Full list of results HERE
(the Men’s Laser are called ILCA 7, and Women’s Radial are ILCA 6)#
24 APRIL 2021
Disappointment and Silver bullets for Irish sailors in Portugal
After Friday’s disappointment for the Irish squad at European Laser Olympic qualification regatta in Vilamoura, Portugal all seven boats completed the full 12-race series today (Saturday 24th April 2021) with a mix of results.
Ireland does still have two other boats qualified for Tokyo 2020: Annalise Murphy (National YC) in the Women’s single-handed event and Robert Dickson (Howth YC) with Sean Waddilove (Skerries Sailing Club) in the Men’s skiff event.
While Rio Olympic veteran Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club) was unable to qualify Ireland in the Laser event for Tokyo 2020, the Carlow sailor competed in the final two races of the Gold fleet today and completed the event in 33rd place overall following a 14th and 42nd places for the day.
Germany’s Philipp Buhl as reigning world champion delivered a thrilling finish to the series, edging out Brazil’s five-times Olympic medallist Robert Scheidt by a single point in the big swell finale. Spain and The Netherlands won the two Olympic nation places for Tokyo.
Ewan McMahon from Howth YC improved to 48th overall with a 23rd and 55th for the day. Liam Glynn of Ballyholme YC also picked up places to 56th in the 70-boat Gold fleet.
In the Men’s event Silver fleet, newcomers to Senior level racing Tom Higgins and Hugo Kennedy, both of the Royal St. George YC in Dun Laoghaire placed 46th and 62nd respectively.
Meanwhile, Olympic silver medallist Annalise Murphy (National YC) put the disappointment of missing Gold fleet behind by delivering four consecutive race win ‘bullets’ in the Radial Silver fleet to win the classification.
Aoife Hopkins and Eve McMahon, both of Howth YC finished 6th and 9th respectively in the 44-boat Silver fleet.
“Finn undertook a high-quality campaign with massive commitment so missing qualification for the Olympics is a bitter pill to swallow," commented James O’Callaghan, Irish Sailing’s Performance Director. “However, both Ewan and Liam's Gold fleet experience will stand to them and make the whole team stronger as we look towards Paris 2024.”
23 APRIL 2021
No Olympic qualification for Irish sailors in Portugal
On the penultimate day of the European Laser Olympic qualification regatta in Vilamoura, Portugal (Friday 23rd April 2021), Irish hopes of securing a third boat for Tokyo have ended after two breezy races in the Gold fleet.
Hopes were high that Rio Olympic veteran Finn Lynch from Carlow (National Yacht Club) would return some of his previous form and deliver some more top six results that might close the gap on nation qualification.
However, after multiple attempts by the race committee at starting the 70-boat Gold fleet in heavy swell conditions, Lynch was one of 14 boats disqualified from race nine. As he had used his one-race discard for a previous disqualification earlier in the event, he now counts maximum points that places him out of contention for an Olympic place.
“Finn and the whole team worked incredibly hard so to not get the result is very tough,” commented James O’Callaghan, Irish Sailing’s Performance Director. “It does not make us a bad team overnight but we'll need to analyse everything that has happened and apply these learnings for the Paris 2024 campaign.”
Lynch went on to score a 23rd place in the second race of the day and will also compete in Saturday’s final races along with the other Irish boats.
Ewan McMahon from Howth YC had a 37th and 47th for the day and lies 51st overall while Liam Glynn of Ballyholme YC was 47th and 50th and is in 59th place going into the final day.
Ireland has two boats qualified for Tokyo 2020: Annalise Murphy (National YC) in the Women’s single-handed event and Rob Dickson (Howth YC) with Sean Waddilove (Skerries Sailing Club) in the Men’s skiff event.
22 APRIL 2021
No change for hunting Irish at Olympic qualification in Portugal
After two races in the Gold fleet series at the European Laser Olympic qualification regatta in Vilamoura, Portugal today (Wednesday 21st April 2021), Rio Olympic veteran Finn Lynch from Carlow (National Yacht Club) remains in 34th place overall with just four races remaining to decide two nation places for Tokyo 2020.
A 20th and 27th place for the day wasn’t the form Lynch needed to upend the nation running-order. He will need more of the top six places he delivered at the start of the series to offer a realistic chance for Ireland to secure one of the remaining nation places.
With two days of racing scheduled, Spain’s Joel Rodrigues Perez has moved from eighth to fourth overnight as the runaway lead contender. Belgian and Dutch boats are currently well-matched for the second place though both may yet be distracted enough to open possibilities for the other nations including Ireland.
“We are still in the hunt. The final two days will require digging into the mental and physical reserves to chase down the leading pack ,” commented James O’Callaghan, Irish Sailing’s Performance Director. “Thirty percent of the regatta remains, so there will undoubtedly be a few more twists and turns before we know the outcome.”
In contrast to Wednesday and his best day of the week, Ewan McMahon from Howth YC discarded a 66th place but followed it with a 50th place in the light wind conditions and lies 50th in the 70-boat Gold fleet. Liam Glyn from Ballyholme YC also discarded his first race of the day and a 32nd place moved him up a place to 59th overall.
Ireland currently has two boats qualified for Tokyo 2020: Annalise Murphy (National YC) in the Women’s single-handed event and Robert Dickson (Howth YC) with Sean Waddilove (Skerries Sailing Club) in the Men’s skiff event. This week’s event in Vilamoura will decide the remaining two European places for this summer’s scheduled Games.
