sailors.

The SSL is a World Sailing Special Event since 2017.