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#olympicsailing – Annalise Murphy (22) embarks on her road to Rio on Monday in the USA for the second round of the International Sailing Federation's (ISAF) World Cup series off Miami.

The National Yacht Club (NYC) sailor is no stranger to Floridian waters having finished in the top ten on Biscayne Bay on both previous visits in the build up to London 2012. She was ninth in 2012 and fourth in 2011 as reported in the Irish Times Sailing Column.

Murphy came up just short of winning an Olympic medal this summer in the Laser Radial with her fourth place finish in Weymouth/Portland. Her quest for Rio 2016 begins in Miami. "I am just getting back into training after taking a long break," said Murphy. "All my plans for the next four years start here and it's great to do it in Miami."

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.

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 from Ireland is Wexford's Philip Doran. As 2011 Irish National champion (and fellow NYC sailor) Philip Doran – who recently celebrated success at the U19 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 back in Florida in the Sonar keelboat. He is joined by fellow 2012 Paralympic teammate Ian Costello from Co. Kerry and American sailor Bradley Johnson in the three-man boat.

For the 24th time in ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami history, excellence in Olympic and Paralympic class racing will take place on the emerald waters of Biscayne Bay. This six-day regatta gets underway on Monday, with over 300 of the best sailors in the World representing 35 countries. The regatta marks the second of four stops on the 2012-2013 ISAF Sailing World Cup series.

Coconut Grove was energized on Sunday in anticipation of the start of racing, as sailors finalized registration details, toured the event's five sailing venues, fine tuned their equipment, and acclimated to the conditions on Biscayne Bay with some practice. Sunday's Miami Marathon added to the electric scene at "The Grove" in celebration of fitness and athleticism.

The ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami provides an opportunity for U.S. and international Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls to begin their campaign for Rio 2016. Olympians, World Champions, and a cast of rising stars will be tested.

All eyes are on the Nacra 17 (mixed multihull) and 49er FX (women's skiff) as the two new Olympic class events. The Nacra 17 will be making its debut at the ISAF Sailing World Cup this week in Miami. The 49er FX made its first appearance on the international stage at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne last December. Many of the sailors in each of these events are making the transition from another boat or class. ISAF World Cup Miami will provide the perfect opportunity for these sailors to build camaraderie with new teammates and make progress with their new boats.

The Nacra 17 fleet is headlined by Puerto Rico's Enrique Figueroa. Joining the three-time Olympian as crew will be his wife Carla Malatrasi. "My objective this week is to get as much time in the water as possible in order to learn as much as I can about the Nacra 17 and place well in the regatta," explained Figueroa. "We have only sailed the Nacra 17 for a few hours over the past couple weeks, but we are definitely getting better."

U.S. skippers Taylor Reiss and Matthew Whitehead will be making a move from the SL16 to the Nacra 17 this week. As a team, Reiss and Whitehead placed sixth at the 2011 ISAF Youth Worlds in Croatia. Reiss will be sailing with Sarah Lihan, who represented Team USA in the Women's 470 at the 2012 Olympic Games. Whitehead will be sailing with Sarah Streater. Also competing in this intriguing fleet will be Canada's Luke Ramsey and Nikola Girke. Ramsey and Girke represented Team Canada at the 2012 Games in the Men's 470 and Women's RS:X, respectively. Another interesting tandem includes Women's Match Racing standout Elizabeth Kratzig (USA), who will be teamed up with Jonathan Farrar.

There are some familiar names in the 49er FX fleet, including 2008 Olympic gold medalist Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) in the Laser Radial. Tunnicliffe represented Team USA with teammate Molly O'Bryan Vandemoer in Women's Match Racing at the 2012 Games.

A pair of Italian Olympians Giulia Conti and Francesca Clapcich will be joining forces in the 49er FX. Conti is making the switch from the 470 and Clapcich transitions from the Laser Radial. Brazilians Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze are also strong contenders following their win at the 49er FX North American Championship.

Portuguese 49er Olympian Francisco Andrade and teammate Andre Fonseca will be a factor in the men's 49er. They recently won the 49er North American Championship earlier this month on Key Biscayne Bay. Swedish 470 Olympian Sebastian Ostling will be making a shift to the 49er, while teaming with Kalle Torlen.

Four-time Olympian Tatiana Drozdovskaya (BLR) is fully committed to make a run at Rio 2016. The 8th ranked Laser Radial sailor in the world won the gold medal at Kiel Week in Germany last June. 2012 Olympian Paige Railey (USA) will be on hand in the stacked Laser Radial fleet. Railey is ranked 7th in the world. Finland's Tuula Tenkanen is the highest ranked Laser Radial sailor competing this week at #5.

The Laser fleet is the event's largest with 72 boats. Guatemala's Juan Ignacio Maegli will be a legitimate contender. He is a two-time Olympian at just 24. World #3 Bruno Fontes (BRA) returns to ISAF World Cup Miami where he finished with a silver medal last year. He also represented Brazil at the 2012 Olympics.

The Finn fleet is led by World #1 Brendan Casey (AUS), who won the gold medal at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne in December. He will be challenged by World #3 and defending ISAF World Cup Miami gold medalist Zach Railey (USA). Casey and Railey both represented their countries in Weymouth/Portland this past summer.

Another intriguing storyline in the Finn class includes Brazil's Bruno Prada. The 2011 Star World Champion and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist is making a shift to the Finn. Prada returned to the Finn three months ago and has been working hard to get re-adjusted to the heavyweight dinghy. "My objective in Miami is to hit the medal race and continue to improve," said Prada. "I'll be sailing all the big regattas this year, including the World Championship in Estonia."

There are two Austrian teams competing in the Men's 470. World #13 Matthias Schmid and Floran Reichstaedter are fresh off a win at the 470 North American Championship here in Biscayne Bay. Their Austrian counterparts David Bargehr and Lucas Mahr finished third. 2012 Olympian Stuart McNay (USA) will be teaming up with fellow American David Hughes. McNay is ranked #7 in the world and he narrowly missed the medal stand in last year's event with a fourth place finish.

Brazil's Fernanda Oliveira and Ana Luiza Barbachan performed admirably at the Summer Games in Weymouth/Portland with a sixth place finish, and have their sights set on gold in Miami. Oliveira won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics with Isabel Swan as crew. Swan is racing this week with Renata Decnop. 2012 Olympians Lara Vadlau of Austria and Jolanta Ogar of Poland have paired up as a new team representing Austria, and have won both events they contested together, including the 470 North Americans.

2012 Olympic gold medalist Dorian Van Rijssbelberghe of The Netherlands has arrived in Miami and is prepared to pick up where he left off in the RS:X. "The biggest thing for me this week is just getting back on the board," said Van Rijssbelberghe. "This is my first time racing since the Games." Van Rijssbelberghe is no stranger to success here at this event. He won three consecutive gold medals at ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami in 2011, 2010 and 2009.

The Men's RS:X fleet will feature several other Olympians, including Ricardo Santos (BRA), Zachary Plavsic (CAN), Ivan Pastor (ESP), David Mier y Teran (MEX) and Sebastian Wang-Hansen (NOR).

Olympic gold and silver medalists will duke it out along with a strong fleet of Windsurfers in the Women's RS:X. Finland's Tuuli Petäjä hopes to ride the momentum she gained by winning the silver medal Weymouth. She will face stiff competition against Spain's gold medalist and World #5 Marina Alabau, who has won the ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami event in 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2007 (No racing in 2008). Alabau recently won the RS:One World Championships in December. The 2010 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Blanca Manchon (ESP) will also be competing this week.

The 2.4mR (open) and Sonar (mixed) Paralympic classes will be racing this week in Miami. Nine Americans and nine Canadians make up the bulk of the 2.4mR fleet. However, Great Britain's Megan Pascoe is one of the fleet's strongest contenders. She finished third at the 2.4mR World Championship in September. World #4 Byornar Erikstad of Norway will also be making a bid for the crown. 2012 Paralympic bronze medalists Aleksander Wang-Hansen, Marie Solberg and Per Eugen Kristiansen of Norway lead a talented Sonar fleet.

ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami, established in 1990 by US Sailing, is open to boats competing in events chosen for the Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Competitions. Visit the event website for an updated competitor list at http://bit.ly/mocr13_competitors with complete ISAF bios for each sailor.

Six of the Olympic Classes, including RS:X men and women, Laser, Radial, 49er and 49er FX will test new racing formats under consideration for Rio 2016. The remaining Olympic classes will consist of a five-day opening series (Monday-Friday) and a double-point medal race (Saturday). The top 10 finishers in the opening series of each class will advance to the medal race. Competitors in the Paralympic classes will have five days of fleet racing (Monday-Friday) and no medal race. Medals will be awarded to the top three boats in each Olympic and Paralympic class on Saturday, February 2.

