Ireland's Olympic hopefuls set for Paris 2024 Sailing qualifier
Irish Sailing senior athletes will contest three of the ten Olympic events at The Hague from this weekend in the first major Paris 2024 qualification (Scheveningen, The Hague, Netherlands Friday 11th to Sunday 20th August 2023).
Normally contested at individual events, once in every Olympic quadrennial sees all ten events decide their world championship titles at a combined gathering. The Men's Skiff begins Friday 11th.
Two crews will sail in this event featuring Tokyo 2020 veterans Robert Dickson (Howth Yacht Club) with Sean Waddilove (Skerries Sailing Club) along with the more recent pairing of Seafra Guilfoyle with Johnny Durcan, both representing the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven.
The top ten nations at the end of the finals round next week will take the initial allocations of qualified countries for Paris 2024.
Men and Women's Dinghy commences on Sunday 13th.
2021 World Silver medallist and Rio 2016 veteran Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club) will compete in the ILCA7 championship along with Ewan McMahon (Howth YC).
While Eve McMahon (Howth YC) competes in the ILCA6 women's event, mirroring her role model Annalise Murphy's career just over a decade ago.
Both single-handed events will each decide 16 nation places for the Olympics on this occasion.
Three of the senior squad competed at the recent test event at the Olympic regatta venue in Marseilles where the Irish Sailing Foundation and Sport Ireland have provided a training base for the past year. Both Lynch and Eve McMahon delivered strong results which bode well for the forthcoming combined world championships while Dickson and Waddilove were close to the form they'll need for the week ahead.
Progress in the skiff fleets also bodes well for adding a fourth event to Irish Sailing's Performance line-up that recently has Erin McIlwaine (Ballyholme Yacht Club) with Ellie Cunnane (Tralee Bay Sailing Club) active in the 49erFX women's event at senior level who will also be competing this week.
"Lots of commitment and training have been the hallmark of our senior and pathway squads leading up to the summer season highlight events, we are excited to see how the efforts translate into performance," commented James O'Callaghan, Irish Sailing's Performance Director.
This weekend's Allianz Sailing World Championships at The Hague marks the one year countdown to Paris 2024 and intensification of preparations over the coming months.