Great success for Ireland at ISAF Youth Worlds 2011
15 July
The medals in the eight fleets at the 41st ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Zadar, Croatia have been decided following a dramatic final day. Ireland's team of three take home one overall result in the top ten, an 11th (Well done Sophie!) and a 17th plus some fine individual performances - including a final race win today - and many lessons for next year's event on Dublin Bay.
The medals in the eight fleets at the 41st ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Zadar, Croatia have been decided following a dramatic final day. Ireland's team of three take home one overall result in the top ten, an 11th and a 17th plus some fine individual performances - including a final race win today – and many lessons for next year's event on Dublin Bay.
For the third consecutive year France walk away with the ISAF Nations Trophy with Spain coming in second and Poland taking third place.
Royal St George Yacht Club and Quoile Yacht Club Laser Radial sailor Sophie Murphy placed 23rd in her final race which saw her finishing 11th overall. It's a disappointment to drop out of the coveted top ten position but there is consolation that it is the best result Ireland has ever had in the girl's single handed competition since Ireland began competing at the ISAF Youth Worlds in 1971.
Murphy found the conditions tough today but fought tooth and nail putting in her best performance at an international event. Similarl to Philip Doran, she also had one race win and five top 10 results during the course of the championship.
Irish Coach Rory Fitzpatrick said: "This is Sophie's personal best at an international event and the best we've ever had at the Youth Worlds but she's only going to continue to grow and strengthen".
Irish Laser Radial sailor Philip Doran of Courtown Sailing Club and the National Yacht Club Doran took charge of the 15 knot north-westerly from the beginning of his final race, leading the fleet from the first mark. Competitors from Belgium, the UK and Australia tried to challenge him at the leeward mark but Doran continued to master the previously unseen wind conditions in this championship.
Doran ended the final race of the championship with an extraordinary first place win and finishing 10th overall, having also claimed five top 10 results during the course of the competition.
Fitzpatrick praised the comeback: "It hadn't been going Philip's way at the half way stage in the event. He was sitting towards the back of the fleet but he fought hard over the next few days and finished in the top 10 which just shows the level of determination and mental strength he has".
Cork natives Emma Geary from Royal Cork Yacht Club and Niamh Connolly from Baltimore Sailing Club put in another strong performance in the 420 class today. They made good tactical decisions on the water which saw them finishing the race in 12th and finishing the championship in 17th overall. The girls showed their prowess in the stronger wind conditions of the past two days placing a 9th, a 6th and today's 12th.
Fiona Kidd (CAN), the Chairman of the ISAF Youth World Championship Sub-committee rounded off the 41st ISAF Youth Worlds, "The organisation has been world class. The organising committee has done an exceptional job both on and off the water. Logistically it is a very difficult event but here we've had superb sailing, the race management has been excellent and on shore they've done a super job in terms of making every body enjoy the event.
"It's great to see all the sailors having a good time. We've had two fantastic days of racing today and yesterday and I think we got all the races in. At the end of the day the best sailors won and they've all had a fantastic time."
Article adapted from Afloat.ie
Photo of Sophie Murphy
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