Regatta Headquarters will be located at the US Sailing Center Miami, an official Olympic training center, in the Coconut Grove section of Miami, Fla. Event organizers have partnered with the city of Miami to provide world-class venues for competition. Additional hosts for the event include Coral Reef Yacht Club, Coconut Grove Sailing Club, Miami Rowing Club and Shake-a-Leg Miami. These sailing organizations host classes onshore, as well as help run the on-the-water racing. The Coral Reef Yacht Club also hosts the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

The ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami organizing committee, headed by co-chairs Gary Bodie and Meredith Muller, with support from Carol Ewing, announced the International Jury: Chris Atkins (GBR), Bernard Bonneau (FRA), Pat Healy (USA), Elliot Levy (VEN), Ana Sanchez (ESP), Luiso Fernandez (ESP), Lynne Beal (CAN), Charlotte Greppe (SWE), Sandy Grovsenor (USA), Marianne Middlethon (NOR), Jim Capron (USA), National Jury Kai Masuda (JPN), Chris Petracco (USA), Marty Ottenhimer (USA), Bruce Martinson (USA) and Pat Sheehan (USA).

The event's  Principal Race Officer is Christophe Gaumont (FRA) assisted by Deputy International Race Officer Mark Murphy with International Race Officers Tom Duggan (USA, Laser Radial), Bruce Greene (USA, 49er, FX), John Craig (USA, RS:X), Peter Van Muyden (CAN, Paralympic classes),  Jim Tichenor (USA, 470, Finn, Nacra17). International Measurer is Barry Johnson (AUS), with Equipment Inspector Dina Kowalyshyn (USA).

Published in Olympic
Tagged under

#RMOCR – Ireland's Star and Laser Radial sailing teams stay in the top third of their respective fleets after the first day of racing at the 2012 Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta but only just. After a mixed opening day's performance from Peter O'Leary and David Burrows the keelboat pair are 11th from 33. Annalise Murphy fares better in13th after two races from a fleet of 60 boats competing on Biscayne Bay.

The sailors are Ireland's best hopes for a sailing medal at the London Olympics and are funded by the Irish Sports Council.

Conditions on the blustery Florida race courses, often judged to be one of the best race tracks in the world, blew from the north east and 12-20 knots in strength across the five courses. Over 700 sailors are competing, drawn from over 50 countries and ten Olympic classes.

It's the second round of ISAF's Sailing World Cup Regatta and as such represents one of the most important build up regattas of the year in advance of the Olynpic Games in less than 200 days time. Both Irish crews, who qualified for London in Perth last December, are fighting hard to post consistent results but yesterday's opening two rounds, although solid performances, wil not be the post Christmas boost they were looking for.

The Irish keelboat took a yellow flag Yellow flag penalty in the first race and did well to get back to tenth  O'Leary and Burrows scores of 10th and a 12th place them 11th overall.

Annalise Murphy concluded the day in 13th overall having secured a 17th and a 19th in her two races of the day.

Independent non-carded sailor James Espey got off to a consistent start in the largest of the classes, the 78 boat Laser fleet. He sits just outside the top 10 at 11th overall having finished 12th in both of his races of the day.

Also competing are the Irish Paralympic sailors John Twomey, Anthony Hegarty and Ian Costello in the Sonar class. The trio lie in the middle of the 11 boat fleet at 6th overall following a 9th and a 4th in their two races.

Published in Olympics 2012
Cruise Ireland, the marketing group promoting Ireland as a cruise destination; has announced that the overall economic contribution of the cruise business is estimated to be worth €60 million to the island of Ireland. On average there are over 200 cruise calls to Ireland per year carrying approximately half a million passengers and crew.

There are many indirect economic and tourism benefits to Ireland from this sector, as well as the benefit of introducing Ireland to new markets and business opportunities. Such cruise visits also help to showcase Ireland's world class shore products, destinations and highlights all that Ireland has to offer visitors.

One of Ireland's advantages is the strategic and geographic spread of its numerous ports, many of which are in close proximity to world class tourism destinations.

Speaking at Seatrade Miami this week, the Chairman of Cruise Ireland, Mr Brendan Keating said "Cruise Ireland aims to promote the island of Ireland as an excellent cruising ground for cruise companies. With the total economic contribution of €60 million, we need to ensure that Ireland maintains this level of business and looks at methods of growing it in the future."

He continued; "Cruise Ireland is looking forward to the 2011 season with confidence. We expect to see further growth in ship calls and the continued establishment of Ireland as an important cruise liner destination. Marketing Cruise Ireland at Seatrade will hopefully encourage further cruise bookings to Ireland in 2012 and 2013."

Representatives from Cruise Ireland attended Seatrade Miami to promote the Island of Ireland as a cruise line tourism destination. This event is attended by over 10,000 delegates, cruise line operators, the world's leading cruise tourism destinations and 118 countries.

Each year, all of the international operators including Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Cunard, Holland America Line and NCL visit Irish ports to access Ireland's world class destinations.

The 2011 season will kick off in early April with calls by the MV Queen Victoria to Cork, the MV Boudicca to Dublin and the MV Ocean Nova to Belfast

Published in Cruise Liners
In spite of leading the regatta going in to the final race Cork/Dublin sailors Peter O'Leary and David Burrows were pipped by a single point for overall honours in the Bacardi Cup in Miami yesterday.

France's Guillaume Florent and Pascal Rambeau accomplished a rare achievement in Saturday's finale of the 84th event Cup.

Florent, the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist in the Finn class who switched over to Star keelboat last year, won the prestigious regatta at his first attempt.

O'Leary and Burrow's second overall in the 93-boat fleet is being hailed as a major result for the pair who have sights firmly set on selection for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

burrowspresentation

Peter O'Leary and David Burrows (centre) receive the Bacardi Cup second place salver in Miami yesterday. Photo: Courtesy Bacardi Cup/Star Class

Their final score after six races that began on Monday was 24 — only one point behind the French duo. 

In a consistent display of speed and tactical ability against a big international fleet only Ireland posted the most consistent scores of the series with all results in the top ten.

Racing in the event was cut short due to thunderstorms on Thursday.

burrows

Peter O'Leary with crew David Burrows at full stretch at the weather mark. Photo courtesy Bacardi Cup

O'Leary and Burrows recorded single-digit finishes over the course of the regatta; they finished with an 8-4 on the penultimate day to move from fourth overall into the lead of the 89-boat fleet with 18 points only to lose out in the final race.

Full Results HERE.

Star Class website/results/comment HERE

Photos of O'Leary and Burrows in action on our gallery HERE

Podcast interview and Career highlights of Peter O'Leary HERE

 

Published in Olympics 2012

Peter O'Leary and David Burrows lie fourth overall at the halfway stage of the Star class Bacardi Cup in Miami today having posted a 7, 2 and 5 in the 93-boat fleet. Promisingly for the Cork-Dublin duo their top results have also been achieved across the wind range, a fact that must bode well for the remaining three races of the series on Biscayne Bay. Full Results HERE. A podcast with Olympic team manager James O'Callaghan is below:

slideshowmaster

Peter O'Leary and David Burrows - fourth at the half way stage of the Bacardi Cup. Photo: Ingrid Abery. More HERE

 

 

Published in Olympics 2012
Ireland's top performers from last week's Miami Olympic Classes Regatta are captured by photographer Ingrid Abery. Peter O'Leary and David Burrows in the Star keelboat are photographed in upwind pose along with fourth overall Annalise Murphy in the Laser Radial. Click HERE for Ingrid's gallery.
Published in Olympics 2012

Annalise Murphy, Ireland's only entry in the medal races at the Miami Olypmic Classes Regatta on Saturday finished fourth overall, missing out on bronze to Evi Van Ascker of Belgium. The Dun Laoghaire sailors overall result will be siginificant boost in her bid to represent Ireland at the London Olympic regatta next year. Other Irish results HERE.

More from Miami Regatta organisers below:

It was "do or die" today for sailors in the final medal races of US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR. Reserved for top-ten fleet racing finishers in Finn, 49er, Men's 470, Women's 470, Laser, Laser Radial, Men's RS:X, Women's RS:X and Star classes, the medal races also included "knock-out" Finals and Petit Finals, with two boats each, from the Elliott 6m (women's match racing) class. The racing formats replicate those that will be used at the Olympic Sailing Regatta in the 2012 Games, and as so designed, they did not fail to deliver a final punch of excitement to six days of racing here for 716 sailors from 53 nations.

"In the final medal count, 14 different countries won 39 medals, with eight different countries sharing Gold," said US SAILING's Olympic Sailing Committee Chair Dean Brenner (Wallingford, Conn.) at the final Rolex Prizegiving, held at Coral Reef Yacht Club. He explained that while 10 Olympic classes determined podium positions today, three Paralympic classes completed racing yesterday to determine medalists.

With finishes counting double points today in the fleet racing, Sweden's Rasmus Myrgren finished third in the 104-boat Laser class, the largest here, and added six points to his score line, putting him three points out in front of Argentina's Julio Alsogaray for the Gold. Taking Bronze after Alsogaray's Silver was yesterday's leader Paul Goodison (GBR), the 2008 Laser Olympic Gold Medalist.

