Irish sailors are in pole position after two days of action at the European and World Laser Championships in Dun Laoghaire.
Annalise Murphy has won three of the four qualifying races in the Women’s European Championship and Fionn Lyden has a win and two seconds to his credit in the Men’s World Championship.
The event as a whole has drawn 324 sailors from 43 different countries and rewarded the event sponsors The Gathering and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Council with a significant boost to the local economy.
“Many of the sailors visited Dun Laoghaire earlier this year to practice at the venue and some of the teams arrived earlier in August to train,” said event chairperson Margaret Kneafsey. “In addition, these 320 or so sailors have also brought their coaches, their families, friends and supporters to Ireland, all of which will have a great economic impact on Dun Laoghaire town.”
The Championships run until Friday and are acting as an important double header with the cultural attraction of the Mountains to Sea literary festival also taking place and which has been given ever greater national prominence since the passing of Seamus Heaney on Friday.
The irish Sports Council and the Irish Sailing Association have also contributed funding to the event which will be the last opportunity for Irish sailors from Providence Team Ireland to sail competitively on home waters against many of the competitors they will be facing at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Sports Tourism Seminar at Croke Park (September 19th)
Sport for Business 20/20 at Ulster Bank HQ (October 8th)
The Business of Youth Sport Seminar (November 28th)
