Providence sponsoring Irish sailing team in the run up to Rio 2016
Providence sponsoring Irish sailing team in the run up to Rio 2016
Pictured: Tony O’Reilly and Annalise Murphy
The Irish Sailing Association has announced today that Providence Resources plc is to sponsor the Irish sailing team for the run up to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
This sponsorship follows a six month deal in 2012, which provided the team with additional resources in preparation for the London Games.
The Irish sailing team will be named Providence Team IRL for the period and joint branding will be rolled out over the coming weeks.
“Providence Resources were so proud of the Irish sailing team at the Games in 2012 and we know they can achieve so much more,” said Providence chief executive Tony O’Reilly. “We want to provide the team with the support to reach their goals in 2016.”
“We are delighted with the commitment and confidence shown by Providence Resources in our sailors,” said Alan Crosbie, vice chairman, ISA Olympic Steering Group.
“We very much appreciated the support they provided prior to London 2012 and this new partnership will offer a more secure training platform four years out from the games.”
At the moment, 2016 sailing team members include: Olympic – Annalise Murphy, (Laser Radial), Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern, (49er), and James Espey (Laser); and Paralympic – John Twomey (Sonar) and Ian Costello (Sonar).
A number of other campaigns are currently in training to reach qualification for 2016 including two campaigns in the new all female class 49erfx.
“The sponsorship from Providence means we can spend more time at the RIO venue and increase contact time our sailors have with the coaching team,” said James O’Callaghan, performance director, ISA.
2013 is the only year before Rio 2016 that Irish Paralympic and Olympic sailors will be competing in an international competition in Irish waters. The IFDS World Championships will be held in Kinsale from 22 to 30 August and John Twomey, 10-time Paralympian and the current president of the International Federation of Disabled Sailing, will be representing Ireland.
The following week (30 August to 6 September) Dublin Bay will play host to the Laser European & World Championships, which comprises: European Laser Standard Men’s Championship 2013; European Laser Radial Women’s Championship 2013’ and European & World Laser Radial Men’s Championship 2013. In addition to Annalise Murphy and James Espey, over 20 ISA Development and Performance sailors will be competing at this international event.