"Among us three, plus Nick Thompson (GBR), it was who-beat-whom to take the Gold today," said Myrgren. "When Paul and Julio started messing around with each other on the first downwind leg, it made it possible for me to catch up and by the last downwind leg the three of us were each a half boat length apart in a race to the finish, with two others ahead of us (who were not in contention)." Myrgren's break came when he surfed ahead of Alsogaray on "the last couple of waves" at the finish to take third, leaving Alsogaray to fourth and Goodison to sixth.

It was sweet redemption for Myrgren, who was second behind Goodison going into the medal races at the 2008 Olympics and the only one with a mathematical chance at beating him for Gold. "In that race, Paul made sure to cover me, and we were both two minutes behind the rest of the fleet at the finish, because all he had to do was beat me. I was dead last, and so I fell to sixth overall. It is indicative of the pressures of a medal race on your final score."

In the 58-boat Laser Radial class US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics member and ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla., USA) had a Gold Medal sewn up today as long as she didn't get disqualified. "I didn't push it at all today," said Railey, noting that her throw-out race for her lead-up series was a 59-pointer acquired from a black flag in race two. "I rounded the first mark fourth or fifth and just stayed relaxed, then rounded the next mark in first! The others were battling for the other medals, so I felt almost like I was watching it from the outside." Railey said Sarah Steyaert (FRA) passed her on the last leg to win and take the Silver Medal. "It was down to one boat for her, so she was sailing hard," said Railey. Evi van Acker (BEL), who had topped the scoreboard for several days this week, finished fourth today for eight points and the Bronze Medal, based on a tie-breaker in scoring that had her showing the same overall points as van Acker.

It was a triple-play for Great Britain in the 37-boat Finn class, with Giles Scott winning the Gold Medal; Ben Ainslie taking the Silver; and Andrew Mills the Bronze. Winning over half of his races in the leadup series, Scott said getting good starts gave him a half-boat length jump on the fleet to "enable me to tack off when I wanted." Nevertheless, he had gold to lose today if he had finished even one spot farther back than he did (fifth). That was because Ainslie won the race today, with Mills finishing sixth. Ainslie is a four-time (three-time Gold) Olympic medalist and three-time ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year.

"Today's medal race was pretty tricky," said Scott. "I was trying to go after Andrew and Ben just to kind of ruffle them a bit, and I managed to give Ben a penalty turn (before the start). Unfortunately that penalty turn forced him out to the right, which was favored, and he won the race, which kind of made things a bit difficult for me. But holding on to fifth was what I needed to do, and that's what I did, so I'm massively happy!"

In Men's 470, the battle between two British teams has been intense all week long, but today Nic Asher/Elliot Willis turned in the Gold Medal performance, pushing British teammates Luke Patience/Stuart Bithell (yesterday's leaders) to third overall for the Bronze. Australia's Mathew Belcher/Malcolm Page, 470 class world champions who are ranked #1 in the world, took the Silver slot between them.

By winning today's medal race in the 24-boat Women's 470 class, Argentina's 2008 Olympians Maria Fernanda Sesto/Consuelo Monsegur moved themselves past Camille Lecointre/Mathilde Geron (FRA) to snag the bronze, showing how critical the medal race can be in securing a podium finish. "We had it in mind to win, but if the French had come in second we would not have made the medal. We had to beat them and put one boat between us."

Skipper Fernanda Sesto added, "It was not an easy, this medal race; you need to be mentally fast, focusing not just on what is happening but what will happen."

Yesterdays' leaders Ingrid Petijean/ Nadege Douroux (FRA) took the gold on merit of a fourth-place finish today while Penny Clark/ Katrina Hughes (GBR), in second overall yesterday, maintained that position for the Silver Medal after turning in a second-place finish.

In the 57-boat Star class, Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA), who together won the Star Olympic Silver Medal in 2008, clinched their 10-race series and the Gold Medal here, winning today's race and leaving the battle for the Silver Medal to Sweden, Canada and France. When Sweden's Fredrik Loof/Max Salminen finished third today, they assured themselves the second spot on the podium, knocking Xavier Rohart/Pierre Alexis Ponsot (FRA) out of contention and leaving Richard Clark/Tyler Bjorn (CAN) to collect the Bronze.

Top-three positions from yesterday were maintained in the 29-boat 49er class when GBR's John Pink/ Rick Peacock finished third today to claim the Gold and lead, by a whopping 19 points, fellow teammates Paul Brotherton/Mark Asquith (GBR) in the overall standings. Brotherton and Asquith won today's race, securing the Silver over yet another British team, Dave Evans/Edward Powys, who took home Bronze.

In the 30-strong RS:X Women's (windsurfing) fleet, Spain's Marina Alabau seemed untouchable here. With eight races in her lead-up series, she had six of those counting as victories. Today she finished 7th, which was good enough for Gold and a five-point spread over Silver Medalist Bryony Shaw (GBR) and another six over Bronze medalist Laura Linares (ITA). Alabau has won the last three Rolex Miami OCRs and says the competition this year has been the toughest. "It is closer to the Olympics and the level is higher. Everybody is more prepared."

In RS: X Men's, with 37 boards, Dorian van Rijsselberge (NED) kept his early regatta lead to finish fifth today and take the Gold Medal. Only two points behind him was Nick Dempsey (GBR) for Silver. Julien Bontemps (FRA) surged past Nimrod Mashiah (ISR) on the scoreboard today to take the Bronze. He was second to Mashiah's sixth today and shared the same overall points, but the tiebreaker favored Mashiah.

Match Racing started early this morning, with Claire Leroy/ Elodie Bertrand/Marie Riou (FRA) meeting Anna Tunnicliffe/Molly Vandemoer/Debbie Capozzi (Plantation, Fla., USA/Redwood City, Calif./Bayport, N.Y., USA) in a first-to-three points "knockout" Finals match. Serious sailing went down as Leroy's team took the first two matches and Tunnicliffe came back to win the third. A fourth and final match went to Leroy, giving her the Gold and Tunicliffe the Silver.

"It is what it is," said Tunnicliffe, the three-time (consecutive and current) Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year and a member of the US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics. "If you lose, you want to lose in a good race, and it was a really good race...very entertaining for the spectators, with lots of lead changes. Claire is one of the most experienced match racers on the circuit, and sometimes I beat her and sometimes she beats me; it was going to be who was on their game today."

Leroy is the 2008 ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship and is ranked second to Tunnicliffe's fourth on the women's world match racing circuit. They both are ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year.

In the Petit Finals for Bronze (a first-to-two points knockout match), US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics member Sally Barkow/Alana O'Reilly/Elizabeth Kratzig-Burnham (Nashotah, WI.,/Charleston SC, Miami Beach FL, USA) posted a win-loss score of 2-1 to win over Lucy Macgregor/Mary Rook/ Kate Macgregor (GBR).

Golden Torch Award
US SAILING's Golden Torch Trophy, awarded to the U.S. sailor with the best overall performance at US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR, this year went to Laser Radial Gold Medalist Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.). The torch, from the 1980 Moscow Olympics, was presented by the Russian Olympic Committee to Andrew Kostanecki – United States Olympic Sailing Committee from 1985 to 1988. Mr. Kostanecki gave the torch to US SAILING as an award for aspiring Olympians and Paralympians. Railey also received the award last year.

US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR 2012 started Monday and has returned to Biscayne Bay annually since 1990. The event is the second of seven stops on the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Sailing World Cup circuit. The USA had the largest contingent of sailors with 198, followed by Canada (97), Great Britain (39), then Italy (36).

US SAILING has partnered with the city of Miami to provide world-class venues for competition. Additional hosts for the event include Coral Reef Yacht Club, Key Biscayne Yacht Club, Coconut Grove Sailing Club, Miami Rowing Club and Shake-a-Leg Miami. These sailing organizations host classes onshore, as well as help run the on-the-water racing. The Coral Reef Yacht Club also hosts the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

In addition to title sponsor Rolex Watch U.S.A., US SAILING's 2011 Rolex Miami OCR is also sponsored by AlphaGraphics, Gowrie Group, Chubb Insurance, Sperry Top-Sider, Harken McLube, Trinity Yachts, University of Miami Hospital and Kattack.

A complete roster of competitors can be viewed at the event website, RMOCR.ussailing.org, where real-time racecourse blogging, commentary and fan interaction, regatta results, photos and news updates will be integrated into a live coverage platform once racing begins. Video highlights produced by Gary Jobson and presented by Rolex air daily and are available on-demand on the event website. Fans can also follow the event on Facebook/RolexMiamOCR and Twitter/ RolexMiamOCR.

