[Dan man]

At the Men's Laser World Sailing Championships in Boltenhagen, James Espey has put in a terrific performance in race 3 to finish 3rd in his race and move up to 18th place in the overall leaderboard on 39 points. Even more encouraging is the fact that he is 2nd best nation of those not yet qualified for the London Olympics and with the top 12 non-qualified nations claiming Olympic quota spots at this event it looks as though James is forging his way towards London 2012.

[Dan man]

James Espey finished 20th in race 4 and with the discard rule coming into play, Espey is able to discard his score of 29 from race 2 and he now sits in 24th place overall and is more importantly best ranked of those unqualified nations. Superb racing by James so far.

[Dan man]

Here is a table which outlines the nations that James is in competition with in terms of battling it out for Olympic qualification:
Notes:
The top 12 nations in this list at the end of competition will have earned an Olympic quota place for their country.
Sailors are ranked such that the lower the score, the better the result. For example, if a sailor finishes first in a race, then they add just 1 point to their total. If they place 50th then they add a whopping 50 points to their tally, thus damaging their potential of a good overall result.
Each sailor can discard one result after the first 10 races after which the field will be split into gold and silver fleets. Discarded scores will be displayed in brackets ().
A black flag (disqualification) will result in the region of a 57 point penalty.

Position	Country	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Total
1	IRELAND (James Espey)	7	(29)	3	20	30
2	Thailand	9	14	12	(17)	35
3	Lithuania	23	14	7	(24)	44
4	Portugal	16	21	9	(35)	46
5	Malaysia	15	(45)	13	23	51
6	Puerto Rico	(45)	12	36	5	53
7	Tunisia	23	(33)	24	6	53
8	Czech Republic	(26)	20	10	26	56
9	Venezuela	9	(39)	14	34	57
10	Colombia	19	35	(46)	5	59
11	Ukraine	(47)	3	32	26	61
12	Serbia	(48)	15	28	23	66
13	Trinidad & Tobago	30	(57)	17	19	66
14	Japan	(27)	21	24	21	66
15	South Africa	27	23	18	(43)	68
16	Montenegro	(51)	27	27	16	70
17	Peru	26	11	(44)	40	77
18	Moldova	35	(42)	31	17	83
19	El Salvador	6	32	50	(51)	88
20	Mexico	(44)	42	33	22	97
21	Seychelles	34	26	(46)	42	102
22	Dominican Republic	35	29	42	(47)	106
23	Monaco	38	(46)	25	46	109
24	Cook Islands	41	(51)	47	46	134
25	Egypt	(51)	48	44	51	143
26	Kyrgysztan	(53)	50	48	52	150
27	Bulgaria	47	54	54	(55)	155
28	Iran	52	54	(55)	54	160

[Dan man]

Sanita Puspure finished 5th in the A final of the women's single sculls at the Rowing World Cup in Belgrade today. Good performance by her, hopefully she can build on this result and challenge for Olympic qualification.

[Dan man]

At the Star World Sailing Championships, Irish duo Peter O'Leary and David Burrows have placed 4th in the second race, moving them into the overall lead. Great stuff.
In other sailing news James Espey finished 19th and 17th in today's 2 races at the Laser World Championships to remain well on course for Olympic qualification. More updates on his overall situation later.

[Dan man]

James Espey is in 28th place overall after 18th and 17th place finishes in today's 2 races at the Laser World Championships in Boltenhagen. On the Olympic qualifying list he lies 2nd best nation and has a 63 point cushion over the 13th best nation. The top 12 earn Olympic quota places for London so it really looks good for Espey from a qualification viewpoint now at this stage.

Here is a table which outlines the nations that James is in competition with in terms of battling it out for Olympic qualification:
Notes:
The top 12 nations in this list at the end of competition will have earned an Olympic quota place for their country.
Sailors are ranked such that the lower the score, the better the result. For example, if a sailor finishes first in a race, then they add just 1 point to their total. If they place 50th then they add a whopping 50 points to their tally, thus damaging their potential of a good overall result.
Each sailor can discard one result after the first 10 races after which the field will be split into gold and silver fleets. Discarded scores will be displayed in brackets ().
A black flag (disqualification) will result in the region of a 57 point penalty.

