AFTER FOUR MONTHS of uncertainty, World Sailing has announced that Irish duo Saskia Tidey and Andrea Brewster have sealed qualification for the 49erFX skiff event at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
It was confirmed today that Africa would not be entering the 49erFX skiff event, which released another European place. As the next in line based on last year’s World Championships, Providence Team IRL’s Brewster and Tidey have reaped the benefits.
The pair delivered a strong final-day performance at the 2015 World Championships in Argentina and appeared to secure a berth thanks to an overall finish of 14th, until a rules protest determined that they would have to compete for the final European spot in Rio via next week’s Princess Sofia Regatta in Mallorca.
However, the pair will now be nominated as part of the Irish Sailing Association Performance squad to the Olympic Council of Ireland for inclusion in the team competing in Rio 2016.
“This is a hugely significant development for Andrea and Saskia who earned qualification by fighting to deliver a strong finish to last year’s World Championships.
“It’s a very emotional day for them and they can now concentrate fully on building toward their Rio goals,” said James O’Callaghan, the ISA’s Performance Manager.
Ireland has now qualified for representation in four sailing events at the Rio 2016 Olympics — the Men’s 49er skiff (via Ryan Seaton & Matt McGovern), Laser Standard (via James Espey), Laser Radial (via Annalise Murphy) as well as the 49erFX (via Andrea Brewster & Saskia Tidey) women’s event .
Trials are ongoing to determine which sailors will represent Ireland at the 2016 Games.
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They have some neck.
@Patrick Breen: Could still go to the DRA after this and maybe even a court case, who knows?
@Patrick Breen: they’re dead right. Why not just replay the last free again, the idea they have to replay the whole game is a fair solution is madness.
@Paul Mallon: the fact that they blatantly cheated and think they should get away with it is madness.
@Paul Mallon: replay the last free, seriously. So we’ll just make up a new sport..
@Patrick Breen: the more I think about this I’ve changed my mind from it’s 100% a replay to it only warrants a fine! Realistically the chances of a goal with the last kick of the game is unlikely, especially when it’s a 45 with the packed defence fully set up. And it’s telling that the referee allowed the 45 to be taken before the substitutions had been complete properly – Kilmacud will argue that as the subs were not being managed correctly! Players off players on before 45 can take place – clearly ref was going to allow it be taken quickly which added to the panic & confusion. In my view KMc won this game and an extra man on for 24secs over 70+ mins had NO bearing on the outcome. If this was reversed I don’t general public wud be questioning if Glen won it
@BMJF: It’s not really about the likelihood of a goal. Nobody knows what effect the 16th player had, direct or indirect, even as a distraction to the player in possession. The real issue is what happens if there’s no real sanction. Teams will be making substitutions and making sure the player being replaced is at least very slow leaving the pitch. Now we see Glen have pulled out of the appeals process because a replay is unworkable.
@BMJF: especially when it’s an overpacked defence.
@Thomas O’ Donnell: don’t be silly. The GAA will simply learn to make substitutions like every other sporting organisation!! That’s what will happen. Play will pause before a free is taken etc and Players will have to come off before the replacements go on and ref won’t restart the game until they’re in position. It’s not rocket science. GAA should have accepted some responsibility, read their rules and issued a hefty fine the next morning and that would have been the end of it
I’d watch a live stream of that hearing
Hope they throw the book at them and just award the final to the other team.
@Reggie: haha, don’t know about that now Reg. Certainly interested to hear what their grounds for appeal will be though…..seems cut and dried to me that the rule was broken and one of the consequences have been invoked.
The tone of the anti Kilmacud comments is telling. An anti Dub vibe off them. I’m guessing that If this was reversed and Glen had 16 men for 24secs over a 70+ min game, defending a 2point lead with last play of the game, the general public wud be saying that on balance Glen should remain the winners, and that the extra man for 24 secs didn’t really impact the outcome! But because it’s a big Dub club everyone has knickers in a knot!!
If GAA had issued a fine quickly I think Glen would have accepted the result , as their manager did straight after the game
@BMJF: I would say the opposite, the Ulster team (as always) are being portrayed as the bad guys here… maybe I’m wrong
Kilmacud won fair and square on the field of play. Glen will be looked upon as sore losers. There’s no way Kilmacud will replay the match. They are prepared to hand the cup over to Glen. If the Glen club wants to avoid the lasting legacy of poor losers they really should withdraw the objection and gear themselves up to trying to win the title next year on the field of play. That would give the club a lot of respect.
@Brendan Daniel Naughton: ‘fair and square’, hahahaha, are you well.
Great stuff