Two teams have been chosen to represent Ireland at this year’s ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championships Team Ireland is Laura Dillon (helm), Maria Coleman (main/tactics), Carol O’Kelly (jib/spinnaker), and Kate Nagle (Mast/Bow). The 2014 Women’s International Match Racing Series is a professional sailing circuit, hosted by the Women’s International Match Racing Association for the world’s lea
ding women match racing sailors. In match racing the crews meet two by two in exciting duels that can easily be followed and understood by the spectators. All of the venues selected for the WIM Series have great experience and a proud maritime heritage, and have been part of the development of women’s match racing over the years. They are all known for providing the absolutely best conditions for the top women’s match racing sailors of the world. About the Team
Laura (Howth YC) started her sailing in Optimists at a young age. In 1996 she won the Youth Worlds Bronze Medal and became the only woman to win the ISA Senior Helmsman’s Championship. She has campaigned at Olympic level in the 470 and Yngling classes (1998 to 2002) and competed internationally at match racing events in Australia, America, Italy and France. In 2000 she was placed 16th in the ISAF women’s match race rankings. She is the current Irish Women’s Match Racing National Champion and winner of the 2010 Irish Women’s Match Racing Nationals, Kinsale. Laura has extensive J80 experience including winning the Inter-Counties Championship, Grand Canal Dock in 2011 with an all-female team. She also won 2013 UK Women’s Open Keelboat Championship. Maria (Baltimore YC) has represented Ireland in two Olympic Games (Sydney & Athens) in the Europe Class and in 2007 was ranked 2nd in the world in the same class. She has travelled the world sailing in regattas and has won European and World Championships in the Europe Class and Match Racing. In 2001 she was the first female to receive the Irish Sailor of the year award and in 2007 was ranked 2nd in the world in the Europe Class. During these years on the circuit Maria often had to tow her own boat, sleep in her van and, in order to learn everything there was to know about boats, she even worked as a boat builder! Carol (Royal Irish YC) has been sailing since she was a child in a number of classes at National and European level, including Optimists, Lasers, 420s, J24, 1720s, and SB20s. She has also done extensive racing on J109s and Melges 24, has sailed 7 Round Ireland Races and has competed in many Team and Match racing events. She has sailed a number of events with Laura and was part of Laura’s team for Irish Women’s Match Racing National Champion crew, 2010 Irish Women’s Match Racing Nationals and 2013 UK Women’s Open Keelboat Championships. Kate (Royal Cork YC) began sailing since a young age. She has competed as crew and helm at National, European and World level in a number of classes including Mirrors, Lasers, 1720s, SB20s and has recently started sailing RS400s. She has extensive cruiser racing experience including Round Ireland and Fastnet races. Her college years were spent team racing and she was a member of the 2000 Irish Team at Student World Championships. Kate also worked on yachts for 7 years and sailed extensively around the Mediterranean during this time. ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championships will be the first leg of the Women’s International Match Racing Series (WIM Series). These World Match Racing Championship for Women is one of the world’s highest calibre sporting events. 16 international teams are expected to travel and compete. This will include some of the world’s highest-ranking match sailors, previous and potential Olympians. Entries to date have been received from New Zealand, United States, Denmark, France and the Netherlands as well as Ireland.
