Wins in Sail Brisbane and Sail Melbourne confirm that the National YC's Annalise Murphy remains a favourite in the Women's Laser Radial division of Australia's top regatta, Sail Melbourne next week. It is significant too because it is confirmation that the 19-year-olds international summer form continues.
Latest Annalise Murphy Olympic Sailing News here.
In July, she became the first Irish sailor to win a Europa Cup Laser event in 13 years. Murphy, the longest-standing member of the ISA youth Academy, topped out a 76-boat Radial fleet in the Netherland venue of Hoorn to win by just three points. The latest Australian results underline her potential in the single-hander class and advance her Olympic campaign for London 2012 since she took the decision to go full-time.In August in Japan in her first world championship as a senior, she lifted the under 21 world title. That event will be remembered for the domination of Finland’s Sari Multala, but apart from the Finn’s unbeatable scoreline of five wins, one of the most notable achievements was the steadily improving performance into the top ten by the Irish sailor. Her Brisbane result two weeks ago was achieved in the 10-15 knot wind range, conditions similar to Japan, where the UCD Science student has proved capable of beating the best in the world.
Last Week in Sydney, Murphy repeated the performance at Woollahara Sailing Club but this time in the notoriously tricky, light airs of the city harbour, an indication she is mastering all conditions. She flew to Melbourne on Wednesday, for the first of the ISAF World Cup series which will run from the 14-19 December, admittedly a step up from both Melbourne and Sydney but she proved herself at this level in August, finishing eighth overall at the 87-boat world championship fleet in Japan, Ireland's top women's sailing result in a decade.
More on Annalise Murphy: Sailing for as long as she can remember, going out and crewing for her mother in her Hurricane at the early age of 6. She started sailing oppy’s when only 10 years of age followed by laser 4.7’s, mirrors and toppers before moving into the Laser Radial, the olympic woman’s single handed dinghy. She has been sailing a Radial since 2005. Annalise is currently sailing full-time in preparation for the 2012 Olympics in London. She finished 8th at the 2009 World Championship and since then hasn't looked back. She finished the 2010 season with a top 10 finish at Skandia Sail for Gold regatta and winning the Irish National Championships...the first girl to do so!
