Ireland’s Eve McMahon has won gold in the ILCA 6 class at the Trofeo Princesa Sofía Regatta in Palma de Mallorca.
The 22-year-old secured overall victory after six days of unpredictable conditions and tightly fought racing.
Representing Howth Yacht Club, McMahon produced a consistent series, including multiple race wins, to top the standings at the close of the final series.
After losing the overall lead and dropping to third on Thursday, the Dubliner rose again to be in second place on the penultimate day and regain the top spot in the medal race final on Saturday.
Britain’s Daisy Collingridge finished second overall, with Belgium’s Emma Plasschaert in third.
As Afloat reported previously, McMahon entered the final phase in contention and converted that position into a regatta win in a competitive Olympic fleet, a first Grand Slam win in her senior career that has already delivered world championship bronze.
The result marks a strong early-season performance on the pathway to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Winning Embrace — Eve McMahon celebrates her ILCA 6 gold in Palma with her coach after a dramatic final race secured victory by a single point at the Trofeo Princesa Sofía. Photo: Sailing Energy
McMahon advanced to the Final Series after 11 races that included a race win and three second-place finishes. Starting the medal phase second overall, scores were reset, tightening margins and leaving all qualifiers in contention.
Consistency proved decisive. A fifth-place finish in the opening final race secured at least silver. In the deciding race, McMahon committed to the right-hand side of the course, rounding the bottom gate in fourth before a favourable shift lifted her into the top two. She converted the opportunity downwind to take the race win and seal gold.
“It’s an incredible result,” McMahon said. “It all came down to two final races, each decided by a single point. The British sailor tried to match race me in the first, but I managed to break free, and then had the race of my life in the last.”
“My coach, three-time Olympic medallist Vasilij Žbogar, and I have put in a huge amount of work towards this,” she added. “It’s fantastic to see that effort reflected in the result and it’s an important step on the road to LA.”
The win marks Ireland’s first victory at the regatta in a decade, since Ryan Seaton and Matthew McGovern topped the podium in the men’s skiff in 2015.
Top Step — Eve McMahon stands on the top podium after winning ILCA 6 gold in Palma, edging Britain’s Daisy Collingridge and completing a standout Irish victory at the Sofia regatta. Photo: Sailing Energy
Irish Sailing Performance Director James O’Callaghan described the result as “a hugely significant achievement”. He added that McMahon showed “exceptional composure… staying calm, consistent and making smart, strategic decisions” throughout the week.
There were strong performances across the wider Irish squad. Sienna Wright (Howth Yacht Club) finished 36th overall in the ILCA 6 Gold Fleet, while Ewan McMahon narrowly missed the ILCA 7 Final Series by seven points.
Development sailor Fiachra McDonnell (Royal Irish Yacht Club) posted promising results, including a seventh and 13th-place finish. Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club) withdrew due to illness but is expected to return.
In the skiff classes, Erin McIlwaine (Royal St George YC/Newcastle YC) and Ellen Barbour (County Antrim Boat Club) finished 37th overall in the women’s event. Ben O’Shaughnessy (Royal Cork YC) and Ethan Spain (National YC) placed 61st in the men’s fleet.
Olympians Robert Dickson (Howth Yacht Club) and Sean Waddilove (Skerries Sailing Club) exited before the Gold Fleet stage.
The Irish squad next competes at Semaine Olympique Française in Hyères (18–25 April), followed by the 49er World Championships in Quiberon in May.
