SAILING:Annalise Murphy (22) embarks on her road to Rio next week in the US for the second round of the International Sailing Federation's (ISAF) World Cup series in Miami, Florida.
The National Yacht Club (NYC) sailor is no stranger to Floridian waters having finished in the top 10 on Biscayne Bay on both previous visits in the build up to London 2012. She was ninth in 2012 and fourth in 2011.
From the 29-boat entry list published significantly there is only one of the top 10 from London 2012 racing next Saturday.
Miami is the second of four regattas included in the 2012-2013 ISAF Sailing World Cup, the fifth edition of the annual series for Olympic sailing.
Although radial entries have been received from 11 countries there is no sign of any of the Weymouth medallists; Lijia from China, Marit Boumeester of Holland or Belgian Evi Van Ecker so it looks like the Dubliner, who lost out on a medal in the final moments of London 2012, will get 2013 off to a somewhat gentle start in warm waters.
Main competition
A Florida local though, Paige Railey who is four times world champion and who took eighth at the Games is slated for competition and looks like Murphy’s main competition for what would be her first win of an ISAF World Cup event.
Joining the fray in Miami is Wexford’s Philip Doran. As 2011 Irish National champion (and fellow NYC sailor) Philip Doran who recently celebrated success at the Under-19 Europe Cup Regatta – is competing in the Laser full rig, a build up no doubt to the Laser Europeans championships on Dublin Bay in September.
Ten-time Paralympic sailor John Twomey from Kinsale, the new president of the International Association for Disabled Sailing (IFDS), is also in Florida in the Sonar keelboat.
A new cruiser-racer crew training initiative will be launched in Howth in April. New Irish Cruiser Racer (ICRA) Commodore Norbert Reilly is following through on his commitment to recruit more sailors to ICRA’s ranks.
The new programme, “More Sailors, More Sailing”, will take place on April 21st and 120 slots are available in the Sailfleet J80 keelboat fleet now based in Howth.
The objective, says Reilly is to create a pathway to get on to a racing yacht, promote local training and provide national standards for the various positions (mast, bow, trim, helm).
