Displaying items by tag: Finn Lynch
Finn Lynch World Cup Medal Race Live Here at 12.15 (Irish time)!
The National Yacht Club's Finn Lynch races in the men’s single-handed Laser medal race final at the World Cup in Genoa at approximately midday and has a chance of a podium finish. He's the only Irish sailor to finish in a medal race position following a week of sailing by a 13-member Irish sailing team at the third round of the World Cup.
Lynch previously competed in medal races at the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma just two weeks ago and the Miami Olympic classes regatta in February.
His Medal race is scheduled for 12.15 and viewable below:
Finn Lynch Racing for Laser World Cup Medal in Genoa
The National Yacht Club's Finn Lynch will look for the podium finish that he has so narrowly missed twice this season when he sails in the medal race final in the Men’s single-handed Laser event at the Hempel World Sailing Cup Series at Genoa to be sailed on Easter Sunday.
This is the third consecutive world-class event this season that the Carlow sailor has reached the top 10. Lynch is within eight points of achieving a podium place and all 10 finalists are close enough to each be a contender for a medal result.
Finn Lynch is the only Irish sailor of a nine-boat squad to make a World Cup medal race this week.
Heading into the Medal Race, Pavlos Kontides (CYP) holds an eight-point advantage over Jonatan Vadnai (HUN). Hermann Tomasgaard (NOR) is in contention for gold, 13 points off but he has four sailors within five points of him so he’ll be aiming to keep hold of his podium position rather than fighting for a gold.
Howth Yacht Club Sailors Make Gold Fleet Cut
In addition to Lynch reaching the medal race final, the last day of Gold fleet racing saw Howth’s Ewan McMahon and Aoife Hopkins both deliver top three results in the Men’s Laser and Women’s Laser Radial events respectively. Hopkins steadily improved over the course of the week from the back of her class to 24th overall, marking her return to competition form after six months of winter training.
The week-long series at Genoa has been beset by light winds causing frequent delays and cancellations to the racing schedule.
The Men’s single-handed Laser medal race final will be sailed at Genoa at approximately midday on Sunday 21st April. Lynch previously competed in medal races at the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma just two weeks ago and the Miami Olympic classes regatta in February.
Full results are here. Check out all our Irish Olympic sailing coverage in the build-up to Tokyo 2020 here
Medal race at 12.15. Live link here
There was Laser fleet drama for the National Yacht Club's top performing Finn Lynch yesterday when he was disqualified from the second race of the day following a black flag in his 111-boat fleet. So tight are the points at the top of the Laser fleet that even with his super consistency (four results from six in the top ten so far), the race six DSQ result dropped the 22-year-old from third to sixth overall and he is now nine points off the overall lead.
He described his day on the water as 'mixed' (he had an eighth in his first race) but reaching the top ten of this ultra-competitive gold fleet cut is an achievement in itself.
Three races will be attempted today to determine the top-10 boats to sail in the medal race final on Sunday and Lynch will be determined to keep up his medal race participation after top ten finishes twice already this season in Miami and Palma.
The Carlow veteran of the Rio 2016 Olympics had started the day in the top three of his event and posted two top-10 results. However, he was disqualified for early starting in his final race eight, this meant he had to count his earlier worst score, an 18th place. That dropped Lynch to sixth place overall but just four points from the top three ahead of Sunday’s medal race final.
2017 and 2018 Laser World Champion Pavlos Kontides (CYP) is the model of consistency in the 111-boat Laser fleet. The Cypriot is the only competitor that does not hold a double-digit score and it has resulted in him grabbing the lead.
The Laser pack completed their opening series on Friday and will advance to gold and silver fleet racing on Saturday before Sunday’s Medal Race.
Kontides will carry a four-point advantage over Jonatan Vadnai (HUN) in the gold fleet. Hempel World Cup Series Miami gold medallist Hermann Tomasgaard (NOR) is third overall but there is minimal separation at the top of the pack and with three races to follow, anything can happen.
Gold Fleet for Aoife Hopkins
In the Women’s Laser Radial event, after a poor start, Howth Yacht Club’s Aoife Hopkins overtook Aisling Keller in the stakes to qualify for the Gold fleet. Tipperary sailor Keller will now sail in the Silver fleet final series after narrowly missing out by just two points.
Full results are here. Check out all our Irish Olympic sailing coverage in the build-up to Tokyo 2020 here
Before setting off for next week's World Cup Regatta in Genoa, Italy, Finn Lynch gives some thoughts on his great result last week at the Palma Regatta where the Viking Marine Ambassador placed fourth overall.
'I meant business in Palma. The only notable difference in this regatta to other regattas in the past was between my ears! Before the race, I created some strategies with some Irish Sailing coaches and my sports psych to help get me into the zone. It worked.
"I'm excited to have made a leap forwards & pumped to try back it up next week in Genoa"
In Laser sailing your focus needs to be constantly changing from speed, tactics, strategy, checking for the jury, risk management, thinking ahead, among other things and when you focus on one aspect at the wrong time you lose. An example might be if you are deciding whether you should tack or not and you hit a bad wave and lose a boat length that might cost you a lot later on in the race.
