Leaving out the first two races of the ILCA 6 U21 European Championship & Open European Trophy 2021 in which she added more than 80 points, Howth Yacht Club sailor Eve McMahon later became the best of the sailors in the remaining seven races, adding only 23 points compared to the 26 collected by the champion.

Undoubtedly it has been a fantastic championship for McMahon — she also claimed the U19 silver medal — and a promising future for the 17-year-old Dubliner who has her eyes set on Paris 2024.

Despite efforts to get racing away on the final day, McMahon was unable to make any further gains in the 48-boat fleet, however, as racing was abandoned in Luštica Bay, Montenegro.

Eve McMahon out in front: on the penultimate day of racing at the U21 Europeans she counted 1.0; 2.0; 2.0 to place fourth overall | Photo: Thom Touw

5-1-4-3-3-5-5-5-1 was the consistent performance showed by Marilena Makri CYP during the nine races of this Under 21 Europeans, finishing the championship with 27 points and a “5th” discard. Undoubtedly an amazing job that well deserves the Champion’s title.

Marilena will be the ILCA6 Cyprus Olympic representative next month in Tokyo, so this triumph will serve her well in pursuing her Olympic dreams.

The second and third places were for other great and well-known youth European sailors: Chiara Benini ITA and Alessia Palanti CZE. The Italian sailor – 2019 Youth Sailing World Champion and 2017 Laser 4.7 Youth Champion – alternated the leadership with Marilena within the week, and finished finally second with 32 points. The Czech sailor – 2019 Laser 4.7 Youth European champion in Hyeres – completed the overall podium on third with 41 units.

Download results below

17–year–old Eve McMahon of Howth Yacht Club lies 15 points off the podium going into the final day of racing at the 2021 EurILCA Under 21 European Championships and Open European Trophy in Tivat, Montenegro.

The Dublin Paris 2024 campaigner had a brilliant day scoring a 1-2-2 yesterday and moving to fourth overall with 56 points. 

A sunny day with a nice 12-16 knots started the Final series. All three races scheduled were sailed under wonderful sea breeze conditions yesterday. 

The ILCA 6 (radial) girl’s championship is a single fleet of 47 and counts 9 races sailed to date.

Sailors on top of the fleet are showing consistency and performing across different sailing conditions.

Marilena Makri CYP and Chiara Benini ITA have been swapping the first and second positions every day. The Cyprus next Olympic representative holding the top place with 27 points. Chiara is only five points behind with 32. It’s not only that five points gap but their current discards (5th vs 48th DSQ) that makes Marilena the favourite to win the championship today.

Alessia Palanti CZE is only 9 points behind the Italian with 41 and a 17 pt discard with Eve in fourth. Download results below. 

As regular Afloat readers will know, Eve is a former Irish youth national Radial Champion winning at Royal Cork in May 2019 before going on to take the Under-17 World title in Kingston, Ontario that August, also impressively finishing third in the overall competition.

Howth Yacht Club teenager Eve McMahon leads Irish hopes at the final international event before the Olympic Games at the Allianz regatta at Medemblik, Holland this week and lies in 11th place in the 58-boat women's ILCA 6/Radial fleet.

Ireland's Tokyo nominated Annalise Murphy is 32nd and McMahon's clubmate Aoife Hopkins is 45th.

The second day of racing at the Hempel World Cup Series - Allianz Regatta saw the leaderboards take shape in the ILCA 6, ILCA 7, Men's and Women's RS:X and the Nacra 17.

Having been in the top ten after the first day's racing, McMahon stays on target for a gold fleet place just two points outside the top ten.

For the ILCA 7, it saw an end to their qualification phase with the top half of the pack progressing to the gold fleet and the lower half settling for the silver.

Thursday's racing played out in a stronger breeze than the day before with 7-10 knots prevalent across the two racing areas in Medemblik, The Netherlands.

Sailors looked to play some of the shifts on the water to maintain their position in the fleet as they target the Medal Races this coming Sunday.

The seven-boat Women's RS:X fleet is compiled of seven Tokyo 2020 athletes, all of whom who have their eyes on a medal at the Olympic Games.

Katy Spychakov (ISR) snapped up two races wins and leads on six points. Marta Maggetti (ITA) won the days other race and is second on seven points.

