Olympic sailing gets a timely boost

SAILING: ALTHOUGH SAILING failed to get an honourable mention over Easter when the sports pages were teasing out certain relevant Olympic statistics, a string of strong results abroad have revived spirits in the sport.

Journalists wrote of Sonia O'Sullivan's ambition to revise the record books by running at five consecutive Olympiads but did not mention sailing's proud account.

David Wilkins and Jamie Wilkinson have silver medals from 1980 to match the Cork athlete. Mark Mansfield shares the same 20-year campaign as O'Sullivan. Wilkins has five summer appearances, though not consecutive.

Comparatively lean times since Moscow 1980 may explain sailing's lack of recognition. The Wharton report published in 2005 showed Athens 2004 represented an all-time Olympic low since Irish boats first sailed in the games, at London 1948.

But thankfully a series of recent results from the next generation of Olympic aspirants is turning the page on a chapter of low Olympic morale.

For the first time since Barcelona 1992, Olympic team selection has become a committee decision rather than a results-only process.

The good news started in 2007 with both Finn and 470 campaigns securing places for the Beijing games, and it continued this Easter with Ciara Peelo's comeback in the Laser Radial Women's World Championship in New Zealand to secure Ireland a place in Xingdao.

In Palma at the Princes Sofia event both these crews fared in the top third of strong fleets all operating at full speed. Gerald Owens and Philip Lawton (470) finished 12th and Tim Goodbody in the Finn finished 17th.

In 10 days' time three Irish crews will be looking for a keelboat slot at the Star world championships in Miami to bring, if successful, an Olympic squad total to four boats, one short of Athens.

As for underage progress, a week after Peelo's result, Annalise Murphy finished fifth overall in the Laser Radial Youth World Championships at the same New Zealand venue.

In the boys' division, Chris Penny finished 13th, completing a successful team trip to the other side of the world.

The brace of results allowed an upbeat report to the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) from its director James O'Callaghan, whose focus is on bringing youth talent to Olympic level rather than the Youth World Championships as a goal in itself.

Mindful of managing expectations O'Callaghan knows the results are nothing like those secured by David Burrows or Mansfield in the run-ups to Sydney and Athens. Then both men secured bronze medals in their class championships in Olympic year.

So although there is a sense of O'Callaghan trying to gather a harvest while it is still spring it is done for the right reasons and there is a good feeling in Irish Olympic sailing, the first such positive vibe for a quite a while.

Foxall plans campaignfor Extreme 40 circuit

HAVING COMPLETED eight Round the World races in the last eight years, the Barcelona World race hero Damian Foxall is staying inshore this summer.

The Kerryman is back in Ireland next week attending the Maritime Ball at Dún Laoghaire, hosted by the Ocean Youth Trust, but also to finalise plans for an entry into the Extreme 40 circuit.

Captivated by the ultra-light catamarans that are racing in the heart of Europe's major cities, Foxall says he would like to be the first Irish entry.

The 40s are estimated to reach speeds of 35­knots on flat water when wind speeds reach 20 knots. They will also fly a hull in as little as eight knots.

Foxall believes the "high octane" circuit has a lot of potential because racing takes place in the heart of Europe's financial districts and represents a commercial proposition for blue-chip companies.

The Extreme 40, say its promoters, has been created to fill a huge gap in Grand Prix sailboat racing.

The concept is a simple, easy-to-sail, lightweight, full-carbon fibre boat. For good measure, the boat will fit inside a normal 40-foot shipping container on its own road trailer.

The circuit has a dozen teams including some America's Cup teams ­ in operation, and the high-speed aspect of the racing appeals to the Round the World professional.

But before Foxall heads off round the world again - most likely as a watch leader on Ireland's entry into the Volvo Ocean race ­ - expect to see him on the Liffey or the Lee at high speed if this next extreme project comes off.