Ryan Seaton & Matt McGovern set for 49er Worlds in France

by Rachel Solon, Irish Sailing Association 19 Sep 2013 16:17 BST 19 September 2013

U21 World Champion Finn Lynch will battle it out with peers for pride on Irish waters for national title

Next week (beginning Tuesday 24th September) two of Ireland's Olympic sailors; Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern, will be hoping to replicate the recent successes of their teammate Annalise Murphy as they compete in their biggest event of the year – the 2013 49er & 49erFX World Championships. The Providence Team IRL sailors will face a physically gruelling six day and potential 25 race regatta which will be held in Marseille, France.

Included in the high quality, 96 boat fleet will be three-time World Champions and London 2012 Gold medallists Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen from Australia who have most recently been competing in the America's Cup. Kiwis Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, London 2012 Silver medallists and 2013 49er European Champions will also be in attendance.

This championship will conclude what has been a busy summer for Seaton and McGovern. The pair, who both hail from Northern Ireland, had their best performance of the year at the Sail for Gold regatta in Weymouth in June when they won Gold. The pair are targeting a solid top 10 finish at the World Championships.

ISA Performance Director James O'Callaghan Commented "With the Worlds being late in the season it has given everyone a chance to get back up to speed post Olympics. Without doubt this will be the toughest event of 2013 for Ryan and Matt".

Also competing at the regatta but in the female 49erFX class will be Ireland's newest Olympic campaigners Andrea Brewster and Saskia Tidey. The pair have only just begun sailing together and the Worlds will be somewhat of a baptism of fire.

Meanwhile on Irish waters, recently crowned U21 Laser Radial World Champion Finn Lynch will be one of 23 youth sailors taking part in the ISA (Irish Sailing Association) Junior All Ireland Championships. The celebration of junior champions will take place on the 21st and 22nd of September in Schull, Co. Cork in a fleet of TR3.6 dinghies. The invitational championship, which began under a different name in the 1940's, includes representatives selected from nine different youth classes. Finn, who sails under the ISA Academy, will face some good friends and rivals on the water as the extremely talented group of Irish young sailors compete over the two days for the title of 2013 All Ireland Champion. With a World title to his name, Lynch is definitely one of the favourites but perhaps also will be the biggest target for competitors to beat.

49er & 49erFX World Championships

Marseille, France from the 24th to the 29th of September.

For live tracking and results see 49er.org/event/2013-world-championships

ISA Junior All Ireland Championship Entries:

Class	Name	Surname	Club	Basis of Nomination
420	Harry	Whittaker	Royal Cork YC	Championship
Laser 4.7	Sarah	Cooney	National YC	Rankings
Laser 4.7	Ciaran	Finnegan	Waterfrd Harbour SC	Rankings
Laser 4.7	Cliodhna	O'Regan	Kinsale YC	Rankings
Laser Radial	Cian	Byrne	Royal Cork YC	Rankings
Laser Radial	Ryan	Glynn	Ballyholme YC	Rankings
Laser Radial	Seafra	Guilfoyle	Royal Cork YC	Rankings
Laser Radial	Darragh	O'Sullivan	Kinsale YC	Rankings
Laser Standard	Cian	Cahill	Royal St George YC	Rankings
Mirror	Megan	Boylan	Skerries SC	Rankings
Mirror	Tiarnan	Dickson	Lough Ree YC	Rankings
Optimist	Harry	Durcan	Royal Cork YC	Championship
Optimist	Johnny	Durcan	Royal Cork YC	Championship
Optimist	Megan	Parker	Skerries SC	Championship
Optimist	Loghlen	Rickard	National YC	Championship
RS Feva	Jack	Higgins	Royal St George YC	Championship
Topaz	Rob	Wynne	Dungarvan Harbour SC	Rankings
Topper	Liam	Glynn	Ballyholme YC	Rankings
Topper	Nicole	Hemeryck	National YC	Rankings
Topper	Daniel	Raymond	National YC	Rankings
Topper	Conor	Sheriff	Courtown SC	Rankings
Wild Card	Sarah	Eames	Ballyholme YC	ISAF Youth Worlds
Wild Card	Finn	Lynch	National YC	Laser Radial U21 Worlds