SailingFaraway from storm force winds and lashing rain, the inviting waters off Key Biscayne in Florida, and down under in Port Philip, Melbourne, are the latest deciding grounds for the forthcoming Beijing Olympic sailing regatta in August.
To date two Irish boats have made the grade in the Finn single-handed and Men's 470 double-handed classes.
The question, which will be looming ever larger in the coming weeks, is whether this line-up will grow further?
The Miami Olympic Classes Regatta (MOCR) reaches its climax today with the medal race finale for the top 10 boats in every discipline in keeping with the new format for the Olympic regatta itself.
But while the MORC is an indicator event in itself, it is only the decider for the Paralympic Games that sees two Irish boats in narrow contention for the sole place available to an Irish boat in the Sonar class.
Since last summer, this contest has been a close battle between veteran skipper John Twomey along with Brian O'Mahony and Anthony Hegarty against fellow Kinsale sailors Paul McCarthy with Richard Whealey and Paul Ryan.
All week the two boats have been in the top 10 of their class with Twomey's star once again slightly higher after expectations last summer that McCarthy had finally found an edge over his clubmate.
Not so it seems as both boats go into today's final on equal points in fourth and fifth places for Twomey and McCarthy respectively.
Watching from the sidelines on this side of the Atlantic will be Maurice "Prof" O'Connell, who isn't competing this week due to an injury to his hand that has put him out of action since Christmas.
Following surgery, he is making a speedy recovery and the injury is reported to be healing ahead of schedule.
O'Connell and crewman Ben Cooke will be watching their main rivals for the Star keelboat place at the games, Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks, ahead of their final opportunity for qualification in April at the World Championships.
Treacy and Shanks are sailing well in Miami and in a strong fleet of 64 boats have managed to hold a top-20 placing this week including a third place.
Laser Radial single-hander Ciara Peelo from Malahide stands close to qualification for the medal race in a highly creditable position, narrowly outside the top 10 which will be regarded as very positive for her prospects of future selection for the games.
Meanwhile, Maryborough House in Cork is the venue for today's annual 'Lunch by the Lee' in aid of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
The event is regularly a sell-out and especially so this year and little surprise considering the Guest of Honour is none other than Brad Butterworth of Team Alinghi, holders of the America's Cup who is certain to provide some unique insights into the current wranglings over the 33rd contest for the world's oldest sporting trophy.
