SAILING:IN THE week Irish sailing staked a claim to a podium finish in London, its strongest hope seems to have been dealt a death blow by an International Sailing Federation (ISAF) decision to ditch keelboats from the Olympic Games from 2016.
This week the Star two-man keelboat has been blacked out of the Olympic line-up, bringing to an end its 80-year involvement. From an Irish perspective, the decision calls a halt to the longer-term plans of the new partnership of Peter O’Leary and David Burrows, seen as medal hopes in London 2012 and Brazil 2016.
In the end, the announcement from the mid-year ISAF meeting in Russia was confirmation of what many knew was coming for a long time.
The decision, the ISAF claim, was taken to safeguard the future of the sport by introducing new types of sailing to the Games, such as kite surfing, and bringing back multihulls. But it has angered many, with keelboats making up 70 per cent of competing boats in the sport.
The ISAF move has enraged the Brazilians, who will stage the first Olympiad without the Star. Their two best sailors are Star-class medallists and national heroes and their best hopes of a gold on Rio de Janeiro waters.
Ireland has a strong record in the Star class going back to Barcelona in 1992. O’Leary and Burrows go head-to-head in two weeks, with Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks, in London selection trials, but after that Ireland’s long-term involvement in the class is over.
This week, the Irish Saiing Association’s Olympic team manager, James O’Callaghan, said the team were determined to stand on the podium in 2012. Ireland is focusing on three boats from a possible 10: the Star, and two dinghies, the Laser Radial and 49er.
Ironically, this September for the first time Ireland plays host to a major Star championship, the European regatta in Dún Laoghaire.
Meanwhile, in north Wales, Annalise Murphy’s Olympic ambitions continue unabated in the Laser Radial. She won Britain’s qualifiers in Pwllheli last weekend.
In a fine display of heavy-air boat-speed, the National Yacht club sailor scored a first, first, sixth in the three races last Sunday, in a southerly 15-knot breeze and in a mixed fleet of 79 entrants.
In offshore sailing, east coast inshore campaigner Lively Lady (Derek Martin) won the Irish Sea off-shore association’s (ISORA) second race of the season from Dún Laoghaire to Rockabill and back.
The Royal Irish Beneteau 40.7 won the 50-miler after fortunes changed in the 13-boat fleet at the Kish light. This weekend the fleet has a day race from Pwllheli.
On Wednesday, the Irish Cruiser Racing Association was presented with the Sailing Club of the Year award for its role in winning the Commodore’s Cup.
Maritime writer Wallace Clark is due to be buried this afternoon in Maghera, Co Derry, following his death at home this week. The legendary yachtsman, who was in his 80s, was injured several months ago when he was struck by a truck while out walking.
Tonight, a tribute dinner to long-standing National Yacht Club manager Pádraic Conneely, who is retiring, is being held at the Dún Laoghaire club house in recognition of his 21 years service.
