The SSL Gold Cup, sailing's much-hyped equivalent of the "Football World Cup," taking place in Gran Canaria from November 10th to December 3rd, 2023, is without the qualified Irish team for its final due to crew commitments elsewhere.

As regular Afloat readers will recall, after a successful outing in May in Switzerland, Nicholas O'Leary's 'Green Armada Team' was scheduled to race in Bahrain's SSL Gold Cup 2022 Final in October, but that event did not materialise. Instead, the finals were moved to Lanzarote this November, but it proved difficult to muster an Irish crew that had included Olympians Annalise Murphy, Robert Dickson and 44 Cup sailors in its lineup.

Officially, SSL Gold Cup organisers say the Irish team fixtures are still in a 'to be determined' status, but Afloat sources say, "the IRL team that qualified the country had event overlaps and could not commit to the competition, as it was all organised at the 11th hour".  

Meanwhile, the Lanzarote event is living up to its pre-event billing as a "thrilling showcase of sailing talent, featuring 40 nations and 25 Olympic medalists". More here.

The SSL Gold Cup Finals, scheduled to be held in Bahrain from October 28th to November 20th, 2022 in which Ireland was scheduled to compete have been postponed with under three weeks to go before the first gun.

In a statement, the organisers said: "The entire SSL Team, the Bahrain Maritime Sports Association (BMSA) and the Sailing Athletes Foundation (SAF) are naturally dismayed to have to make this decision with the event so close, but logistical and technical challenges, amplified by the current world environment, made it impossible to host the event in the manner which the event deserves".

Nicholas O'Leary's Irish Green Armada Team earned a place in Bahrain's SSL Gold Cup 2022 Final after qualifying on Lake Neuchatel in May.

The statement continues: "Bringing together the incredible National Teams, made up of the most decorated sailors ever assembled at one event, remains the intention of the SSL Team and, despite this setback, the goal remains as strong as ever".

"We share the disappointment of the sailors set to compete, as well as that of sailing enthusiasts worldwide and the wider sporting public who were looking forward to following the event", organisers said. 

"The scope of the SSL Gold Cup Finals is unprecedented, and arrangements for the event moving forwards will be announced in due course, following discussion with the SSL teams, the statement concludes.

Nicholas O'Leary's Green Armada Irish sailing team will be heading to the Kingdom of Bahrain this October for the SSL Gold Cup 2022 Final Series having qualified on Lake Neuchatel last weekend. 

Bahrain will host the SSL GOLD CUP 2022 Final Series, dubbed the first Football World Cup… in Sailing. The SSL Gold Cup, a World Sailing Special Event organized every four years by the Sailing Athletes Foundation (SAF), is “THE” ultimate challenge, say promoters, between sailing nations to crown the World Champions, a first in the sport’s history.

The Kingdom of Bahrain has been proactive to host international Sport events including F1 Bahrain Grand Prix since 2004, Asian Cycling Championships 2017, the Amateur MMA World Championship in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

The SSL GOLD CUP Final Series 2022 will be the first World Class Sailing event to take place in Bahrain since the Military world sailing championship 2010 and the Kingdom Match Race 2021. The new development project Water City Garden, in front of the iconic Manama City skyline, will welcome the event.

Like the World Cup in Football, the SSL GOLD CUP gives a singular equal opportunity challenge for all the 40 teams, who race on the exact same boat, the SSL47, a 14-meter performance racing boat, handed by the organization.

In each group, four teams will battle their way through to the next round. In Round of 32, the 16 teams from Qualifying Series will race from October 28 to November 2nd. The Top two teams of each group will join the next 8 teams, including Bahrain in Round of 16, and so on until the Grand Final programmed on November 20th. 

These 40 teams include the World’s Top 23 Sailing nations plus 16 teams coming from the Qualifying Series (organized from May to July 2022) and the host nation, SSL Team Bahrain. Local champion Abdullah Janachi is appointed Captain of the "Sharks", the nickname of the team.

Like the pinnacle event in Football, each team will be wearing the colours of their nation and their emblems. Each team includes 11 athletes including Olympic Champions and Medalists (including Annalise Murphy from Ireland), Olympians, World Champions from inshore Sailing classes.

Amongst the best sailors in the World, we find Ian Williams and Sir Ben Ainslie (SSL Team GBR), Tom Slingsby (SSL Team Australia), Robert Scheidt and Martine Grael (SSL Team Brazil), Anne-Marie Rindom (Denmark), Xavier Rohart (SSL Team France), Taylor Canfield (SSL Team United States), and many more.

Ireland's Green Armada team are one of four to qualify for the Final Series of the SSL Gold Cup at Lake Neuchatel in Switzerland.

After their third win in SSL Gold Cup 2022 Qualifying Series in Race 4, SSL Team Estonia "Icebreakers" confirmed their ticket to the Final Series before racing Race 5. Second, in the group, SSL Team Ireland "Green Armada", captained by Nin O'Leary of Cork, go through to the Finals as well.

Before Race 5, SSL Team Serbia "Eagles" were still alive in this Group 2 thanks to their solid second place in Race 4. SSL Team Ireland did not perform as well as they might have expected in that race and were in an 'uncomfortable' position before the start of the final showdown.