This makes Laser sailing so hard but so rewarding when things come together.
I'm excited to have made a leap forwards and pumped to try back it up next week in the Genoa World Cup.'
Finn Lynch Finishes Fourth in Palma, Disappointed Not to Medal But 'Delighted' With Overall Performance
Finn Lynch, Ireland's only medal race contender at the Princess Sofia Trophy this week, has finished fourth overall, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal position in an exciting Laser dinghy finale in a breezy Bay of Palma today.
Despite not making the podium at the final hurdle, the overall result is a major breakthrough for the 21-year-old National Yacht Club sailor who still needs to secure his Tokyo 2020 berth.
The Rio 2016 Olympian had been in second overall earlier in the series and qualified for the top ten medal race final on Saturday morning in seventh place beating, among others, former Olympic champion Robert Scheidt of Brazil.
High winds and big seas delayed the final race but it still went ahead in the challenging waves.
“If I was offered fourth at the start of this regatta I’d have taken it without thinking”
“I think if I was offered fourth at the start of this regatta I’d have taken it without thinking,” he said after the medal race ended. “I sailed really well and I’m super happy with fourth overall.”
There were 187 competitors in his event that included multiple Olympic and world champions and Lynch’s consistent form continues to mark his progress after also making the medal race final in Miami two months ago.
“When I came out of the harbour, I had a big smile on my face that I saw the big waves; I was really excited. I know a lot of people think I can’t perform in those conditions so I hope I’ve proved some people wrong and others right that no matter what the conditions I can still do well.”
The fleet also included Howth’s Ewan McMahon who ended the Gold fleet series on Friday in 29th place overall and is the top Under 21-year old as a result.
Full results are here Check out all our Irish Olympic sailing coverage in the build-up to Tokyo 2020 here
Passing one boat on the final leg of the medal showdown was enough to secure a first major regatta title for the USA’s Christopher Barnard. The sailor from Newport Beach, Calif. lead into the medal race which was won by GBR’s Eliot Hanson who finished runner up ahead of his two times World Champion compatriot Nick Thompson.
Barnard misses out on US selection to the test event to fifth placed Charlie Buckingham – their selection is aggregated over Miami and Palma - but was pleased to round out his regatta win.
“I'm extremely happy, relieved and emotionally exhausted.” Grinned Barnard, “This is by far the biggest regatta I've won. I've been happy with the way I've sailed all week and today I showed a really good fight. That's probably what I'm most proud of.”
“All week I sailed really consistently to put myself in a strong position going into another race and it definintely didn't start according to plan. Big breeze like today has never been my strongest condition but it's been a work in progress.”
“Charlie will go to the test event. For myself I'm disappointed with Miami, I didn't finish very well. I did everything I needed to do here to have a good result, but Charlie earned that spot, He sailed two really consistent events. So I will work hard to keep on improving and focus on our Olympic Trials.”
After a stand out performance this week, the National Yacht Club's Finn Lynch (21) can take a silver or bronze medal in tomorrow's medal race final of the Laser class at the Princess Sofia regatta in Mallorca.
Lynch is lying seventh from 187 slipping back from the second overall he held going into today's final two gold fleet races.
"I'm three points off bronze after a mixed day on the water. I sailed well in Race 1 and had a big catch up to finish 12. I'm disappointed with my Race two result of 26 in tricky 10-15 knot winds and big waves. Very excited for the medal race tomorrow and be in contention for a podium finish!", the young Irish contender said after racing.
Ewan McMahon is Top U21 Performer
In the same event, Howth Yacht Club’s Ewan McMahon ended his Gold fleet series today in 29th place overall in only his first ever appearance at Gold fleet senior level and he comfortably becomes the top sailor aged under 21 in the Laser competition.
Lynch and McMahon have both sailed a gruelling 10-race schedule since Monday in a full range of conditions. A third Irish Laser sailor, Liam Glynn from Belfast Lough, won the final two races to win the Bronze fleet but was disappointed not to feature higher in the overall standings.
At 19, Lynch was the youngest competitor in his class when he made his Olympic debut at Rio 2016.
The annual Princess Sofia regatta for Olympic classes is celebrating its 50thanniversary this year and has attracted a bigger than usual with more than 800 boats and 1,300-plus athletes taking part across all ten Olympic disciplines.
The Laser class medal will be sailed at 1100 (Irish time) on Saturday 6th April.
Full results are here Check out all our Irish Olympic sailing coverage in the build-up to Tokyo 2020 here
Finn Lynch Back in Second Overall in Palma, National Yacht Club Sailor Now Just Two Points off Leader
The National Yacht Club's Finn Lynch is just two points off the overall lead of the 170-boat Laser fleet in a breakthrough performance at Mallorca’s 50th anniversary Trofeo Princesa Sofia Iberostar Regatta.
A 13 and a 5 scored today in changeable conditions by the 22-year-old Count Carlow sailor have put him back into second overall after eight races sailed.
The result puts Lynch, a Viking Marine Ambassador, firmly into Saturday's top ten medal race final and with it the tantalising prospect of Ireland's first ever Laser medal from Palma.
