Displaying items by tag: Coakley

29th March 2014

Coakley Takes Silver Medal at World Cup in Sydney

#ROWING: Skibbereen man Richard Coakley took a silver medal at the World Cup Regatta in Sydney Australia. The 30-year-old, competing for the first time in a regatta for Australia, had to give way to the faster Wang Tiexin of China in the A Final of the lightweight single sculls. The two fought it out at the head of the race, but Wang had too much for Coakley and moved clear in the final 500 metres.

Coakley won a World Cup medal for Ireland in the lightweight eight in 2005. He rowed for Ireland at the Olympic Games in 2008, coming in as a reserve for Gearóid Towey in the lightweight four in the B Final in Beijing. He moved to Australia in 2010.

World Cup Regatta, Sydney, Australia (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Single Scull – A Final: 1 China (Tiexin Wang) 7:05.54, 2 Australia One (R Coakley) 7:13.54, 3 Australia Two (J Harrison) 7:20.87; 4 Vietnam 7:22.75, 5 Hong Kong Two 7:33.45, 6 Vanuatu 7:54.72.

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Winning Start for Coakley at World Cup Rowing

#ROWING: Skibbereen man Richard Coakley, competing for Australia, qualified directly for the A Final of the lightweight single sculls at the World Cup in Sydney, Australia. Coakley won his heat easily, well ahead of challengers from Hong Kong and Vanuatu. The Irishman has lived in Australia since 2010. He was competing for his adopted country for the first time.

World Cup Regatta, Sydney, Australia (Irish interest)

Men, Lightweight Single Sculls – Heat Two (Winner Directly to A Final): 1 Australia One (R Coakley) 7:19.94, 2 Hong Kong Two 7:37.10, 3 Vanuatu 7:52.34.

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About Conor O'Brien, Irish Circumnavigator

In 1923-25, Conor O'Brien became the first amateur skipper to circle the world south of the Great Capes. O'Brien's boat Saoirse was reputedly the first small boat (42-foot, 13 metres long) to sail around the world since Joshua Slocum completed his voyage in the 'Spray' during 1895 to 1898. It is a journey that O' Brien documented in his book Across Three Oceans. O'Brien's voyage began and ended at the Port of Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, where he lived.

Saoirse, under O'Brien's command and with three crew, was the first yacht to circumnavigate the world by way of the three great capes: Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin; and was the first boat flying the Irish tri-colour to enter many of the world's ports and harbours. He ran down his easting in the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties between the years 1923 to 1925.

Up until O'Brien's circumnavigation, this route was the preserve of square-rigged grain ships taking part in the grain race from Australia to England via Cape Horn (also known as the clipper route).

At a Glance - Conor O'Brien's Circumnavigation

In June 1923, Limerick man Conor O’Brien set off on his yacht, the Saoirse — named after the then newly created Irish Free State — on the two-year voyage from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that was to make him the first Irish amateur to sail around the world.

June 1923 - Saoirse’s arrival in Madeira after her maiden passage out from Dublin Bay

2nd December 1924 - Saoirse crossed the longitude of Cape Horn

June 20th 1925 - O’Brien’s return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour