Murphy claims Euro gold

Just over a year after Dun Laoghaire’s Annalise Murphy spectacularly missed winning a medal at the London 2012 Olympics, she sailed in from her home waters to rapturous applause at the National Yacht Club as the new European champion for her Laser Radial class.

After 12 races between the qualification series and the Gold fleet finals, Murphy was best of 90 sailors including both the Silver and Bronze medallists from Weymouth last year as well as the fifth place runner-up behind her at that event.

Her first year of preparations for the Rio Olympics could hardly have ended better; her first major international title coming on top of her early season run of form that included a clutch of gold medals at the continental regattas.