49er FX one year in!
by Irish Sailing Team 4 Dec 2023 01:50 PST
Irish Match Racing Team © Irish Sailing Team
In September 2022 Irish Sailing created a new development team in the Female 49er FX Olympic class. This has come about from the demand created by a growing number of women coming up through youth sailing and wanting to develop further and strive for the opportunity of International and Olympic success.
After a year of the programme, it has grown from one double handed boat to three. We interviewed Erin McIllwaine and Ellie Cunnane at the programs birth. So it is great to see how interest and enthusiasm for this section fo the sport has grown.
It requires immense commitment and desire from the individual to train and compete at this level, especially whilst balancing school or college. Charlotte Eadie and Jenna Ried are the youngest in the team at just 18, still balancing their A levels whilst honing the skills of an Olympic boat, Ellen Barbour and Erin McIlwaine are first and second year physiotherapy students from Trinity College Dublin. And to complete the team Ellen sails with Elysia O'Leary and Jenna sails with Lauren O'Callaghan, both of Dublin. The team is very young and enthusiastic to the road that lies ahead.
Their have been many a cold early morning down in Irish Sailing HQ, to allow these girls to get their conditioning training in before their respective days of study. Showing the commitment it takes to work towards the goal that lies 5 years away.
This is our class for LA 2028. The purpose of this programme is to take these women and train them into competitive individuals in all-weather, on the water, by 2028.
To achieve this, they have to adhere to this rigorous training load covering multiple gym and endurance sessions per week. Allowing them to create the strength and stamina required to last a 5 day major international event. This is in addition too as many hours on the water, in the boat as possible and developing the knowledge and skills to look after themselves nutritionally, mentally and physically whilst being in full time studies.
Irish Sailing are very excited about this programme and are keenly invested in their future and the future of females taking the international stage in our sport.