For full results, go to http://rmocr.ussailing.org/2011/Results.htm

(end)
(top-three results follow)

US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR 2011
Final Results

470 WOMEN (9 RACES)
1. Ingrid Petijean/ Nadege Douroux (FRA) 1-2-3-4-12-5-1-[18]-8- (36)
2. Penny Clark/ Katrina Hughes (GBR) 4-4-2-6-1-[25/BFD]-6-10-4 (37)
3. Maria Fernanda Sesto/ Consuelo Monsegur (ARG) 6-3-7-1-[16]-12-3-7-2-(41)

470 MEN (10 RACES)
1. Nic Asher/Elliot Willis (GBR) 1-3-5-2-6-10-10-[32]-2-6 (45)
2. Matthew Belcher/Malcolm Page (AUS) 2-8-10-3-3-[12]-2-3-10-10 (51)
3. Luke Patience/Stuart Bithell (GBR) 3/RDG-2-2-5-1-8-1-[17]-9-20 (51)

LASER (11 RACES)
1. Rasmus Myrgren (SWE) 7-3-1-1-1-3-4-12-[21]-6 (38)
2. Julio Alsogaray (ARG) 5-1-3-5-2-[12]-1-5-11-8 (41)
3. Paul Goodison (GBR) 1-2-8-1-[53/DSQ]-1-2-1-15-12 (43)

LASER RADIAL (11 RACES)
1. Paige Railey (USA) 1-[59/BFD]-4-6-2-5-1-4-2-4-4 (33)
2. Sarah Steyaert (FRA) 10-6-6-4-1-3-[15]-7-14-3-2 (56)
3. Evi Van Acker (BEL) 2/RDG-2-1-1-7-16-3-[19]-15-1-8 (56)

FINN (10 RACES)
1. Giles Scott (GBR) 1-1-1-1-[38/OCS]-7-4-1-3-10 (29)
2. Ben Ainslie (GBR) 5-2-5-2-8-[38/RAF]-1-3-2-2 (30)
3. Andrew Mills (GBR) 7-6-2-3-[16]-4-2-2-1-6 (33)

Star (11 Races)
1. Robert Scheidt/Bruno Robert (BRA) 1-2-9-1-9-7-[11]-11-1-5-2 (48)
2. Fredrik Loof (SWE) 5-3-7-3-15-6-[47]-36-3-13-6-6 (97)
3. Richard Clarke (CAN)6-6-6-9-6-16-5-7-18-[38]-20 (99)

RS: X WOMEN 9 RACES
1. Marina Alabau (ESP) [1]-1-1-1-1-1-[8]-6-14 (26)
2. Bryony Shaw (GBR) [7]-2-2-2-2-6-4-5-8 (31)
3. Laura Linares (ITA) 5-5-6-[7]-5-5-2-7-2 (37)

RS: X MEN (9 RACES)
1. Dorian van Rijsselberge (NED) 1-4-1-1-2-4-[7]-10 (24)
2. Nick Dempsey (GBR) 2-2-4-4-3-1-2-[5]-8 (26)
3. Julien Bontemps (FRA) 5-[9]-6-6-8-2-1-4-4 (36)

49ER (15 RACES)
1. John Pink/ Rick Peacock (GBR) 4-1-5-1-1-1-4-[6]-1-1-2-1-4-4-3-6 (39)
2. Paul Brotherton/Mark Asquith (GBR) 1-3-2-5-2-10-2-10-5-3-5-3-2-3-[30/DNS]-2 (58)
3. Dave Evans/Edward Powys (GBR) 2-6-1-3-3-2-5-1-2-2-6-10-[30/OCS]-11-10-10 (74)

Elliott 6m (Women's Match Racing)
1. Claire Leroy/Elodie Bertrand/Marie Riou (FRA)
2. Anna Tunnicliffe/Molly Vandemoer/Debbie Capozzi (Plantation, Fla., USA/Redwood City, Calif., USA/(Bayport, N.Y., USA)
3. Sally Barkow/ Alana O'Reilly/Elizabeth Kratzig-Burnham (Nashotah, WI./Charleston SC/Miami Beach FL, USA)

SKUD-18 (6 RACES)
1. Daniel Fitzgibbon/ Liesl Tesch (AUS) 1-1-4-1-[8/OCS]-1-1-1-2 (12)
2. Scott Whitman/ Julia Dorsett (USA) [8/DNF]-2-2-3-3-2-3-2-1 (18)
3. Alexandra Rickham/Niki Birrell (GBR) 2-4-3-[5]-1-4-2-3-3 (22)

2.4Mr (6 RACES)
1. Damien Seguin (FRA) 2-[5]-1-1-5-4-1-2-2 (18)
2. Thierry Schmitter (NED) 1-1-4-4-[9]-6-4-1-1 (22)
3. Allan Leibel (CAN) 3-2-2-2-[7]-5-6-4-5 (29)

SONAR ( 7 RACES)
1. John Roberston/ Hannah Stodel/ Steve Thomas (GBR) 3-2-1-7-2-5-[13/DSQ]-5-2-3 (30)
2. Bruno Jourdren/Eric Flageul/Nicolas Vimont Vicary (FRA) 8-7-2-[13]-3-4-2-1-7-2 (36)
3. Udo Hessels/ Mischa Rossen/Marcel van de Veen (NED) 2-1-4-[13]-6-3-5-2-1-13 (37)

Published in Olympics 2012
Annalise Murphy goes in to today's final round of Miami Olympic Classes Regatta in Florida as a medal contender in the Laser Radial class after a string of top results gave her fourth overall last night.

The strong Dun Laoghaire girl relished the prospects of the big winds that blew at times on Biscayne Bay this week. Consistent results of 5, 15, 2, 2, 5, 6 11,9, (21) and 5 never saw her out of the top five.

Tuesday saw her bag two second places in a fleet of 58.  It was a turning point in a regatta that she crashed out of last year only to return wth grit to be Ireland's only medal hope today.

Last night's move up to fourth overall on the scoreboard is another confidence boost, heightening the prospect of a place on this evening's podium. Conditions in Miami today are forcast to be light, probably not the conditions the National Yacht club girl would have hoped for.

In the Star Peter O'Leary and his crew for his London 2012 bid David Burrows finished with a strong fifth place yesterday but it was not enough to make today's final. They finished 13th overall after counting a black flag disqualification on day two of the event. See all results HERE.

Rival to Annalise, Tiffany Brien from Belfast Lough finished 21st overall.

Her club mate Jame Espey was 49th out of 52 after 7 races in the Laser gold fleet.

More from Miami organisers below:

Waking to a brisk northwesterly breeze, sailors at US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR yesterday made up for races lost to light air Wednesday. The conditions, though chilly by Florida standards, played out perfectly for medals to be determined in three Paralympic classes, while 10 Olympic classes fought their final battles for the right to compete in tomorrow’s medal races, which are comprised of top-ten “sail-offs” for Finn, 49er, Men’s 470, Women’s 470, Laser, Laser Radial, Men’s RS:X, Women’s RS:X and Star classes, and Finals and Petit Finals for Elliott 6m (women’s match racing).  The regatta, which began Monday for 716 sailors from 53 nations, prepares Olympic and Paralympic sailing aspirants for the 2012 Games and is the second of seven stops on the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Sailing World Cup circuit.

For France’s Damien Seguin, a two-time 2.4mR IFDS World Champion who is currently ranked  #1 in the world, winning gold in the Paralympic 2.4mR class was looking good from day two when he assumed the lead over his 30-boat fleet.  Clinching today, however, was not as straightforward as today’s scores seemed to reflect.  Following seven boat lengths behind leader USA’s John Ruf (Pewaukee, Wis.) at the finish in race one, Seguin was determined the actual winner when Ruf was disqualified for starting the race prematurely and neglecting to exonerate himself.  “After that, for my next two races, my score was such that I needed only to loosely cover Thierry Schmitter (NED),” said Seguin, further explaining that only if he finished worse than sixth would he foil his own plot. Schmitter, another IFDS World Champion, took the Silver Medal, finishing fourth in the first race and winning the next two, each time with Seguin behind in second.  

“There were many different winds here,” said Damien about the practice this provides for his run for a spot on the French national team.  “We started in strong wind, then there was light wind and today medium-strong.  I am very happy for that and for the competition.”

Taking bronze was Canada’s Allan Leibel, who is able-bodied and allowed to compete here, since the class is declared “open” for this event.

The Gold Medal taking in the Paralympic Sonar class by GBR’s John Robertson/Hannah Stodel/Steve Thomas came with an intriguing twist today. With two races completed, the Dutch team of Udo Hessels/Mischa Rossen/Marcel van de Veen were in the lead, and surprisingly, they did not sail the third and final race. 

“There were two points between us and the Dutch, so no one will ever know how it would have played out on the water,” said Robertson, explaining that he understands Hessel’s middle crew Rossen, a single-arm amputee, had been having problems with his opposite shoulder and the team had decided beforehand to race no more than two races today.

Robertson’s team, which took the Silver here last year, posted a final score of 30 to the 36 points posted by silver medalists Bruon Jourdren/Eric Flageul/Nicolas Vimont Vicary (FRA). The Dutch team, with 37 points, is going home with the Bronze.

As for his team’s overall strategy here, Robertson said, “We tried to sail our own race and not get hung up with the other guys. Hanna did a fantastic job calling tactics, especially today, as the wind was up and down and all over the place, with 40-50 degree shifts.”

The Australian Paralympic SKUD 18 team of Daniel Fitzgibbon/Liesl Tesch has led their fleet since day one and boasted six victories in their nine-race score line to take the Gold medal.  Today they finished 1-1-2.

