Howth's Hopkins Fighting Hard for Top 20 Finish at Laser Radial Europeans

7th October 2017

Aoife Hopkins Credit: Laura Carrau

Day five of the Senior European Laser Championships in Barcelona started with the usual postponement as the sailors waited for the thermal breeze to build. It was another tricky day with light winds, big shifts and a large sea swell.

Ireland's gold fleet sailors had a mixed day. Race 1 was reasonably light with a big sea swell. Aoife Hopkins from Howth Yacht Club came out of the traps fighting hard and was rewarded with a 15th placing. The breeze built a little for Race 2 and her score wasn't as good with a 34th (discarded). She is now 20th in European Championships (European sailors only) and 22nd in the open event and meaning the young Tokyo 2020 aspirant is currently Ireland's top performer.

Over in the men's standard rig fleet fleet Rio Olympian Finn Lynch of the National Yacht Club had his toughest day yet scoring a 53rd & 41st. His overall pacing has dropped slightly to 38th in European Championship and 42nd in the open event.

Ireland's only other gold fleet sailor Ronan Wallace of Waterford Harbour also didn't have the luck of the Irish on his side and started the day with a black flag, but recovered slightly with a 44th in the second race. leaving him 49th in the European Championship and 50th overall.

In Silver fleet, Aisling Keller Lough Derg Yacht Club had her best day yet starting off with a bullet in race 1 and concluding with a 7th leaving her 55th in the European Champions and 51st overall (6th silver).

In the men's standard rig Silver fleet Ewan McMahon of Howth Yacht after a great day yesterday failed to find his momentum and scored a 16th & 39th leaving him 62nd in the European Championships and 69th overall (6th Silver)

18 year old Sally Bell from Royal North Yacht Club continues to gain valuable experience in her first senior event which will benefit her for many years to come.

The Senior European Championship concludes tomorrow and two races are planned with a second discard due to take effect after the first race tomorrow.

Published in Laser

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About the ILCA/Laser Dinghy

The ILCA, formerly known as the Laser, is the most produced boat in the world, with 220,000 units built since 1971.

It's easy to see why the single-handed dinghy has won the title of the most widely distributed boat of all time.

The Laser is a one-design dinghy, the hulls being identical but three rigs that can be used according to the size and weight of the sailor.

The class is international, with sailors from 120 countries. The boat has also been an Olympic class since 1996, being both the men's and women's singlehanded dinghy.

Three rigs are recognised by the International Laser Class Association (ILCA):