McCarthy nominated for Fair Play Trophy

Paralympic sailor Paul McCarthy has been nominated for the Pierre de Coubertin International Fair Play Trophy.

McCarthy and his crew competed for four years in preparing to represent Ireland in the Sonar fleet at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, but lost out to fellow Kinsale Yacht Club members John Twomey and his crew.

On arrival in Athens, Twomey discovered there was a problem with the gelcoat finish on their new boat, meaning they could not race her. With two days left to measure their equipment for the Games, the team had to turn to their rivals. McCarthy jumped in his car, hitched up his new boat, picked up his shore crew and headed to Athens reaching there hours before measurement closed.