“We didn’t walk away with it, really, but we were comfortably ahead,” said Fitzgibbon, who won a Paralympic Silver Medal (with a different crew) in Qingdao. "We didn’t expect to have done so well with such a new combination,” he added, noting that he and Tesch, who gave up Paralympic basketball (she is a two-time medalist) for her new-found love of sailing, have only been together on the SKUD 18 for a few weeks. “It’s a new challenge for her and a breath of fresh air for everybody.”
Taking Silver was US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics’ Scott Whitman/Julia Dorsett (USA), with Alexandra Rickham/Niki Birrell (GBR) taking the Bronze.

Medal Races Tomorrow
Top-ten finishers from today in each of nine Olympic classes will get only one chance--a 30- to 40-minute race—to make or break their claim to a podium position.  Emulating the Olympic format, the medal race counts double points and cannot be counted as the one allowed discard race when it is added to a sailor’s score line from the rest of the series.

In women’s match racing, US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics members Anna Tunnicliffe(/Molly Vandemoer/Debbie Capozzi (Plantation, Fla., USA/Redwood City, Calif./Bayport, N.Y., USA) will meet Claire Leroy/ Elodie Bertrand/Marie Riou (FRA) in a first-to-three points Finals match tomorrow to determine Gold and Silver medalists.  Lucy Macgregor/Mary Rook/ Kate Macgregor (GBR) and Sally Barkow (Nashotah, WI., USA)/ Alana O’Reilly (Charleston SC, USA)/ Elizabeth Kratzig-Burnham (Miami Beach FL, USA) will be fighting for bronze in the Petit Finals.

Match racing starts on its own course at 9:30 tomorrow, with fleet racing starting at 11:00 am on two additional courses.  Fleet races are planned to be approximately 30 minutes in length and started 40 minutes apart. No racing will start after 1:40 p.m., so it will be an early day. 

US SAILING has partnered with the city of Miami to provide world-class venues for competition. Additional hosts for the event include Coral Reef Yacht Club, Key Biscayne Yacht Club, Coconut Grove Sailing Club, Miami Rowing Club and Shake-a-Leg Miami. These sailing organizations host classes onshore, as well as help run the on-the-water racing. The Coral Reef Yacht Club also hosts the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

In addition to title sponsor Rolex Watch U.S.A., US SAILING’s 2011 Rolex Miami OCR is also sponsored by AlphaGraphics, Gowrie Group, Chubb Insurance, Sperry Top-Sider, Harken McLube, Trinity Yachts, University of Miami Hospital and Kattack.

A complete roster of competitors can be viewed at the event website, RMOCR.ussailing.org, where real-time racecourse blogging, commentary and fan interaction, regatta results, photos and news updates will be integrated into a live coverage platform once racing begins. Video highlights produced by Gary Jobson and presented by Rolex air daily and are available on-demand on the event website. Fans can also follow the event on Facebook/RolexMiamiOCR and Twitter/RolexMiamiOCR.

More in our Olympics 2012 category HERE

Published in Olympics 2012
Two more races in the Star keelboat at Miami Olympic classes regatta today has not brought any improvement for Peter O'Leary and David Burrows in the Star keelboat. The Cork -Dublin pair stay in the top third though, dropping one place to 16th in the 57-boat fleet after a day spent waiting for wind.
Published in Olympics 2012
26th January 2011

Murphy Stays in Top Five

Annalise Murphy stays in the top five of the Laser Radial fleet after another solid performance at the Miami Olympic Classes Regatta in Florida today. The Dun Laoghaire sailor has slipped one place overall from third to fourth but she will be more than happy to count a fifth from today's race sailed in 15 knots that lightened up towards the finish. 

Murphy's rival for London selection 2012, Tiffany Brien from Belfast Lough, lies 26th. The Laser Radial results are HERE.

Annalise training in Fremantle

Meanwhile the Star duo of Peter O'Leary and David Burrows recovered after a DSQ on Tuesday and are back to 15th overall, some 20 points adrift of the top ten in the 56-boat fleet. Star results HERE.

Things started out slowl at US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR when all but one class was postponed ashore due to light wind that followed morning showers, but the entire fleet of 716 Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls from 53 nations were back in action on Biscayne Bay by afternoon, with sunshine and fresh breezes to improve their day. This is the second stop on the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Sailing World Cup circuit and is considered a major stepping stone on a sailor's path to securing a berth at the Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Regattas scheduled for Weymouth, England in 2012.

starsstart

Ireland's O'Leary and Burrows start mid line in race two. Photo: Daniel Forster

After two days of maintaining a lead in the 41-boat Men's 470 class, Nic Asher/Elliot Willis (GBR) were edged out today (day three) by fellow national teammates Luke Patience/Stuart Bithell for the top spot on the scoreboard. Patience/Bithell won today's single race while Asher/Willis took a sixth, using it as a discard race. (After six races, teams are allowed to drop their worst score.) They are now three points behind the new leaders.

"It was a tricky day," said Asher, who with Willis has won the Men's 470 Worlds twice. The wind was off the land so it was shifty and gusty, lots of places changed, but our sixth was solid. Tomorrow it's all to play for."

Patience said his team's victory today came after a disappointing start. "We didn't pop out in front until about two-thirds up the second windward leg; that's pretty late in the race, but as it developed, the lanes opened up. There was not much pattern to the wind, which went from 10 knots up to 15 knots, so it was an active kind of sailing-- a lot of dividing our time between looking around and driving."

Leaders from day one in the 24-boat Women's 470 class, Ingrid Petijean/ Nadege Douroux (FRA), had a "disappointing" race—a 12th—but still hang on for a one-point lead over Penny Clark (GBR), who won today's race to move to second

"Before the start, you could see the dark clouds approaching," said US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics 470 coach Mark Ivey (San Francisco, Calif.), and the teams were scrambling to adjust their rig settings for high wind, but as the race went on, the squall line passed, more toward the Star course (farther out), and it lightened into a leftover westerly breeze."

The 470s are in for a long day tomorrow, as it is anticipated they will sail three races to catch up with their two-races-a-day schedule before the final medal races (for top-ten in each of the ten Olympic classes) conclude the regatta on Sunday.

With two races today in the 56-boat Star class, Robert Scheidt/Bruno Prada (BRA) still shine. They finished 9-7 while Fredrik Loof/Max Salminen (SWE) posted a 15-5. Only two points separate them from the leaders and the third-place finishers Xavier Rohart and Pierre Alexis Ponsot (FRA).

Yet another GBR team leads the 49ers, and they have done so since yesterday in the 29-boat fleet. John Pink/ Rick Peacock finished 4-6-1 today and used the sixth as a permitted discard in their final score, which is 18 points to the 19 carried by Dave Evans/Edward Powys, also from the UK.

The 49er, a skiff that flies across the water with its skipper and crew hanging out over the water on "trapezes," is considered the Ferrari of sailboat racing and can reach blazing speeds. The class started in 1995 and parachuted into the Olympic Games in 2000. The fleet has grown substantially over the last decade, attracting sailors from other classes who seek fast and exhilarating racing. Their races are only 30 minutes long, so they can squeeze in up to four races a day in perfect conditions

"It's going well – we've had some great races really and a mixed bag with conditions," said Pink, noting a total of five victories in his team's nine-race score line. "Yesterday was very boat speed oriented and we managed to crack that quite well and today was a lot more shifty so it was more about minimizing risk. The results could have been a lot worse today, so we battled through and we've been enjoying it." Pink and Peacock won a silver medal here at the 2009 Rolex Miami OCR.

"You get a little confidence boost," said Pink about being lucky enough to do well here among so many of the world's leading sailors, "and aside from that it's just a nice place to be with good weather and good training conditions."

For fleet racing in the Olympic classes, the regatta consists of a five-day opening series (Monday – Friday) and a double-point medal race (Saturday). The top 10 finishers in the opening series of each class will advance to the medal race. For match racing (Elliot 6m), which makes its debut in the 2012 Olympic Games, the regatta consists of an opening series, a knockout series, and a sail-off for boats not advancing to the knockout series. Competitors in the Paralympic classes will have five days of fleet racing (Monday-Friday) and no medal race. Medals will be awarded to the top three boats in each Olympic and Paralympic class on Saturday, January 29.

US SAILING has partnered with the city of Miami to provide world-class venues for competition. Additional hosts for the event include Coral Reef Yacht Club, Key Biscayne Yacht Club, Coconut Grove Sailing Club, Miami Rowing Club and Shake-a-Leg Miami. These sailing organizations host classes onshore, as well as help run the on-the-water racing. The Coral Reef Yacht Club also hosts the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

In addition to title sponsor Rolex Watch U.S.A., US SAILING's 2011 Rolex Miami OCR is also sponsored by AlphaGraphics, Gowrie Group, Chubb Insurance, Sperry Top-Sider, Harken McLube, Trinity Yachts, University of Miami Hospital and Kattack.

A complete roster of competitors can be viewed at the event website, RMOCR.ussailing.org, where real-time racecourse blogging, commentary and fan interaction, regatta results, photos and news updates will be integrated into a live coverage platform once racing begins. Video highlights produced by Gary Jobson and presented by Rolex air daily and are available on-demand on the event website. Fans can also follow the event on Facebook/RMOCR and Twitter/RMOCR.