Position	Country	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5	Race 6	Total
1	Portugal	16	21	9	(35)	3	14	63
2	IRELAND (James Espey)	7	(29)	3	20	18	17	65
3	Thailand	9	14	12	17	(26)	15	67
4	Tunisia	23	(33)	24	6	10	9	72
5	Lithuania	22	14	7	24	6	(30)	73
6	Czech Republic	26	20	10	26	15	35	97
7	Trinidad & Tobago	30	(57)	17	19	7	36	109
8	Japan	27	21	24	21	17	(52)	110
9	Puerto Rico	(45)	12	36	5	43	15	111
10	Ukraine	(47)	3	32	26	17	34	112
11	Venezuela	25	38	17	22	(43)	16	118
12	Colombia	19	35	(46)	5	34	27	120
13	Montenegro	(51)	27	27	16	19	39	128
14	South Africa	27	23	18	43	17	(45)	128
15	Malaysia	15	45	13	23	40	(46)	136
16	El Salvador	6	32	50	(51)	15	42	145
17	Serbia	48	15	28	23	(57)	33	147
18	Seychelles	34	26	(46)	42	23	22	147
19	Mexico	(44)	42	33	22	22	29	148
20	Peru	26	11	44	40	34	(55)	155
21	Moldova	35	(42)	31	17	35	37	155
22	Monaco	38	(46)	25	46	32	41	182
23	Dominican Republic	35	29	42	47	(57)	39	192
24	Cook Islands	41	(51)	47	46	48	44	226
25	Kyrgysztan	(53)	50	48	52	41	51	242
26	Egypt	51	48	44	51	(52)	52	246
27	Bulgaria	47	54	54	(55)	51	54	260
28	Iran	52	54	(55)	54	55	51	266

[Dan man]

Ireland has another Olympic qualifier with the news that James Espey has made the gold fleet at the World Laser Sailing Championships in Boltenhagen. He cannot finish outside the top 12 of those nations not yet qualified for London thus earning a quota spot for Ireland to sail this event at the Olympics. Very well done to James, he has been racing consistently at this regatta and never looked in any danger of not making the Olympic qualifying positions.

[Dan man]

Here is the latest update for the battle for Olympic qualification in the Men's Laser. James has now secured a quota place for Ireland as the fleet has been divided into gold and silver fleets. James has made the gold fleet and thus cannot drop outside the top 12 nations of those who have not yet qualified for London. Therefore there will be no need to update this table any further beyond today's racing.
Notes:
The top 12 nations in this list at the end of competition will have earned an Olympic quota place for their country.
Sailors are ranked such that the lower the score, the better the result. For example, if a sailor finishes first in a race, then they add just 1 point to their total. If they place 50th then they add a whopping 50 points to their tally, thus damaging their potential of a good overall result.
Each sailor can discard one result after the first 10 races after which the field will be split into gold and silver fleets. Discarded scores will be displayed in brackets ().
A black flag (disqualification) will result in the region of a 57 point penalty.

Position	Country	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5	Race 6	Race 7	Race 8	Total
1	Thailand	9	14	12	17	(26)	15	12	17	96
2	IRELAND (James Espey)	7	(29)	3	20	18	17	23	20	108
3	Portugal	16	21	9	(35)	3	14	18	35	116
4	Lithuania	22	14	7	24	6	(30)	(35)	16	119
5	Tunisia	23	(33)	24	6	10	9	24	27	123
6	Ukraine	(47)	3	32	26	17	34	5	10	127
7	Trinidad & Tobago	30	(57)	17	19	7	36	15	34	158
8	El Salvador	6	32	50	(51)	15	42	8	12	165
9	Puerto Rico	43	9	57	21	41	20	36	8	178
10	Venezuela	25	38	17	22	(43)	16	36	29	183
11	Colombia	19	35	(46)	5	34	27	28	39	187
12	Japan	27	21	24	21	17	(52)	33	49	191
13	Malaysia	15	45	13	23	40	(46)	42	21	199
14	Moldova	35	(42)	31	17	35	37	20	26	201
15	Mexico	(44)	42	33	22	22	29	26	29	202
16	Czech Republic	56	55	35	30	6	43	17	22	208
17	Montenegro	(51)	27	27	16	19	39	37	46	211
18	Serbia	48	15	28	23	(57)	33	25	40	212
19	South Africa	27	23	18	43	17	45	(51)	45	218
20	Seychelles	34	26	(46)	42	23	22	38	43	227
21	Peru	26	11	44	40	34	55	26	(57)	236
22	Monaco	38	46	25	46	32	41	19	(50)	247
23	Dominican Republic	35	29	42	47	(57)	39	29	31	252
24	Cook Islands	41	(51)	47	46	48	44	44	31	301
25	Kyrgyzstan	(53)	50	48	52	41	51	50	49	340
26	Egypt	51	48	44	51	(52)	52	42	52	340
27	Iran	52	54	(55)	54	55	51	43	53	362
28	Bulgaria	47	54	54	(55)	51	54	55	53	368

[Dan man]

At the Star World Sailing Championships in France, Ireland's Peter O'Leary and David Burrows have dropped back to third place overall after a 12th place finish in today's race. The scores are very tight at the top and the Irish lads are right up there with the best in the world. All to play for.

