SSL Gold Cup Finals in Bahrain Postponed at Last Moment

9th October 2022

Nicholas O'Leary's Irish Green Armada Team earned a place in Bahrain's SSL Gold Cup 2022 Final after qualifying on Lake Neuchatel in May Credit: Martina Orsini

The SSL Gold Cup Finals, scheduled to be held in Bahrain from October 28th to November 20th, 2022 in which Ireland was scheduled to compete have been postponed with under three weeks to go before the first gun.

In a statement, the organisers said: "The entire SSL Team, the Bahrain Maritime Sports Association (BMSA) and the Sailing Athletes Foundation (SAF) are naturally dismayed to have to make this decision with the event so close, but logistical and technical challenges, amplified by the current world environment, made it impossible to host the event in the manner which the event deserves".

Nicholas O'Leary's Irish Green Armada Team earned a place in Bahrain's SSL Gold Cup 2022 Final after qualifying on Lake Neuchatel in May.

The statement continues: "Bringing together the incredible National Teams, made up of the most decorated sailors ever assembled at one event, remains the intention of the SSL Team and, despite this setback, the goal remains as strong as ever".

"We share the disappointment of the sailors set to compete, as well as that of sailing enthusiasts worldwide and the wider sporting public who were looking forward to following the event", organisers said.

"The scope of the SSL Gold Cup Finals is unprecedented, and arrangements for the event moving forwards will be announced in due course, following discussion with the SSL teams, the statement concludes.

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SSL Gold Cup

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About the Star Sailors League Gold Cup

In 2022, Sailing finally got its own World Cup, according to the promoters of the SSL (STAR SAILORS LEAGUE) Gold Cup.

Like football in 1930 and rugby in 1987, the SSL Gold Cup is designed to crown the best sailing nation of all! The World's Top 56 countries, selected on their SSL Nation ranking, will battle their way through to raise the coveted and only Sailing World Cup trophy.

The SSL is the global inshore sailing circuit launched by Olympic athletes in 2012, by sailors for sailors. Its main philosophy considers the athletes (not the boats) as the “Stars” and it aims to showcase the annual global sailing championship with its over 15’000 regattas; it determines and celebrates the world leaders in sailing promoting the inshore regattas to the global audience.

The three main components of the SSL Circuit are the SSL Ranking published every Tuesday, updating the position of over 100,000 leading athletes, thus highlighting the world’s top inshore sailors. The SSL Finals taking place every year around November-December, it’s the annual final of the SSL Circuit among the 20/25 best athletes of the ranking, to crown the champion of the season. And the SSL Gold Cup, the ‘ultimate’ championship of the circuit with 56 nations among World Sailing members, to crown the best sailing nation.

In a mechanical sport where the race for technology sometimes gets in the way of the race for glory, the SSL aims for equal competition where the talent of the sailors is at the forefront and the champions become heroes that inspire new generations of sailors.

The SSL is a World Sailing Special Event since 2017.