The Women’s Irish match racing teams have been picked for the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship event in June. Skippers Laura Dillon and Mary O’Loughlin have been selected to represent Ireland at this year’s ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championships, which will take place in Crosshaven June 3rd to 8th 2014 at Royal Cork Yacht Club, Crosshaven, Co Cork. It will also be the first leg of the Women’s International Match Racing Series (WIM Series). The World Match Racing Championship for Women is one of the world’s highest calibre sporting events. 16 international teams are expected to travel and compete. This will include some of the world’s highest-ranking match sailors and potential Olympians.

Laura Dillon, the only female winner of the ISA Senior Helmsman’s Championship in 1996, and Bronze Medalist at the 1996 ISAF Youth Worlds. She is current Irish Women’s Match Racing Champion (last sailed in 2010) and was at one time in the top 20 ranked female match racers. Mary O’Loughlin, the 1997 Mirror Ladies World Champion, is a keen match racer here and abroad and involved in the Irish circuit, in particular as it was developing in the mid 2000′s. She has extensive experience sailing Etchells and her crew will be an interesting mix of keelboat sailors and dinghy/team racers. (Full crew will be announced at a later date).

The Irish teams come with over 20 years sailing between them and will bring their many years of combined sailing experiences to this world match racing event . Both Mary and Laura are familiar with the sailing waters of Cork Harbour, enhancing their local knowledge of the sailing area. Double Olympian Maria Coleman, crewing with Laura Dillon also bring a wealth of experience sailing to this world events and no doubt some home advantage too. Between now and the 3rdof June, both teams will spend many sailing hours after work and at the weekends honing their skills in preparation for the World Championship.

The selection trial hosted by Howth Yacht Club on Sunday the 13thApril was sailed in the ISA J80 fleet. This same fleet will be used for the World Championship. Three teams sailed a 3 round robin series. With wind conditions of 15-20 knots, very tight racing ensued. Only 2 full round robins were completed and the final round robin was only partially completed. The ISA selection committee deemed that there was sufficient racing to select the 2 leading teams. Racing was initially held with spinnakers and then due to the wind conditions, round robin 2 and 3 were raced without spinnakers.

The 2014 Women’s International Match Racing Series is a professional sailing circuit, hosted by the Women’s International Match Racing Association for the world’s leading women match racing sailors. In match racing the crews meet two by two in exciting duels that can easily be followed and understood by the spectators. All of the venues selected for the WIM Series have great experience and a proud maritime heritage, and have been part of the development of women’s match racing over the years. They are all known for providing the absolutely best conditions for the top women’s match racing sailors of the world.

This event proudly sponsored by Cork County Council and the Port of Cork will put Crosshaven on the world map for match racing and will showcase the harbor, the Royal Cork Yacht Club, and surrounding areas. Camden Fort Meagher is to be event headquarters and from the cafe deck the views of the racing will be superb. Giving a birds eye view of the boats and racing area while enjoying the cafe fare. Hopefully the weather and wind will be kind too making it a one off experiences for both competitors and spectators.

For further information on the Women’s Match Racing World Championships please see www.matchracing.ie

Or contact Event Press Officers:
Maritta Buwalda: marittabuwalda@gmail.com
Philomena Maguire Hahnel: philmaguire@eircom.net