Gosport sailor bidding for national glory in RYA eSailing Winter Championships

Mike O’Donovan, from Stokes Bay Sailing Club, beat 13 of the region’s finest e-racers in a virtual regatta this month.

Almost 250 sailors had competed in club qualifying events across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight prior to the regional final where competitors e-sailed against each other in a series of six live races, in a different class of boat in each race.

The 20-year-old O’Donovan - the reigning eSailGP world champion - raced to three firsts, two seconds and discarded a third place to be crowned the South champion.

He now represents his region in the National Final this coming weekend at the RYA virtual Dinghy Show.

‘With the event only having one discard, I mostly just focused on having clean starts; not going for the jugular but just playing it safe,’ said O’Donovan.

‘I just tried to keep it clean, sailing the percentages and keeping one eye on my main rivals. The game plan played out pretty well!’

As well as winning his world title last year, O’Donovan - an aerospace engineering student at the University of Southampton - led Team GB to victory in the 2020 eSailing Nations Cup.

Several of his fellow Nations Cup colleagues also took part in the South regional final, including 16-year-old runner-up Arthur Farley (Brading Haven Yacht Club) and third-placed Sandy McPherson (Netley Sailing Club).

When on the water, O’Donovan is mainly a Laser/RS200 sailor but also enjoys J/70 yacht racing on the Solent.

‘Of course the Covid-19 restrictions have hampered things but I managed to get some J/70 sailing in last autumn and I hopefully will get back out on the Laser as soon as possible,’ he said.