Ireland's Olympic sailing team made progress towards its stated aim of winning three nation places for the 2016 Rio Olympics in Santander yesterday, but with only one place secured so far, the team focus needs to be on more consistent results in order to make their target by Friday.
Belfast 49er skiff sailors Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern got their first taste of competition yesterday in the qualifying series that will split the fleet into gold and silver. Currently in ninth overall after results of 2, 15 and 38, the pair, who raced for Ireland at London 2012, will rue the last result of the day, scored admittedly in some very demanding light airs.
Criticism
Representatives of the 49er class criticised organisers ISAF yesterday for not making a three-way fleet split, citing the risk of “mishaps” in the larger 45 boat fleets, rather than the usual 30. And if the risk of collision wasn’t enough, to make the early qualification for Rio a reality, Seaton and McGovern have to finish the regatta in the top 10 countries, no small ask when 31 nations are competing.
In the 49erFx women's Skiff class, Dún Laoghaire debutantes, Andrea Brewster and Saskia Tidey have a similar problem, with 10 countries eligible for early qualification from the 25 entered. Their 16th and 11th places leaves them in 28th overall, well outside the qualification target and in danger of not making the gold fleet cut later today.
Laser Radial
Dún Laoghaire Laser Radial sailor Annalise Murphy made progress up the leader board yesterday with a fifth in her only race of the day to leave her in 28th position. With 22 countries ahead of her she still has some work to do to win one of the 19 Rio places in her class.
Belfast's James Espey, who is the only Irish sailor so far to win a country place for Ireland so far, scored a 28th and a 36th in the Laser class to drift out to 34th in the overall rankings, while Finn Lynch, in the bronze fleet didn't complete any racing today and remains 101st. Dún Laoghaire Finn sailor Ross Hamilton lies 53rd overall after a 27th in the only completed race today.
Hopes of getting back on schedule yesterday after days of light and fluky winds have not materialised. A promising, early-building ESE wind of up to 13 knots fell away to virtually nothing by mid-afternoon, making the target of 41 races for the day look too ambitious.
