Providence Team IRL - 2014 Update
Channel: ProvidenceResources
Date: 2015-08-06

Sailing was one of the first sports to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympics, with three boats qualifying the nation in Santander, Spain in September 2014 – Laser, Laser Radial and 49er.
Providence Team IRL is hoping to qualify two more boats before the end of 2015 in the 49erFX class for the Olympics and Sonar for the Paralympics.
The test event in Rio gives the Irish sailors a final opportunity to familiarise themselves with the environment they will experience at the Olympics next year.
The press conference featured Providence Team IRL sailors including Irish Olympian, Annalise Murphy (4th in London Olympics 2012); 2014 ISAF World Cup Silver Medalist Ryan Seaton (49er class); 10 time Paralympian John Twomey with crew; as well as Olympic hopefuls Andrea Brewster and Saskia Tidey (49er FX class) as they prepare for their upcoming Olympic qualification event.
In addition to the Providence Team IRL, the conference also featured members of the ISA Development Academy; all campaigning for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games but with an outside chance of upsetting the odds and qualifying for Rio. 
Also announced was the news that Ireland’s Paralympic Sonar team will attempt to qualify for the Rio 2016 Games at the IFDS Combined World Championships in November in Melbourne, Australia. Helm, John Twomey from Kinsale will be hoping to qualify for his 11th successive Paralympic Games.