US SAILING's 2011 Rolex Miami OCR
Top-three Finishes
Day 3

49er (29 boats) – 9 races
1. John Pink/ Rick Peacock (GBR) 4- 1- 5-1-1-1-4-[6]-1 (18)
2. Dave Evans/Edward Powys (GBR) 2- [6]-1-3-3-2-5-1-2 (19)
3. Paul Brotherton/Mark Asquith (GBR) 1-3-2-5-2-[10]-2-10-5 (30)

Laser Radial (58 boats) – 6 races
1. Marit Bouwmeester (NED) [4]-1-3-3-4-1 (12)
2. Evi Van Acker (BEL) 2-2-1-1-7-[16] (13)
3. Paige Railey (USA) 1-[59/BFD]-4-6-2-5 (18)

Laser (104 boats)-6 races
1. Rasmus Myrgren (SWE) [7]-3-1-1-1-3 (9)
2. Paul Goodison (GBR) 1-2-8-1-[53/DSQ]-1(13)
3. Nick Thompson (GBR) [7]-4-1-2-2-5 (14)

Finn (37 boats) – 5 races
1. Giles Scott (GBR) 1-1-1-1-[38/OCS] (4)
2. Brendan Casey (AUS) 3-4-3-[7]-1 (11)
3. Zach Railey (USA) 2-3-4-[6]-4 (13)

470 Men (42 boats) – 5 races
1. Luke Patience/Stuart Bithell (GBR) 3-2-2-[5]-1(8)
2. Nic Asher/Elliot Willis (GBR) 1-3-5-2-[6] (11)
3. Mathew Belcher/ Malcolm Page (AUS) 2-8-[10]-3-3(16)

470 Women (24 boats) – 5 races
1. Ingrid Petijean/ Nadege Douroux (FRA) 1-2 3-4-[12] (10)
2. Penny Clark/ Katrina Hughes (GBR) 4-4-2-[6]-1 (11)
3. Camille Lecointre/Mathilde Geron (FRA) 3-1-1-8-[25/BFD] (13)

Skud-18 (7 boats) – 5 races
1. Daniel Fitzgibbon/Liesl Tesch (AUS) 1-1-4-1-[8/OCS] (7)
2. Jennifer French/ Jean-Paul Creignou (USA) [3]-3-1-2-2 (8)
3. Alexandra Rickham/Niki Birrell (GBR) 2-4-3-[5]-1 (10)

Star (57 boats) – 6 races
1. Robert Scheidt/Bruno Prada (BRA) 1-2-[9]-1-9-7 (20)
2. Fredrik Loof/Max Salminen (SWE) 5-3-7-3-[15]-6 (24)
3. Xavier Rohart/Pierre Alexis Ponsot (FRA) [7]-7-1-6-7-5 (26)

RS: X Men (37 boats) – 6 races
1. Dorian van Rijsselberge (NED) 1-[4]-1-1-2-4 (9)
2. Nick Dempsey (GBR) 2-2-[4]-4-3-1 (12)
3. Nimrod Mashiah (ISR) 7-3-2-2-1-[11] (15)

RS: X Women (30 boats) – 6 races
1. Marina Alabau (ESP) [1]-1-1-1-1-1 (5)
2. Bryony Shaw (GBR) [7]-2-2-2-2-6 (14)
3. Charline Picon (FRA) 2-6-3-5-[9]-2 (18)

2.4mR (30 boats) – 4 races (No Races Sailed Today)
1. Damien Seguin (FRA) 2-5-1-1 (9)
2. Allan Leibel (CAN) 3-2-2-2 (9)
3. Thierry Schmitter (NED) 1-1-4-4 (10)

Sonar (12 boats) – 5 races
1. John Roberston/ Hannah Stodel/ Steve Thomas (GBR) 3-2-1-[7]-2 (8)
2. Albert Foster/David Burdette/Mike Hersey (USA) 1-[12]-5-1-5 (12)
3. Udo Hessels/ Mischa Rossen/Marcel van de Veen (NED) 2-1-4-[13/DNS]-6 (13)

Elliott 6m -- Gold Round Robin Results

Lucy Macgregor/Mary Rook/ Kate Macgregor (GBR); 2-1
Claire Leroy/ Elodie Bertrand/Marie Riou (FRA); 2-1
Anna Tunnicliffe(/Molly Vandemoer/Debbie Capozzi (Plantation, Fla., USA/Redwood City, Calif., USA/(Bayport, N.Y., USA);2-1
Ekaterina Skudina/Elena Syuzeva/Irina Lotsmanova (RUS); 2-1
Silja Lehtinen/Silja Kanerva/Mikaela Wulff (FIN); 1-2
Nicky Souter/Jessica Eastwell/Olivia Price (AUS); 0-3

Repechage Round Robin Results
Stephanie Hazard/ Susannah Pyatt/ Jenna Hansen (NZL); 3-0
Julie Bossard/Pauline Chalaux/ Nolwenn Combeaux (FRA); 2-1
Sally Barkow (Nashotah, WI., USA)/ Alana O'Reilly (Charleston SC, USA)/ Elizabeth Kratzig-Burnham (Miami Beach FL, USA); 2-1
Renee Groeneveld/Mandy Mulder/Merel Witteveen(NED);1-2
Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen/Christina Refn/Susanne Boidin (DEN); 1-2
Rita Goncalves/Mariana Lobato/Diana Neves (POR); 0-3

Silver Round Robin Results- No Races Sailed
Silke Hahlbrock/ Kerstin Schult / Maren Hahlbrock (GER)
Genny Tulloch/Alice Leanoard/Jennifer Chamberlin (Sausalito, CA.,USA/East Haven, CT., USA/Washington, DC., USA)
Anne-Claire Le Berre/ Alice Ponsar/ Myrtille Ponge (FRA)
Anna Kjellberg/ Malin Kallstrom/ Lotta Harrysson (SWE);
Renata Decnop/Fernanda Decnop/Tatiana Ribeiro (BRA);
Katie Spithill/Nina Curtis/Angela Farrell (AUS);

Bronze Round Robin Results
Vesna Dekleva Paoli/ Katarina Kersevan/ Lena Koter (SLO); 2-0
Annemiek Bekkering/ Brechtje van der Werf/ Annemiek Bes(NED); 1-1
Rebecca Dellenbaugh (Easton CT, USA)/ Maggie Shea (Wilmette, IL USA)/ Janel Zarkowsky (Annapolis, MD USA); 1-1
Jinny Gordon/Crystle Numan/ Laurel Gordon-Taylor (CAN); 0-2
Juliana Senfft/Gabriela Sa/Daniela Adler (BRA); 1-1
Katie Abbott/ Joanne Prokop/ Caroline Kaars Sijpesteijn (CAN); 1-1

 

Published in Olympics 2012
Tagged under
Page 3 of 4

General Information on using Waterways Ireland inland navigations

Safety on the Water

All users of the navigations are strongly recommended to make themselves aware of safety on the water for whatever activity they are involved in and to read the advice offered by the various governing bodies and by:

The Dept. of Transport, Ireland: www.gov.ie/transport and The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, UK, The RNLI – Water Safety Ireland for information in terms of drowning prevention and water safety.

Registration of Vessels

All vessels using the Shannon Navigation, which includes the Shannon-Erne Waterways and the Erne System must be registered with Waterways Ireland. Only open undecked boats with an engine of 15 horsepower or less on the Shannon Navigation, and vessels of 10 horsepower or less on the Erne System, are exempt. Registration is free of charge.

Craft registration should be completed online at: https://www.waterwaysireland.org/online-services/craft-registration

Permits for use of the Grand and Royal Canals and the Barrow Navigation

All vessels using the Grand and Royal Canals and the Barrow Navigation must display appropriate valid Permit(s) i.e A Combined Mooring and Passage Permit (€126) and if not intending to move every five days, an Extended Mooring Permit (€152).

Permit applications should be completed online at: https://www.waterwaysireland.org/online-services/canal-permits

Passage on the Royal and Grand Canals – Dublin Area

For boat passage through the locks east of Lock 12 into / out of Dublin on either the Royal or Grand Canals, Masters are requested to contact the Waterways Ireland Eastern Regional Office (M-F 9.30am-4.30pm) on tel: +353(0)1 868 0148 or email [email protected] prior to making passage in order to plan the necessary lock-keeping assistance arrangements.

On the Grand Canal a minimum of two days notice prior to the planned passage should be given, masters should note that with the exception of pre-arranged events, a maximum of 2 boats per day will be taken through the locks, travelling either east or west.

Movements in or out of the city will be organised by prior arrangement to take place as a single movement in one day. Boaters will be facilitated to travel the system if their passage is considered to be safe by Waterways Ireland and they have the valid permit(s) for mooring and passage.

Newcomen Lifting Bridge

On the Royal Canal two weeks’ notice of bridge passage (Newcomen Lifting Bridge) is required for the pre-set lift date, and lock assistance will then also be arranged. A minimum of 2 boats is required for a bridge lift to go ahead.

