Ireland made a powerful statement in Hyères on Saturday (25 April) as Eve McMahon claimed silver in the ILCA 6 while Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove secured silver in the 49er at French Olympic Week, the second Sailing Grand Slam of the season.
In the men’s skiff, double Olympians Dickson (Howth Yacht Club) and Waddilove (Skerries Sailing Club) sailed their Final Series, consisting of two races, recording a second-place and a fifth-place finish. They finished the races ahead of both China and France, whom they had been battling all week for the top positions.
The Chinese pairing of Zaiding Wen and Tian Liu took gold and were impossible to catch on points, but the race for silver was tight and effectively became a match between Ireland and France.
Dickson and Waddilove rose to that pressure and executed their two races well with the French pair of Erwan Fischer and Clément Péquin relegated to bronze.
In the women’s dinghy, it was a full-on battle for gold between Ireland and the USA with just one point splitting them in the end. The first race of the series saw Eve McMahon (Howth YC) finish third to Charlotte Rose (USA) in second, with the final race turning into a showdown between the two.
Eve McMahon was in a showdown with the USA’s Charlotte Rose in Hyères on Saturday 25 April | Credit: Sailing Energy/French Olympic Week Hyères - TPM
This is McMahon’s second medal of the Sailing Grand Slam Series in 2026 after a stellar performance in Palma at the Princess Sofia Regatta which saw her take gold.
Eve McMahon said after racing: “It’s a little bittersweet. I went into today in first position but dropped down to second by the end. It was a great battle with the American girl but just not enough to win gold. I’m happy with my sailing, there’s still a little to learn so we’ll debrief after the event and learn from it and we’ll go into the European Championships better prepared.”
In the 49erFX, the Northern Ireland pair of Erin McIlwaine (Royal St George YC/Newcastle YC) and Ellen Barbour (County Antrim Yacht Club) were experiencing their first senior Final Series and handled the pressure impressively. They had a fifth in their first race and a third place in the second leaving them in seventh place overall.
A medal was out of reach for them, having come in to the series in 10th position, but they sailed spectacularly showing a determination and skill that bodes very well for their future and the road to LA 2028.
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.
Next up for Dickson, Waddilove, McIlwaine and Barbour will be the 49er World Championships in Quiberon in Northern France from 12–17 May. The ILCA sailors, meanwhile, will take a short break before they go to their European Championships in Kastella, Croatia from 17–22 May.
