Following the excitement of the eSailing National Championships, a team of highly skilled and talented eSailors have been selected to represent GBR in the eSailing Nations Cup. The inaugural event organised by World Sailing, will see national teams of ten compete on virtual waters in a bid to be crowned the best eSailing country in the world.
The virtual competition kicks off this Saturday (10 October) at 9pm with competitors from across the world battling it out in back to back qualifier fleet races. All races will be streamed on the eSailing World ChampionshipFacebook page and World Sailing’s YouTube Channel.
Currently ranked no.2 in the UK, eSailGP World Champion, Mike O’Donovan (Deja-Vu) has been selected as the GBR eSailing Team Captain.
Mike said: “I am really looking forward to competing and leading the GBR team in the upcoming Nations Cup eSailing event. I feel honoured to be selected as Captain of such a good team with so many great eSailors and I hope to lead us to many wins. The competition is looking strong, so we’ll have to take each race as it comes, but we will give our best shot and if all goes well, I believe we’ve got the team to go all the way and take the win”.
The fleet events will be followed by knockout stages taking place throughout October with the surviving teams advancing to the Quarter and Semi-Finals. The top two teams will then meet in the final on 06 November to battle it out to be crowned eSailing Nations Cup Champions.
The 2020 GBR eSailing Nations Cup team, captained by Déjà vu:
| Donnie Gillies
Race name: Donnie Gillies (formerly Maradonnie) Sailing Club: Castle Semple Sailing Club – Scotland Experience: Winner of inaugural British e-sailing championships 2019. 2ndin 1995 Scottish Champion of Champions
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| Mike O’Donovan – Team Captain
Race name: Déjà vu Sailing Club: Stokes Bay Sailing Club / ASYC – South Region Experience: eSailGP World Champion, RYA Class Champion, 2nd RYA Club Champs
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| Alasdair Ireland – GBR National Champion
Race name: speedy_1 Sailing Club: Royal Northern & Clyde Sailing Club – Scotland Experience: Winner of RYA eSailing Club Championships, Winner of Royal Northern & Clyde eSailing Series
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| Douglas Newell
Race name: TP52GLAD Sailing Club: Island Sailing Club – South Region Experience: Half tonner -Round the Island race (x8), Cowes Week (x4), double handed series Royal southern (x3), Nab tower race (x6). Boat captain / Boatbuilder Gladiator Sailing Team
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| Adam McGovern
Race name: AdamGP14 Sailing Club: Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club – North West Region Experience: 2019 GP14 Northern Champs – 2nd, RYA eSailing Demo Event: 1st, GP14 eSailing Irish Nationals: 1st, GP14 eSailing World Championships: 4th
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| Bryan Davies
Race name: Skippafire Sailing Club: King and Queen – South Region Experience: Lots and lots of sailing
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| Cavan Fyans
Race name: ACF Sailing Club: Ballyholme Yacht Club – Northern Ireland Experience: Local / Regional / National Laser sailor of varying success
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| Phil Manning
Race name: Phil Manning Sailing Club: Delph Sailing Club – North West Region Experience: 1st Streaker Northern Championships 2019, 1st Streaker Border Reivers Series 2019 , 2nd Streaker Northern Paddle 2019 (tied points with 1st)
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| Issy Waha
Race name: isswizz (top ranked female GBR eSailor) Sailing Club: Royal Southern Yacht Club – South Region Experience: Finalist in eSailing Youth Nationals, represented RSYC in the South eSailing Regional Finals, represented SB20 class in RYA eSailing Spring Class Championship Final
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| Hugh Brayshaw
Race name: Hugh Brayshaw Sailing Club: Lyme Regis Sailing Club – South West Region Experience: Navigator/ skipper, 3x Solitaire du Figaro sailor, 1st IRC overall RORC myth of Malhem 2019, former British Sailing Team 470 crew and 420 National Youth Champion.
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Where to watch
So tune into the eSailing World Championship Facebook Page or World Sailing’s YouTube Channel this Saturday at 9pm for all the action.
To find out more about eSailing visit www.rya.org.uk/go/esailing