Ireland's defending Under-23 49er European champions Ben O’Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain have been forced to delay their title defence at the 2026 Junior European Championships in Vilamoura, Portugal, after Storm Charles prevented racing on opening day.
O’Shaughnessy of the Royal Cork Yacht Club and Spain of the National Yacht Club are among the Irish sailors entered in the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 Junior European Championships. Ireland is also represented in the 49erFX by Elysia O’Leary of the Royal St George Yacht Club and Alana Twomey of the Royal Cork Yacht Club.
As Afloat reported in its pre-regatta preview, the Irish 49er pairing arrive in Portugal as defending European junior champions, having also finished fifth at the 2026 Junior World Championships. Their involvement gives the regatta a particular Irish focus as the fleet waits for conditions to improve.
Storm Charles Stops Opening Races
Organisers cancelled Wednesday's (11 November) opening racing programme after Portuguese authorities declared a state of alert across mainland Portugal. Three races had been scheduled to start at noon, but no boats went out.
Faro district was placed under the highest-level red warning for wind and rain by Portugal's meteorological agency, IPMA, with gusts forecast to reach 120km/h and up to 140km/h along the coast. An orange sea-state warning was also issued for the Algarve coast.
Unsettled weather was expected to continue until at least Friday, leaving the revised racing programme dependent on the conditions and the race committee's safety assessment.
