Eve McMahon leads the Irish charge moving into first place overall in the ILCA 6 fleet, after climbing two spots with a ninth and second-place finish on Day Five of Hyères Olympic Sailing Week on Friday (24 April).
The Howth Yacht Club sailor is now two points ahead of the 2024 champion at this regatta, USA’s Charlotte Rose, and hers is one of three Irish boats qualified for the Final Series this weekend.
On the final day of fleet racing, fellow Irish sailors Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove in the 49er and newcomers Erin McIlwaine (Royal St George YC/Newcastle YC) and Ellen Barbour (County Antrim Yacht Club) in the 49er also secured their places in their respective medal-deciding races.
McMahon said after Friday’s racing: “I was a little frustrated after [Thursday], so it was important to reset and put in two solid races today. The conditions made it a real game of inches with the shifts difficult to read, but I felt I managed them well.
“Heading into the Final Series it’s about staying clear and focused. The new points format adds another layer, but I’ll take it race by race and see where it leads.”
Dickson (Howth YC) and Waddilove (Skerries Sailing Club) have been a constant presence at the top of the leaderboard throughout the regatta. Conditions on Friday brought delays and abandonments creating a more challenging racing environment and the pair found the shifting breeze difficult to navigate. They recorded a number of mid-fleet finishes, but finished the day with an eighth that leaves them third overall heading into the Final Series.
In the 49erFX fleet, McIlwaine and Barbour delivered a standout performance, enjoying one of their strongest days of the regatta. Sailing four races in quick succession, they recorded a third and a sixth to move into 10th overall and secure qualification for the Final Series.
Points will now be equalised ahead of the Final Series, tightening the leaderboard and setting up a highly competitive conclusion.
In the ILCA 7 Gold Fleet, UCD student Fiachra McDonnell (Royal Irish Yacht Club) completed his regatta in 43rd place overall, an excellent result that will provide valuable experience moving forward.
Fellow development sailors Ben O’Shaughnessy (Royal Cork Yacht Club) and Ethan Spain (National Yacht Club) concluded their week in the 49er Gold Fleet in 20th place overall, with standout results including a race win and a third-place finish in this highly experienced field.
In the Silver Fleet, Finn Lynch (National YC) and Ewan McMahon (Howth YC) made the most of the week, finishing first and third respectively.
The Final Series gets under way on Saturday 25 April at 10.30am local time for the skiff fleets and 11.40am for the women’s dinghy, with two races set to decide the podium.