Howth Yacht Club's Ewan McMahon, the U21 sailor competing in his second ever senior international regatta made the gold fleet and is placed 30th.
Keeping his own focus – controlling the controllables as the coaches are fond of saying - and trying not to concern himself with the performance of his selection rivals, is clearly working for the young USA sailor Chris Barnard who stepped to the top of the giant Laser fleet today. His main selection rival is 2016 Olympian Charlie Buckingham who lies eighth after today.
“Key for me today was avoiding the bad race in these crazy conditions. It was about keeping focused and composed and I managed that.” Said Barnard, “I tried to keep going fast and avoid the big risks. Our trials for the test event are Miami and here. I have to make up ten places on Charlie. I am just focused on what I need to do. I can’t control him.”
The trials for the one GBR Laser spot have five serious contenders. At the end of today three are in the top seven, Elliot Hansen vaulting into third overall as Lorenzo Chiavarini – who started the day in second – had a bitterly painful day, scoring a 34th and then a DNF which drop him to seventh overall.
“It was a terrible day. The last race I came off the start line in decent pressure and the left side was then completely cut out of wind. Then I was in a hole for a couple of minutes. It is desperate when these are the trials.” Chiavarani explained.
Past world champion Nick Thompson of GBR won the first race and now lies fifth while young Lynch holds on to second, two points off the lead.
Full results are here Check out all our Irish Olympic sailing coverage in the build-up to Tokyo 2020 here
The National Yacht Club's Finn Lynch stays top five overall in the Laser class as the split from qualifying to finals racing arrived yesterday at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Iberostar. The strongest breeze of the regatta so far arrived as if on cue. The step up to gold fleet racing can be a blessing or a curse but for Lynch, who is having a stand out performance this week, it is definitely another blessing that follows on directly from a similarly stellar performance last January in Miami.
Norway’s Hermann Tomasgaard still leads the men, rallying to a ninth after 23rd place wobble in the first Finals race. Lynch had a 14th and a 23rd place which he discarded as his worst score to date.
Howth's Ewan McMahon Makes Gold Fleet
In another stand out performance for Ireland, Howth Yacht Club's under-21 sailor Ewan McMahon made the gold fleet cut at only his second attempt at senior level. In fact, McMahon was racing alongside Lynch at one stage before finishing in the 20s in their 60-strong gold fleet. The 2016 Laser Radial World silver medalist has embarked on his own Olympic campaign after a string of Laser successes at youth level.
Adding to the strong showing for the British team overall today, Lorenzo Chiavarini won the second contest and lies second. Racing continues today.
Full results are here Check out all our Irish Olympic sailing coverage in the build-up to Tokyo 2020 here
Laser Sharp Finn Lynch Stays Second Overall In Palma
Consistency in tricky conditions has enabled Finn Lynch to maintain his second overall in a stand out performance after four races at Palma, Mallorca’s giant Trofeo Princesa Sofia regatta. It heightens the prospect of a medal race finish – and maybe more – this Saturday for the National Yacht Club solo sailor.
"I'm delighted with a big catch up in Race 1 to finish second after rounding the first mark in 13th", the 22-year-old said, chalking up his third second of the regatta in a scoresheet with four top five results (currently discarding a fifth from race four).
Norway’s Miami winner in January Herrmann Tomasgaard leads the Laser class from Lynch and while there may be some notable absentees in the massive 170-boat entry (such as world ranked number one Sam Meech of New Zealand and Olympic champion Tom Burton of Australia) there is no doubting the significance of the Dublin Bay sailor's breakthrough in Palma. In his wake in these qualifying rounds are, for example, double world champion, Britain's Nick Thompson in 12th and in 23rd place Robert Scheidt the Brazilian sailor, who has won two gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze from five Olympic Games.
Howth's Ewan McMahon, the 2016 Laser Radial World silver medalist, now embarked on an Olympic campaign is 48th. Ballyholme's Liam Glynn is 156th in the regatta that kick starts the Olympic classes season in Europe.
Full results are here
The fleet will be split into gold, silver and bronze divisions on Thursday.
"Delighted" Finn Lynch Lying in Second Place in Palma
Two seconds for a delighted Finn Lynch puts the Laser sailor second overall in the 187-boat fleet in the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma this morning. It's an explosive start as the Dublin Bay sailor goes in search of Olympic qualification for Tokyo this season and, what's more, it follows on from impressive results obtained at the first round of the World Cup Miami in January too.
"I'm delighted with the results today and keen to push on tomorrow" Lynch declared.
The performance was all the more impressive for the 22-year-old, who acts as a Viking Marine Ambassador, as he led for most of the opening race only to suffer a yellow flag penalty from an on-the-water race judge.
A long opening day of the 50th anniversary edition of the regatta was more frustrating for the classes which were sent out to race earlier in the day, the Nacra 17, Lasers and Laser Radials racing out from Ca’n Pastilla had to contend with an unsettled, very light offshore wind before the afternoon sea breeze which took time to fill.
Howth Yacht Club's Ewan McMahon (Under 21) is 40th and Ballyholme's Liam Glynn is 130th having not competed in the first race.
Results are here. Read more about Irish hopes for Tokyo 2020 here.