[Skid]

Many thanks for all of these updates, Dan man, you are doing great work.

It really demonstrates how much effort goes into just qualifying for the Olympics. For every athlete who makes it to London there are many more near misses. Hopefully we can swell the ranks of the team in the coming weeks.

[Dan man]

Originally Posted by Skid

It really demonstrates how much effort goes into just qualifying for the Olympics. For every athlete who makes it to London there are many more near misses. Hopefully we can swell the ranks of the team in the coming weeks.

Indeed, making the Olympics in this day and age takes a monumental effort and an unthinkable level of dedication so anyone who on the Olympic team wins my respect. It's always very unfortunate to see anyone miss out narrowly, not because they were a let-down, but because I can see how much time and commitment these guys invest in their chosen disciplines.

Very good news obviously about James Espey, I'd have high hopes for the 470 duo also when their qualification event gets underway shortly. I make it that we have 43 athletes on the team now and should get a fair few more onto that total by the end of the various qualification deadlines.

[Dan man]

At the Men's Star World Sailing Championships in Hyeres, France, the Irish team of Peter O'Leary and David Burrows continued to perform well and placed 7th in race number four. Their consistency means that the pair remain in third place behind Olympic champions Iain Percy/Andrew Simpson and just one point behind the World champion duo from Brazil.
Here is the provisional results:
http://www.starworlds2012.com/index....id=169&lang=en

However, if you take the discard score into account you get a more accurate picture of things and the current standings looks as follows (top 10):

Position	Country	Points
1	Great Britain	8
2	Poland	9
3	IRELAND	14
4	Brazil	15
5	Switzerland	19
6	Denmark	23
7	Greece	23
8	France	25
9	Germany	30
10	Norway	31

As you can see, O'Leary and Burrows still remain 3rd if you take into account the discard rule and are very much in the hunt of silverware. It's a rest day tomorrow for Star fleet sailing so no action until Thursday.

[Dan man]

At the Men's 49er World Sailing Championships, the Irish duo Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern placed 18th in race 5 and followed this with a superb victory in race 6. This means they move up to 41st position overall but they will not be happy with their current placing. Still, much more racing to come so there is plenty of scope to improve their ranking.

[Dan man]

At the World Championships for Modern Pentathlon Ireland's Natalya Coyle suffered a bitter blow by placing 13th in her qualification heat with only the top 12 advancing to Saturday's final. This could prove to be a very unfortunate result in terms of Natalya's Olympic hopes as she would have hoped to reach the final where mega points are up for grabs.
Nevertheless the large positive for her is that this is not a definitive blow to her Olympic chances just yet as a good result in the World Cup final will help put her Olympic dream back on track but today's disappointment will mean that her workload has been made considerably harder now in terms of securing a London 2012 berth.
Hoping that Arthur Lanigan-O'Keeffe will have better luck in his heat tomorrow. He is in a fairly similar situation to Natalya so a place in the final here will help to ease his anxiety.

[Dan man]

Very exciting times for Irish Sailing as the Irish duo of Peter O'Leary and David Burrows are in bronze medal position at the Men's Star World Championships with the competition coming to a climax with tomorrow's final race. The Irish team are on 26 points after they discarded today's result (18th place from race 5) meaning they have a 3 point advantage over the 4th placed team from Poland. Here is a link to the current standings:

http://www.starworlds2012.com/index....id=170&lang=en

If the Irish lads bring home silverware from this competition, confidence will be sky high ahead of the Olympics, where they will race in very familiar waters in Weymouth, a place where Peter in particular has experienced huge success in the recent past. Best of luck to them tomorrow, would be amazing for Irish sailing to get a crew onto the podium.

Elsewhere, at the World Laser Championships for men in Boltenhagen, Germany, Ireland's James Espey finished the competition in 37th place overall, a best ever result for the 28-year-old Belfast sailor.