SAILING:WITH JUST four months left to the Olympic Regatta at Qingdao, the final shape of the Ireland squad is being decided following last week's Star class World Championship that saw another place for Ireland secured.

The next seven days will determine the names of the remaining athletes which will be forwarded by the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) to the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) for selection to the national team.

Four disciplines have reached the Olympic standard, with two already selected by the OCI. The ISA this week exercised their option to shorten the selection process for the women's Laser Radial by confirming Ciara Peelo would be nominated, ending Debbie Hanna's hopes of representing Ireland in China. Peelo secured the national place at the class world championships in New Zealand last month.

Peelo joins Tim Goodbody (Finn, single-handed) and Ger Owens with Phil Lawton (470, men's double-handed dinghy) who have already been confirmed on the national team.

But a judgment process worthy of Solomon now rests before the ISA's Olympic group as they decide which Irish crew will be nominated for Ireland in the Star keelboat event.

Last week saw the Star World Championships sailed in Miami, where three Irish boats were in contention for the four remaining national places at the games.

In a 118-strong fleet, claiming one of these slots had been heralded as a tall order for the last 10 months, but in the final analysis Ireland had two boats inside the standard.

But results from Miami aren't going to make the task of selecting just one of the three crews an easy prospect for the ISA's group next Wednesday.

Of the three, it was Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks who secured the national place by finishing 14th overall in the world championship. Their well-established campaign began prior to the last Olympics, though it went through a hiatus due to injury before returning to active competition last year.

Next best-overall performers were the new kids on the block in the shape of Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne, who only started campaigning in recent months but have already won a race in each of the major events contested this year, including winning the final of the Star Worlds last week.

Significantly, this pair were also inside the nomination standard for the event with a final place of 17th overall. But for a broken mast in race three, O'Leary and Milne would have taken eighth overall.

The third boat features Maurice O'Connell with Ben Cooke, who ended 49th overall, a stark contrast to their performance at last year's worlds when they missed qualifying Ireland by one place.

Two black flag disqualifications for early starting last week weighed heavily on their points tally.

"We had a disappointing regatta and the two black flags were a curse that were very hard to come back from," O'Connell told The Irish Times this week.

"I'd like to sincerely congratulate both boats for reaching qualifying standard at the worlds. Max and Anthony, and Peter and Stephen sailed an excellent world championship. Ben and I are very proud of what we've achieved and remain confident of our ability."

The ISA group must now decide how to parse the results and arrive at a clear decision of which of the three crews to nominate to the OCI. There will be elation for one and huge disappointment for the others within 10 to 14 days.

Meanwhile, the Lombard Finance On the Water Boat Show is under way at Malahide Marina, Co Dublin, until Sunday. Fifty exhibitors and more than 150 boats will be on display, ranging in size from 10ft to 82ft in both sail and power.

branigan@indigo.ie