After the first of three Irish Laser Olympic trials was completed at the weekend, London 2012 sailors have established a lead in both mens and womens disciplines but the first trial, held as part of Copa Brasil de Vela regatta, on the Olympic waters itself, ended without any Laser medal race participation for Ireland.
In the mens division there was little to write home about from Rio, with nation qualifier James Espey from Belfast Lough only moving ahead of Finn Lynch by one place in the closing stage of the regatta to finish 38th from 48. Fionn Lyden was 43rd.
In the women's radial, Howth debutante Aoife Hopkins managed a 15th place in her last race of the day having recovered from a broken mast to be 28th place overall. Annalise Murphy took 15th place overall, her best result was a third in race three. The former European champion also scored a seventh in race five but all other results were critically outside the top ten if London 2012's fourth place finish is to be improved on next August.
Full Laser results are downloadable below.
There was also Irish participation in the mens 49er and 49erfx, both teams were treating the regatta as a 'training event', according to the ISA. The Irish skiffs were penalised for not launching off the prescribed regatta slipway (a beach). The Irish 49erfx sailed by Andrea Brewster and Saskia Tidey made Saturday's medal race cut.
ISA Press Release 21/12/2015):
Following a week of sailing at the Copa Brasil in Rio, Providence Team IRL sailors and London 2012 Olympians, Annalise Murphy and James Espey take the lead their respective trials.
It was an act of sportsmanship that was unnecessary but reflects the class of Annalise Murphy. Her rival for the Olympic berth, Aoife Hopkins, broke her mast and would have been unable to compete in the last race had it not been for Murphy’s intervention. Annalise lent the young Howth sailor her own spare mast. Aoife gratefully accepted the generous offer and went on to post her best race of the event finishing 15th. Murphy’s class shone in other ways too during the regatta, which regularly saw temperatures over 40 degrees and light, fickle winds. She placed 3rd in one of the ‘light’ races but it was her consistency throughout the week that will be a real boost to her confidence coming into 2016. Annalise finished 15th and Aoife 28th overall. The second trial event is the ISAF World Cup regatta in Miami at the end of January.
In the men’s trial, James Espey holds pole position by the tiniest of margins. Espey finished in 38th while Finn Lynch finished 39th. Close behind was UCC scholarship student Fionn Lyden in 43rd. This effectively means the Men’s trials is very much still a three horse race. For Lynch it was a significant achievement to get to the start line, as only five weeks ago he dislocated his shoulder and was in a race against time to get fit, and only managed to make it with intensive rehabilitation. James Espey, Ireland’s 2012 Olympic representative will be drawing on all his experience to try and widen the gap at the next trial event – the Princess Sofia regatta in late March, in Palma, Mallorca. Overall, James Espey has 38 points, Finn Lynch 39 and Fionn Lyden 43.
Both Skiff campaigns also raced in Rio, and while overall results were not spectacular, there were positives. Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern were happy to bag a race win on the Olympic waters. Andrea Brewster and Saskia Tidey got to experience a Medal race final a feat they will hope to repeat next summer.
Standings after 1st Trial Regatta:
Laser Radial
· Annalise Murphy 15 points
· Aoife Hopkins 28 points
Laser Standard
· James Espey 38 points
· Finn Lynch 39 points
· Fionn Lyden 43 points.