Waterways Ireland Eastern Regional Office (Tel: +353(0)1 868 0148 or [email protected] ) is the point of contact for the bridge lift.

A maximum number of boats passing will be implemented to keep to the times given above for the planned lifts (16 for the Sat / Sun lifts & 8 for the weekday lifts). Priority will be given on a first come first served basis.

On day of lift, boaters and passengers must follow guidance from Waterways Ireland staff about sequence of passage under bridge & through Lock 1, and must remain within signed and designated areas.

Events Held on the Waterways

All organised events taking place on the waterways must have the prior approval of Waterways Ireland. This is a twelve week process and application forms must be accompanied with the appropriate insurance, signed indemnity and risk assessment. The application should be completed on the Waterways Ireland events page at :

https://www.waterwaysireland.org/online-services/event-approval

Time Limits on Mooring in Public Harbours

On the Shannon Navigation and the Shannon-Erne Waterway craft may berth in public harbours for five consecutive days or a total of seven days in any one month.

On the Erne System, revised Bye Laws state that: No master or owner shall permit a vessel, boat or any floating or sunken object to remain moored at or in the vicinity of any public mooring, including mooring at any other public mooring within 3 kilometres of that location, for more than 3 consecutive days and shall not moor at that same mooring or any other public mooring within 3 kilometres of that location within the following 3 consecutive days without prior permission by an authorised official.

Winter Mooring on the Shannon Navigation and Shannon Erne Waterway

Winter mooring may be availed of by owners during the period 1 Nov to 31 Mar by prior arrangement and payment of a charge of €63.50 per craft. Craft not availing of Winter Mooring must continue to comply with the “5 Day Rule”. Winter Mooring applications should be completed online at : https://www.waterwaysireland.org/online-services/winter-moorings-booking

Owners should be aware that electricity supply and water supply to public moorings is disconnected for the winter months. This is to protect against frost damage, to reduce running costs and to minimise maintenance requirements during the winter months.

Vessel owners are advised that advance purchasing of electricity on the power bollards leading up to the disconnection date should be minimal. Electricity credit existing on the bollards will not be recoverable after the winter decommissioning date. Both services will be reinstated prior to the commencement of the next boating season.

Smart Cards

Waterways Ireland smart cards are used to operate locks on the Shannon Erne Waterway, to access the service blocks, to use the pump-outs along the navigations, to avail of electrical power at Waterways Ireland jetties.

Berthing in Public Harbours

Masters are reminded of the following:

  • Equip their vessel with mooring lines of appropriate length and strength and only secure their craft to mooring bollards and cleats provided for this purpose.
  • Ensure the available berth is suitable to the length of your vessel, do not overhang the mooring especially on finger moorings on floating pontoon moorings.
  • Ensure mooring lines, electric cables and fresh water hoses do not create a trip hazard on public jetties for others users.
  • Carry sufficient fenders to prevent damage to your own vessel, other vessels and WI property.
  • Allow sufficient space between your vessel and the vessel ahead /astern (c.1m) for fire safety purposes and /or to recover somebody from the water.
  • Do not berth more than two vessels side by side and ensure there is safe access/egress at all times between vessels and onto the harbour itself.
  • Do not berth in such a way to prevent use of harbour safety ladders, slipways or pump-outs.
  • Do not allow the bow of your vessel to overhang the walkway of a floating mooring thus creating a hazard for others with an overhanging anchor or bow fendering.
  • Animals are not allowed to be loose or stray at any time.
  • Harbour and jetty infrastructure such as railings, power pedestals, fresh water taps, electric light poles, safety bollards, ladders etc are not designed for the purpose of mooring craft , they will not bear the strain of a vessel and will be damaged.
  • At Carrybridge on the Erne System, Masters of vessels are not permitted to use stern on mooring. Masters of vessels must use the mooring fingers for mooring of vessels and for embarkation / disembarkation from vessels.

Passenger Vessel Berths

Masters of vessels should not berth on passenger vessel berths where it is indicated that an arrival is imminent. Passenger vessels plying the navigations generally only occupy the berths to embark and disembark passengers and rarely remain on the berths for extended periods or overnight.

Lock Lead-in Jetties

Lead-in jetties adjacent to the upstream and downstream gates at lock chambers are solely for the purpose of craft waiting to use the lock and should not be used for long term berthing.

Vessel Wake

Vessel wake, that is, the wave generated by the passage of the boat through the water, can sometimes be large, powerful and destructive depending on the hull shape and engine power of the vessel. This wake can be detrimental to other users of the navigation when it strikes their craft or inundates the shoreline or riverbank. Masters are requested to frequently look behind and check the effect of their wake / wash particularly when passing moored vessels, on entering harbours and approaching jetties and to be aware of people pursuing other activities such as fishing on the riverbank.

Speed Restriction

A vessel or boat shall not be navigated on the Shannon Navigation at a speed in excess of 5 kph when within 200 metres of a bridge, quay, jetty or wharf, when in a harbour or canal or when passing within 100 metres of a moored vessel or boat.

Vessels navigating the Shannon-Erne Waterway should observe the general 5 kph speed limit which applies along the waterway. This is necessary in order to prevent damage to the banks caused by excessive wash from vessels.

Vessels navigating the Erne System should observe the statutory 5kt / 6mph / 10kph speed limit areas.

A craft on the Royal and Grand canals shall not be navigated at a speed in excess of 6km per hour.

A craft on the Barrow Navigation shall not be navigated at a speed in excess of 11km per hour except as necessary for safe navigation in conditions of fast flow.

Bank Erosion

Narrow sections of all the navigations are particularly prone to bank erosion due to the large wash generated by some craft. Masters are requested to be vigilant and to slow down to a speed sufficient to maintain steerage when they observe the wash of their craft inundating the river banks.

Unusual Waterborne Activity

Unusual waterborne vessels may be encountered from time to time, such as, hovercraft or amphibious aircraft / seaplanes. Masters of such craft are reminded to apply the normal “Rule of the Road” when they meet conventional craft on the water and to allow extra room to manoeuvre in the interest of safety.

Sailing Activity

Mariners will encounter large numbers of sailing dinghies from late June to August in the vicinity of Lough Derg, Lough Ree and Lower Lough Erne. Sailing courses are marked by yellow buoys to suit weather conditions on the day. Vessels should proceed at slow speed and with due caution and observe the rules of navigation when passing these fleets, as many of the participants are junior sailors under training.

Rowing

Mariners should expect to meet canoes and vessels under oars on any part of the navigations, but more so in the vicinity of Athlone, Carrick-on-Shannon, Coleraine, Enniskillen and Limerick. Masters are reminded to proceed at slow speed and especially to reduce their wash to a minimum when passing these craft as they can be easily upset and swamped due to their very low freeboard and always be prepared to give way in any given traffic situation.

Canoeing

Canoeing is an adventure sport and participants are strongly recommended to seek the advice of the sport’s governing bodies i.e Canoeing Ireland and the Canoe Association of Northern Ireland, before venturing onto the navigations.

Persons in charge of canoes are reminded of the inherent danger to these craft associated with operating close to weirs, sluice gates, locks and other infrastructure particularly when rivers are in flood and large volumes of water are moving through the navigations due to general flood conditions or very heavy localised precipitation e.g. turbulent and broken water, stopper waves. Shooting weirs is prohibited without prior permission of Waterways Ireland.

Canoeists should check with lockkeepers prior entering a lock to ensure passage is done in a safe manner. Portage is required at all unmanned locks.

Canoe Trail Network – "Blueways"

Masters of powered craft are reminded that a canoe trail network is being developed across all navigations and to expect more organised canoeing along these trails necessitating slow speed and minimum wash when encountering canoeists, rowing boats etc

Rockingham and Drummans Island Canals – Lough Key

It is expected that work on Rockingham and Drummans Island Canals on Lough Key will be completed in 2021. Access to these canals will be for non-powered craft only, eg canoes, kayaks, rowing boats.

Fast Powerboats and Personal Watercraft (Jet Skis)

Masters of Fast Powerboats (speed greater than 17kts) and Personal Watercraft (i.e.Jet Skis) are reminded of the inherent dangers associated with high speed on the water and especially in the confines of small bays and narrow sections of the navigations. Keeping a proper look-out, making early alterations to course and /or reducing speed will avoid conflict with slower vessels using the navigation. Personal Watercraft are not permitted to be used on the canals.

Towing Waterskiers, Wakeboarders, Doughnuts etc

Masters of vessels engaged in any of these activities are reminded of the manoeuvring constraints imposed upon their vessel by the tow and of the added responsibilities that they have to the person(s) being towed. These activities should be conducted in areas which are clear of conflicting traffic. It is highly recommended that a person additional to the master be carried to act as a “look-out” to keep the tow under observation at all times.

Prohibition on Swimming

Swimming in the navigable channel, particularly at bridges, is dangerous and is prohibited due to the risk of being run over by a vessel underway in the navigation.