So in Race 5, it was all about Ireland vs. Serbia. The more experienced Irish did not leave any chance by attacking the Eagles squad right at the Start pushing them behind the Committee Boat. It was then all about leaving them behind. But suddenly, the wind just died, and Race Committee decided to stop the race, confirming the second qualification ticket to Ireland.

Ireland's qualifying crew 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

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.

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

The Irish Sailing Team at the SSL Gold Cup in Neuchatel, Switzerland had a convincing win over SSL Team Estonia in Group 2 Race 2 today.

The 'Green Armada' matches The 'Icebreakers' in the group's provisional rankings.

SSL Team Belgium, unlucky yesterday finishes third, in front of SSL Team Serbia.

As Afloat reported previously, the Irish Sailing Team is made up of some of Ireland's top sailors.

Ireland's crew 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

The 'Green Armada' Irish Sailing Team in winning form on the Swiss lake Photo: Martina Orsini

The Green Armada panel also includes Olympians Annalise Murphy, Robert Dickson, Finn Lynch, Sean Waddilove, Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne but these sailor are not in Neuchatel this week due to other commitments, according to Team Captain Nicholas O'Leary.

The SSL Gold Cup Qualifying Series Round 1 started yesterday May 19th with two groups of four teams racing in Grandson, on lake Neuchatel.

Only two teams of each group will go through and access the Final Series scheduled in October and November in a location that will be announced next week.

Tomorrrow's action featuring Team Ireland can be seen below

SSL GOLD CUP ROUND 1

Ireland's brand new 'Green Armada' sailing team will not have the benefit of Olympic talent when it debuts in Switzerland this week at the inaugural SSL Gold Cup.

Although the Irish bid to be crowned the world's best sailing nation includes Olympic medalist Annalise Murphy on its 'panel', the Rio silver medal winner and others, such as solo ace Finn Lynch, will not be sailing. Green Armada team captain Nicholas O'Leary confirmed to Afloat today that the Olympians are not available for Thursday's first qualifying rounds due to 'final exams and training camps etc'.

Dun Laoghaire's Finn Lynch, in particular, is in preparing to defend his Laser World Championships silver medal in Mexico from May 21st.

The SSL Gold Cup 2022 will start on May 19th with the Qualifying Series in Grandson, Lake Neuchatel.

All teams ranked from the Top 25 to 56 in the January 2022 SSL Nations ranking will meet in eight groups of four teams each. There will be five stages of the Qualifying Series running from May 19th to July 17th.

The Green Armada crew travelled out today (Tuesday) for two days of training before heading straight into four-boat fleet racing for a round of qualifiers. The top two teams go through to the next round.

Ireland's crew 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

The Green Armada panel includes Olympians Annalise Murphy, Robert Dickson, Finn Lynch, Sean Waddilove, Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne.

Cork Harbour's Nicholas O’Leary captains a squad made up largely of Irish Olympic campaigners – including Rio silver medalist Annalise Murphy – in a bid to be crowned the world's best sailing nation in a new competition called the SSL Gold Cup starting in Switzerland this week.

The Irish team comprises Harry Durcan, Cian Guilfoyle, Annalise Murphy, Robert Dickson, Simon Johnson, Finn Lynch, Sean Waddilove, Peter O'Leary, Oisin McClelland and Stephen Milne.

The SSL Gold Cup 2022 will start on May 19th with the Qualifying Series in Grandson, Lake Neuchatel (Switzerland). All teams ranked from the Top 25 to 56 in the January 2022 SSL Nations ranking will meet in eight groups of four teams each. There will be five stages of the Qualifying Series running from May 19th to July 17th.

Annalise Murphy, Robert Dickson (centre) and Sean Waddilove are part of the Irish Green Armada team that compete in Switzerland this week

The SSL Gold Cup Irish team jersey

After three to four days of racing, only the top two teams of each group will go through to the Final Series that will take place from October 28th to November 20th, 2022, to defend their national colours.

The event director is noted Polish Star helmsman Mateusz Kusznierewicz. 

The SSL Gold Cup will be raced in the SSL47. 11 sailors on each national team, including women and men, will be selected through their national SSL ranking but also their Captain’s choice, with no financial nor technological barriers. 

All the sailors come from Olympic classes, Match-Racing, America's Cup or other noted keelboat circuits.

All nations, from Sailing leading countries like Australia, France, Great Britain, New Zealand or USA will race at the same level as the small ones such as Guatemala, Slovenia, Tahiti or Estonia. 

In its advance billing, the pre-event promotional team are in overdrive: Sailing has finally its own World 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. 

In relation to the Irish team, the event programme says " With a rich maritime history, Ireland consistently punches above its weight on the world stage, and their sailing is no different. With Olympic medalists, Volvo Ocean Race winners, America's Cup sailors, and offshore sailing coming from the Emerald Isle, there is a long history of sailing success. Through this varied pool of sailing, inspiration and talent is rife, and above all the respect for what it takes to succeed in the sport is widely appreciated.

Green Armada captain Nicholas O’Leary

The Irish team motto we learn is: "From all walks of the Sport of Sailing (The Green Armada) brought together to battle it out with the best in the world of Sailing"

The Irish crew travel on Tuesday for two days of training and straight into four-boat fleet racing for a round of qualifiers. The top two teams go through to the next round.

The SSL (STAR SAILORS LEAGUE) 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.

More here