21 APRIL 2021
Irish sailors reach Gold fleet but gap widens on Olympic qualification in Portugal
At the regatta mid-point in the European Laser Olympic qualification regatta in Vilamoura, Portugal today (Wednesday 21st April 2021), three Irish sailors have qualified for the Gold fleet in the 139-strong event that will decide two final places for Tokyo 2020.
Rio Olympic veteran Finn Lynch from Carlow (National Yacht Club) had a 14th and a 23rd for the day which was solid but not enough to close the gap on the rival nations further ahead in the fleet. He lies 34th overall, leading the Irish effort but down from 28th overnight.
Ewan McMahon from Howth YC had his best day of the series so far and moved up three places to 45th to secure his place in the Gold fleet racing that starts tomorrow (Thursday). Along with Lynch, he is joined by Liam Glynn from Ballyholme YC who dropped to 60th overall but still inside the top half of the fleet.
“Ireland is still in the fight at the halfway stage the finals will be decisive for our Tokyo prospects,” commented James O’Callaghan, Irish Sailing’s Performance Director. “With six races to go the guys remain confident that their hard work over the winter will pay off in the next three days.”
Seventeen European countries are seeking one of two remaining nation places for Tokyo. Currently, Spain’s Joel Rodrigues Perez in eighth place and Duko Bos from the Netherlands in 13th are setting the pace for qualification. Ireland's Finn Lynch is presently the eighth nation in line.
Meanwhile, in a pre-Olympic phase reminiscent of Rio 2016, Annalise Murphy didn’t qualify for Gold fleet racing in the Radial series that will also decide two nation places. However, Ireland has already secured its nation place and will be represented by her at Tokyo for her third Olympic Games.
20 April 2021 DAY 2
Highs and lows for Irish sailors chasing Olympic qualification in Portugal
Ireland’s single-handed sailors seeking a place at the Tokyo Olympics this summer had a mixed day in Vilamoura, Portugal today (Tuesday 20th April 2021) in the European Laser qualification regatta.
A Black Flag disqualification for early starting in the first race of the day for Rio Olympic veteran Finn Lynch from Carlow (National Yacht Club) dampened his overall standing despite placing sixth in the race that followed and he lies 28th overall in the 139-boat fleet.
Just two nation places remain to be decided for Tokyo while 17 countries including Ireland are hunting one of the berths. This event is both the qualifier and the only competition of the past year since the Covid pandemic disrupted the Olympic quadrennial.
Ewan McMahon from Howth YC was pleased with his 12th place in the second race that made up for a 29th earlier and he lies 48th overall.
It was a similar story for Liam Glynn from Ballyholme YC who had the 15th place in the first race, and was alongside five times Olympic medallist Robert Scheidt of Brazil at the first mark in the next race, and got squeezed out in the crowd of boats at the mark rounding. He lies 52nd overall.
“There is a tough task ahead as Wednesday marks the halfway stage of the regatta with little room for error,” commented James O’Callaghan, Irish Sailing’s Performance Director. “However, there remains eight races to build up places with a narrow spread of points to overcome.”
Meanwhile, continuing the theme of highs and lows for the Irish boats, Rio 2016 Silver medallist Annalise Murphy had a 41st place then a seventh for the day in the women’s Radial event while Howth’s Aoife Hopkins had a sixth and a 35th. This regatta is also a qualifier for Tokyo but Ireland has already secured its nation place and will be represented by Annalise Murphy.
..................
19 April 2021 DAY 1
Olympic veteran Lynch leads Irish hopes for Tokyo berth as racing begins in Vilamoura
Prospects for a third Irish boat at the Tokyo Olympics this Summer will be decided this week in Vilamoura, Portugal where racing got underway today (Monday 19th April 2021) in the European Laser qualification regatta.
After the first two qualification races in the six-day series, Rio Olympic veteran Finn Lynch from Carlow (National Yacht Club) leads the Irish effort scoring a 28th and a 5th in breezy conditions off the Algarve coast. Seventeen nations are chasing just two places remaining for the Tokyo games.
The programme for the 139-strong fleet was delayed by several hours as the sea breeze built during the afternoon. The fifth place for Lynch was in the windiest range of the day but wind patterns were difficult to read.
Ewan McMahon from Howth YC had a consistent day with a 28th and a 25th and lies 50th overall. A strong opening race for Liam Glynn from Ballyholme YC delivered an eleventh place but a weighty 49th in race two dropped him down the fleet to 57th.
Also competing in the regatta are Dun Laoghaire sailors Tom Higgins and Hugo Kennedy (both Royal St. George Yacht Club).
“It’s great to finally start the last qualifier for Tokyo after 12 months of waiting,” commented James O’Callaghan, Irish Sailing’s Performance Director. “It’s early days in the series so we’ll continue to stick to our established process of taking it one race at a time.”
Meanwhile, the same event is also a qualifier for the women’s Radial class. Ireland has qualified already and will be represented by Rio 2016 Silver medallist Annalise Murphy. The Dun Laoghaire sailor was in action today along with Howth’s Aoife Hopkins and Eve McMahon, sister to Ewan. Annalise Murphy was best of the trio for the day with a 29th and an eighth to lie 34th overall.
Picture: y David Branigan, Oceansports