Irish sailing exceeding targets

Daragh Ó Conchúir

Irish Sailing Association chiefs are “optimistic” that they will have at least one more boat competing at the Olympics, despite having already attained its target representation of three.

Ulster duo Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern (49er), experienced former Olympians Peter O’Leary and David Burrows (Star) and 22-year-old sensation Annalise Murphy (Laser Radial) are continuing their preparations for the London Games but they could well have some new housemates in Weymouth.

The remaining 25% of Olympic places on offer after last year’s ISAF world championships in Perth will be decided next month.

Ross Hamilton (Finn), James Espey (Laser) and the 470 combination of Ger Owens and Scott Flanigan are currently self-funded but still have a good chance of attaining a coveted Olympic spot at their respective individual class world championships in Germany (Espey), Spain (Owens/Flanigan) and England (Hamilton).

“The 2011 goal was to qualify three boats for the London Olympics,” ISA performance director, James O’Callaghan reminded those in attendance at yesterday’s press briefing in Dublin.

“We qualified in the Radial, the Star and the 49er. In the Star we targeted a medal race finish (top ten) and we finished 12th. In the Radial we targeted a medal race finish and achieved that, finishing sixth. In the 49er, we targeted a top 20 finish and the boys finished tenth, which exceeded the target set down for them.”

“We’d be optimistic that we’ll qualify at least one more boat out of the three that are campaigning in May.”

The quintet that succeeded in Perth are now focussing their preparations on peaking at the end of July.

“One of the priorities has been a technical improvement,” O’Callaghan explained. “It’s like a pre-season stage, using the parlance of other sports. They’re working quite a lot on their skills, boat-handling, technique. They’re also doing a lot of equipment-testing.”

Without specifying who might produce, O’Callaghan is sticking with the ISA’s target of earning a podium position at the Olympics and agrees that being so accustomed to Weymouth, having had some representation there since 2006, is an advantage. The team will be based there full-time from the time that the Sail for Gold regatta takes place at the Olympic venue in June.

Another advantage is the wealth of Olympic experience that O’Leary (Beijing 2009) and Burrows (Atlanta 2006, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004) bring.

“[The Olympics are different for] the fact that you’re part of a much bigger sporting occasion” said Burrows. “It’s not just your own class competing. It’s the pinnacle of our sport in terms of non-professional sailors. There’s a huge amount of hoopla and hype around the event itself and a much longer build-up to it as well.

“I think it’s definitely useful having been to an Olympics before, knowing what goes on and the distractions that are there, just being able to focus on what we have to do.

“We start racing the day after the Opening Ceremony so it’s going to be too tight for us to get up to London. It would be a nice experience to be at the Opening Ceremony but it’s not what we’re there for. The main thing is to keep your eye on the ball.

“There are a lot more people around, a lot of demands on your time, so you’ve got to be very careful that you have enough time to do what you need to do. Small things like interviews for example. You have to manage your time very carefully.”

Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/VMjswkq17io/post.aspx

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