Tokyo 2020 will be Patricia Freitas' fourth Olympic Games. She is using Medemblik to continue her Games preparations and is currently in fourth, two points off the third placed Lilian de Geus (NED).

Racing continues on Friday 4 June from 10:30 local time.

Full results here

Annalise Murphy’s training partner Eve McMahon of Howth Yacht Club was interviewed today at the Lanzarote Winter Series. Watch the interview below. 

The young Irish Olympic aspirant was talking to Laser coach Jon Emmett about today’s breezy conditions that saw a number of broken rigs.

The Irish and Danish sailing teams have teamed up for some winter training in the Canary Islands so it's turned out to be quite a training camp for the 16-year-old Dubliner who is this week away from the schoolbooks and instead lining-up with the Rio silver and bronze medalists.

A determined Eve McMahon of Howth Yacht Club in today's strong downwind legs of the Lanzarote Winter Series

McMahon, who is the youngest competitor on the ILCA 6 circuit, is aiming for Paris 2024 and Lanzarote’s testing conditions today her with plenty of practice.

Annalise Murphy v Ann-Marie Rindom

In 20-knots and waves, Murphy broke Ann-Marie Rindom’s perfect scoreline and Ireland’s breeze queen earned her first race win in race five. But the Danish Olympic bronze medalist was back on form with a win in race six to lead overall with five wins so far on five points overall. Murphy too counts a consistent scoreline of 3, 2,2,2, and 1 to be on ten points overall in second.

Anne Marie Rindom of Denmark leads Ireland's Annalise Murphy in the ILCA 6 class of the Lanzarote Winter Series

McMahon is lying in 19th place overall in the 40-boat fleet and had a seventh in race four, her best result of the regatta so far.

Results here.  Lighter winds are forecast for tomorrow's penultimate day of racing. 

Olympic silver medalist Annalise Murphy marked her return to competition after a three-month break with a second overall after the first day of competition in the ILCA 6 (Laser Radial) at the Lanzarote Winter Series in the Canary Islands yesterday.

The National Yacht Club ace is on seven points after three races sailed, four points behind Denmark's Anne Marie Rindom who took three straight wins in the perfect sailing conditions that prevailed off the Arrecife coast.

As Afloat reported yesterday, a 39-boat fleet drawn from 25 countries is contesting the 14-race regatta that runs until Thursday as part of its winter training schedule.

The only Irish sailor so far qualified for Tokyo 2021 scored 3, 2, 2 in her boat named 'Ricky Bobby'.

Howth Yacht Club's Eve McMahon counted a 'Did Not Compete (DNC) in race two and is placed 30th. 

Finn Lynch lying sixth

In the men's ILCA 7 (Laser) class, Murphy's club mate Finn Lynch lies sixth overall in a 30-boat men's Laser (ILCA 7) fleet from 14 countries.

The fleet includes Robert Scheidt but the Brazilian legend, who is the holder of two gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze from five Olympic Games, is not having things his own way with France's Jean Baptiste Bernaz leading by four points and Lynch beating Scheidt in race two. 

Howth Yacht Club's Ewan McMahon lies 11th and Tom Higgins of the Royal St. George Yacht Club is in 30th.

Results here.

Annalise Murphy snatched a second place in today's final race of Women’s Laser Radial European Championships in Poland but that's as far as the good news went for Ireland's only sailor to be nominated (so far) for the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.

There’s no doubt the Rio silver medalist will be disappointed with her final position in 27th an event the National Yacht Club sailor previously won in 2013.

Aoife Hopkins - 32nd overall in Poznan Photo: Thom Touw 

Aoife Hopkins finished 32nd in gold fleet, while Howth clubmate Eve McMahon also had a solid event – at 16 years old (and a 2019 Under-17 Radial World Champion) she was by far the youngest in the fleet, and her qualification for the gold fleet and final position in 45th place is an indication of her bright future.

Eve McMahon - at 16 the youngest sailor to make gold fleet at the Radial Europeans Photo: Thom Touw

Bouwmeester is Euro Champion

The reigning 2020 World and 2016 Olympic champion Marit Bouwmeester NED (2-1) surpassed the reigning 2019 European champion Anne Marie Rindom DEN (19-16) on the last day to be crowned the new 2020 Women’s Senior European champion for the fourth time in her career.

Anne Marie governed the fleet during the whole event but had a terrible day today, scoring her worst two races in the whole championship, ruining the 20 points lead she had this morning.

