Double bronze for team Ireland in Youth Sailing World Championships Brazil
by Irish Sailing Team 17 Dec 2023 16:06 UTC
8-15 December 2023
Double bronze for team Ireland in Youth Sailing World Championships Brazil © Irish Sailing / World Sailing
Irish sailors have secured two bronze medals at the conclusion of the Youth Sailing World Championships rounding off the most successful year ever for the Irish Sailing's Performance programme with a total of 12 medals.
Going into the final day, both Irish boats were outside medal positions though delivered under pressure with several rivals all contesting the podium.
In the female single-handed event sailed in ILCA6 dinghies, Sienna Wright (Howth Yacht Club) delivered a highly consistent series and was leading her 45-boat class at one stage. Just a single point kept her from the silver spot while Roos Wind of The Netherlands overcame some weighty scores thanks to a string of race wins to take Gold.
Earlier this year, Wright won silver at two class international championships in a sign of her growing form that mirrors her elder sibling Rocco's own form in the ILCA 7 men's event.
Her counterpart in the male single-handers saw Fiachra McDonnell (Royal St. George Yacht Club) inside the top half of his event finishing in 21st overall.
In the male skiff event sailed in 29er dinghies, Ben O'Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain (Royal Cork Yacht Club) rounded off their season that included both the European and Irish championship titles in the 29er skiff with a creditable third place in Buzios.
Meanwhile, starting-line issues in the final two races saw European champions Lucia Cullen (Royal St. George Yacht Club) and Alana Twomey (Royal Cork Yacht Club) pay a hefty points price resulting in them finishing below their own high expectations.
"Two Youth Worlds medals coming after two events qualified for Paris 2024 - so far - and a string of major international results, 2023 will be seen as a strong year for our sport" commented James O'Callaghan, Irish Sailing's Performance Director. "With 60 nations competing, this was a truly global event of a very high standard."
A tally of five world championship and two European wins points to a pipeline of talent in the build-up to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.