Three Ireland Olympic veterans qualify for Rio

The three 2012 Olympic veterans all qualified for Rio 2016 at the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Santander yesterday.

The final round of medal races saw Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern secure their personal best with an eighth overall in the 49er skiff event.

The class was dominated by New Zealanders Peter Burling and Blair Tuke who had secured Gold before starting thanks to five race wins with all top ten places in the preceding rounds.

Ireland’s Andrea Brewster and Saskia Tidey in the newly-introduced 49er FX women’s event had to be content with reaching the Gold fleet after Friday’s poor set of results.

The duo ended the series 13th by nation and missed the top ten qualification places available on this occasion. A further three places will be awarded at next year’s world championships.

Seaton and McGovern’s result means Ireland will at least have representation in the 49er along with the Laser Standard men’s and the Laser Radial women’s single-handed events following last week’s performances by James Espey and Annalise Murphy.

All three crews still face the possibility of a selection trial in order to be nominated to the Olympic Council of Ireland’s team for Rio 2016.

A fourth Irish boat competing in Spain last week saw Ross Hamilton who is campaigning outside the ISA system place 64th overall in the 78-strong Finn Men’s heavy-weight single-hander.