Marit looked revitalised instead after the Yellow flag penalty received yesterday, and after that DNC she scored her best 4-1-2-1 results to climb to the top and grab her name on both the Worlds and European titles this year.

"I knew that it would be very difficult. All I could do is sail as good as possible. I’ve sailed a great day and were lucky that Anne Marie had a difficult day. Which is obviously out of my control" – Marit Bouwmeester NED

“It was not my day today. I let my emotions affect me today and I sailed under my level. I’m very disappointed and sad but it’s a part of sport. I got to learn from it and come back stronger “, confessed Anne Marie Rindom (DEN)

The Bronze medal was finally for local sailor Agata Barwinska POL (15-7), overcoming Greek Vasileia Karachaliou GRE (29-14) by 5 points.

Results here

A cut-short Olympic trial in the women's Laser Radial class has handed trials leader and Rio silver medalist Annalise Murphy selection for the Tokyo Olympics as Afloat reports here. News of this week's decision, however, has left two of the trialists, Aoife Hopkins and Aisling Keller, 'upset' and 'devasted' and questioning why the decision was ratified by the Irish Sailing board with the postponed Olympic Games still over a year away.

A third trialist, Irish Sailing Academy sailor Eve McMahon, says the circumstances of COVID-19 could not be foreseen and the trial, in so far as it went, was a 'tremendous experience' for her.

The remaining two Olympic trials events have been cancelled due to coronavirus and – as the four trialists were informed this week – selection has been based solely on the worlds from February, an event in which the National Yacht Club's Murphy finished 12th, well clear of her Irish rivals.

Keller of Lough Derg Yacht Club whose performance at the 2019 Australian World Championships qualified Ireland's only boat for the Tokyo Olympics so far, said she is "very surprised and upset that the remainder of the trials will not happen for the 2021 Olympics".

21-year-old Hopkins of Howth Yacht Club gave a similar reaction, "I really can’t understand the decision not to continue with the trials. I am utterly and completely devastated".

Both Hopkins and Keller were quick to take to social media to express their disappointment.

Both sailors say they were aiming to catch up in the next two trials after Murphy took the lead in the first of the three planned trials in a breezy world championships in Melbourne in February.

"Over the past few years, I’ve sacrificed a lot to fulfil my dream of becoming an Olympian. I am devastated to not even have the chance to try catch up to Annalise or Aoife over two more regattas, Keller says.

A third trialist, McMahon of Howth Yacht Club, current Gold Medal holder in the Laser Radial U17s World League after success in Canada joined the trial series at Christmas and told Afloat of the 'amazing opportunity to sail and train with the Olympic Radial Development Team'.

Read the full comments below

Team manager James O'Callaghan says "Annalise’s performance in the 2020 Worlds made her a clear favourite to win the scheduled trials. By nominating her now the Irish Sailing Board have ensured that team preparations can move focus to the Olympics rather than preparing for domestic trials”. He went on to say: “for sure this is tough on Aoife but she is still very young and can benefit massively from team training planned in Tokyo".

Murphy who returned to the Radial after failing to qualify for Tokyo in the 49erFX dinghy made an immediate impact on the Radial fleet, coming close to winning the Melbourne Worlds before finishing 12th after taking two penalties in final races.

Radial Reaction

Aisling Keller - surprised and upset that the remainder of the trials will not happen for the 2021 Olympics

Aisling Keller: “On Monday I got a courtesy phone call to be informed that The Olympic spot had been given to Annalise. I am very surprised and upset that the remainder of the trials will not happen for the 2021 Olympics. Over the past few years, I’ve sacrificed a lot to fulfil my dream of becoming an Olympian. I am devastated to not even have the chance to try catch up to Annalise or Aoife over two more regattas. I was planning on doing these regattas independently i.e not with Irish sailing, as I had resigned from Irish sailing in April due to my own lack of progress and my unhappiness with how I had been treated. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my supporters for everything over the past few years, especially everyone down in Lough Derg Yacht Club and my home town of Nenagh".