Age Restrictions on operating of powered craft

In the Republic of Ireland, Statutory Instrument 921 of 2005 provides the legal requirements regarding the minimum age for operating of powered craft. The Statutory Instrument contains the following requirements:

- The master or owner of a personal watercraft or a fast power craft shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that a person who has not attained the age of 16 years does not operate or control the craft

- The master or owner of a pleasure craft powered by an engine with a rating of more than 5 horse power or 3.7 kilowatts shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that a person who has not attained the age of 12 years does not operate or control the craft.

Lifejackets and Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs)

Lifejackets and PFD’s are the single most important items of personal protective equipment to be used on a vessel and should be worn especially when the vessel is being manoeuvred such as entering / departing a lock, anchoring, coming alongside or departing a jetty or quayside.

In the Republic of Ireland, Statutory Instrument 921 of 2005 provides the legal requirements regarding the wearing of Personal Flotation Devices. The Statutory Instrument contains the following requirements:

- The master or owner of a pleasure craft (other than a personal watercraft) shall ensure, that there are, at all times on board the craft, sufficient suitable personal flotation devices for each person on board.

- A person on a pleasure craft (other than a personal watercraft) of less than 7 metres length overall shall wear a suitable personal flotation device while on board an open craft or while on the deck of decked craft, other than when the craft is made fast to the shore or at anchor.

- The master or owner of a pleasure craft (other than a personal watercraft) shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that a person who has not attained the age of 16 years complies with paragraph above.

- The master or owner of a pleasure craft (other than a personal watercraft), shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that a person who has not attained the age of 16 years wears a suitable personal flotation device while on board an open craft or while on the deck of a decked craft other than when it is made fast to the shore or at anchor.

- The master or owner of a pleasure craft (other than a personal watercraft) shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that a person wears a suitable personal flotation device, at all times while – (a) being towed by the craft, (b) on board a vessel or object of any kind which is being towed by the craft.

Further information is available at: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2005/si/921/made/en/print

Firing Range Danger Area – Lough Ree

The attention of mariners is drawn to the Irish Defence Forces Firing Range situated in the vicinity of buoys No’s 2 and 3, on Lough Ree on the Shannon Navigation. This range is used regularly for live firing exercises, throughout the year, all boats and vessels should stay clear of the area marked with yellow buoys showing a yellow "X" topmark and displaying the word "Danger".

Shannon Navigation, Portumna Swing Bridge Tolls

No attempt should be made by Masters’ of vessels to pay the bridge toll while making way through the bridge opening. Payment will only be taken by the Collector from Masters when they are secured alongside the jetties north and south of the bridge.

Navigating from Killaloe to Limerick on the Shannon Navigation

The navigation from Killaloe to Limerick involves passage through Ardnacrusha locks, the associated headrace and tailrace and the Abbey River into Limerick City. Careful passage planning is required to undertake this voyage. Considerations include: lock passage at Ardnacrusha, water flow in the navigation, airdraft under bridges on Abbey River in Limerick, state of tide in Limerick

Users are advised to contact the ESB Ardnacrusha hydroelectric power station (00353 (0)87 9970131) 48 hours in advance of commencing their journey to book passage through the locks at Ardnacrusha. It is NOT advised to undertake a voyage if more than one turbine is operating (20MW), due to the increased velocity of flow in the navigation channel, which can be dangerous. To ascertain automatically in real time how many turbines are running, users can phone +353 (0)87 6477229.

For safety reasons the ESB has advised that only powered craft with a capacity in excess of 5 knots are allowed to enter Ardnacrusha Headrace and Tailrace Canals.

Passage through Sarsfield Lock should be booked on +353-87-7972998, on the day prior to travel and it should be noted also that transit is not possible two hours either side of low water.

A Hydrographic survey in 2020 of the navigation channel revealed that the approach from Shannon Bridge to Sarsfield Lock and the Dock area has silted up. Masters of vessels and water users are advised to navigate to the Lock from Shannon bridge on a rising tide one or two hours before High Tide.

Lower Bann Navigation

The attention of all users is drawn to the “Users Code for the Lower Bann”, in particular to that section covering “Flow in the River” outlining the dangers for users both on the banks and in the navigation, associated with high flow rates when the river is in spate. Canoeists should consult and carry a copy of the “Lower Bann Canoe Trail” guide issued by the Canoe Association of Northern Ireland. Users should also contact the DfI Rivers Coleraine, who is responsible for regulating the flow rates on the river, for advisory information on the flow rates to be expected on any given day.

DfI Rivers Coleraine. Tel: 0044 28 7034 2357 Email: [email protected]

Lower Bann Navigation – Newferry – No wake zone

A No Wake Zone exists on the Lower Bann Navigation at Newferry. Masters of vessels are requested to proceed at a slow speed and create no wake while passing the jetties and slipways at Newferry.

Overhead Power Lines (OHPL) and Air draft

All Masters must be aware of the dangers associated with overhead power lines, in particular sailing vessels and workboats with cranes or large air drafts. Voyage planning is a necessity in order to identify the location of overhead lines crossing the navigation.

Overhead power line heights on the River Shannon are maintained at 12.6metres (40 feet) from Normal Summer level for that section of navigation, masters of vessels with a large air draft should proceed with caution and make additional allowances when water levels are high.

If a vessel or its equipment comes into contact with an OHPL the operator should NOT attempt to move the vessel or equipment. The conductor may still be alive or re-energise automatically. Maintain a safe distance and prevent third parties from approaching due to risk of arcing. Contact the emergency services for assistance.

Anglers are also reminded that a minimum ground distance of 30 metres should be maintained from overhead power lines when using a rod and line.

Submarine Cables and Pipes

Masters of vessels are reminded not to anchor their vessels in the vicinity of submarine cables or pipes in case they foul their anchor or damage the cables or pipes. Look to the river banks for signage indicating their presence.

Water Levels - Precautions

Low Water Levels:

When water levels fall below normal summer levels masters should be aware of:

Navigation

To reduce the risk of grounding masters should navigate on or near the centreline of the channel, avoid short cutting in dog-legged channels and navigating too close to navigation markers.

Proceeding at a slow speed will also reduce “squat” effect i.e. where the vessel tends to sit lower in the water as a consequence of higher speed.

Slipways

Reduced slipway length available under the water surface and the possibility of launching trailers dropping off the end of the concrete apron.

More slipway surface susceptible to weed growth requiring care while engaged in launching boats, from slipping and sliding on the slope. Note also that launching vehicles may not be able to get sufficient traction on the slipway once the craft is launched to get up the incline.

Bank Erosion

Very dry riverbanks are more susceptible to erosion from vessel wash.

Lock Share

Maximising on the number of vessels in a lock will ensure that the total volume of water moving downstream is decreased. Lock cycles should be used for vessels travelling each way.

High Water Levels:

When water levels rise above normal summer level masters should be aware of:

Navigation

Navigation marks will have reduced height above the water level or may disappear underwater altogether making the navigable channel difficult to discern.

In narrow sections of the navigations water levels will tend to rise more quickly than in main streams and air draft at bridges will likewise be reduced.

There will also be increased flow rates particularly in the vicinity of navigation infrastructure such as bridges, weirs, locks etc where extra care in manoeuvring vessels will be required.

Harbours and Jetties

Due care is required in harbours and at slipways when levels are at or near the same level as the harbour walkways' as the edge will be difficult to discern especially in reduced light conditions. It is advised that Personal Flotation Devices be worn if tending to craft in a harbour in these conditions.

Slipways

Slipways should only be used for the purpose of launching and recovering of water craft or other objects from the water. Before using a slipway it should be examined to ensure that the surface has sufficient traction/grip for the intended purpose such as launching a craft from a trailer using a vehicle, that there is sufficient depth of water on the slipway to float the craft off the trailer before the concrete apron ends and that the wheels of the trailer do not drop off the edge of the slipway. That life-saving appliances are available in the vicinity, that the vehicle is roadworthy and capable of coping with the weight of the trailer and boat on the incline. It is recommended that slipway operations are conducted by two persons.

Caution to be Used in Reliance upon Aids to Navigation

The aids to navigation depicted on the navigation guides comprise a system of fixed and floating aids to navigation. Prudent mariners will not rely solely on any single aid to navigation, particularly a floating aid to navigation. With respect to buoys, the buoy symbol is used to indicate the approximate position of the buoy body and the ground tackle which secures it to the lake or river bed. The approximate position is used because of the practical limitations in positioning and maintaining buoys in precise geographical locations. These limitations include, but are not limited to, prevailing atmospheric and lake/river conditions, the slope of and the material making up the lake/river bed, the fact that the buoys are moored to varying lengths of chain, and the fact that the buoy body and/or ground tackle positions are not under continuous surveillance. Due to the forces of nature, the position of the buoy body can be expected to shift inside and outside the charted symbol.

Buoys and perches are also moved out of position or pulled over by those mariners who use them to moor up to instead of anchoring. To this end, mariners should always monitor their passage by relating buoy/perch positions with the published navigation guide. Furthermore, a vessel attempting to pass close by always risks collision with a yawing buoy or with the obstruction that the buoy or beacon/perch marks.

Masters of Vessels are requested to use the most up to date Navigation guides when navigating on the Inland Waterways.

Information taken from Special Marine Notice No 1 of 2023