Aoife Hopkins - taking some time out for reflection and to reassess

Aoife Hopkins: “On Monday I was told that Irish Sailing did not intend to reschedule the remaining two trials events. I really can’t understand the decision not to continue with the trials. I am utterly and completely devastated. I am going to take some time out for reflection and to reassess. A huge amount of hard work, dedication, blood, sweat and tears went into this journey and I will use the next while to decide what direction my life will take. No matter what path I end up on, I will always be a sportswoman and an avid sailor, whether that be big boat or small! I would like to thank my family, friends and all my supporters both from within sport and the wider community, especially from my home town of Howth".

Eve McMahon - an honour and a privilege to be training alongside Annalise Murphy

Eve McMahon: “I had an amazing opportunity to sail and train with the Olympic Radial Development Team. Training alongside the Olympic medallist Annalise Murphy was both an honour and a privilege for me and gave me tremendous inspiration and experience which helped me enormously during the run up to the 1st Olympic trial - Senior World Championships in Melbourne last February. The trial selection process was interrupted by the Covid 19 world pandemic, which nobody could have foreseen. Annalise was a whisker away from winning that World Championship. I fully support her selection and wish her the very best of luck in her Tokyo campaign and have great confidence that she has what it takes to bring back the gold medal for Irish sailing.”

A new sailing video of youth Laser Radial star Eve McMahon gives a clear understanding of why the Howth Yacht Club ace was awarded the 2019 Irish Youth Sailor of the Year Award in February.

The video below prepared for HYC members also gives an interview with the rising star who is one of four sailors seeking the Irish Radial nomination for the Tokyo Olympic Regatta, a trial that sees her up against Olympic silver medalist Annalise Murphy.

McMahon had an outstanding 2019 season becoming Irish youth national Radial Champion at Royal Cork in May 2019 before going on to take the Under-17 World title in Kingston, Ontario in August, also impressively finishing 3rd in the overall competition.

She was certainly the in-form competitor at the World Championships in Melbourne in February this year, where she won the Gold Medal again in the U17 event. 

Advancing to senior competition at 15 years-of-age is one thing but Eve has taken this a step further with her involvement in the Olympic trials, a campaign that should prove invaluable for her long-term career prospects on the international sailing circuit, not least for her ambition to advance to Olympic competition level. Eve made the most of her Transition Year by linking up and training with the Irish Olympic squad, battling back from injury and showing a determination and grit that will undoubtedly stand to her in the future.

In a first for Irish Sailing, the 2021 trialists now feature McMahon siblings in two classes with Eve’s older brother Ewan competing in the men’s Laser class and with Olympic qualification in his sights.

Eve took some time out before the COVID-19 'lockdown' to post a video on youtube to tell HYC members of her year and her plans ahead in a specially recorded interview with her other brother Jamie. The interview is below.

In her latest column for The Irish Times, athletics great Sonia O’Sullivan meets the four women in contention for Ireland’s sole Laser Radial spot at the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer.

After frustrations in her attempt to qualify in the two-handed 49erFX class, Annalise Murphy is back in the boat with which she won silver at the 2016 Olympics — Ireland’s strongest Olympic sailing result to date.

But this time there is tough competition from three women who were still coming up when she was racing for that medal in Rio — namely Aisling Keller, Aoife Hopkins and 15-year-old Eve McMahon.

All four have been training together in Melbourne, Australia since the start of the year, ahead of the Laser Radial World Championship (starting tomorrow, Friday 21 February) which will be the first of three chances between now and April for one of them to secure that coveted spot.

“Think about how that must be for them,” writes Sonia. “They know that only one of them will go to Tokyo so they wouldn’t be human if they didn’t have some sort of selfish instinct in them. It would be only natural for them to keep little bits and pieces that they’re learning back for themselves to give them a better chance of being the one who gets the spot on the boat.

“But they also know that the more they push each other, the better they make each other. And the better they make each other, the greater chance of a medal for Ireland and a better all round result for Irish sailing.”

Sonia also gets out on the water with Annalise to experience first-hand the speed and excitement of the Laser Radial — and the rush Annalise and her fellow challengers will be feeling when the training is done and the race is on.

The Irish Times has more HERE.

Eve McMahon of Howth Yacht Club, current Gold Medal holder in the Laser Radial U17s World League after success in Canada last summer, has added yet more valuable metal to her collection by emerging as U17 Gold Medal winner in this week’s Sail Melbourne Regatta, in which a total of 85 Lasers took part.

Top overall performance for Ireland (as already reported in Afloat.ie) was put in by the National YC’s Annalise Murphy, who took Silver in the Overall Women’s Division.