A retiral in race nine of the 2024 Women's U21 European Championships dropped Ireland's Paris 2024 representative in the ILCA 6 class, Eve McMahon, off the podium. 

Just crowned Irish Sailor of the Year recovered four places overall but despite scoring a second in race ten missed the podium in today's final round of the 2024 Women's U21 European Championships in Mallorca.

The Irish girl, who will be Ireland's Paris 2024 representative in the ILCA 6 class, led the regatta most of the week, but a below-par performance on Thursday saw her relinquish her lead. 

The Howth Yacht Club sailor finished overall on 120 points in the 65-boat fleet.

Poland's  Lilly May Niezabitowska is the new 2024 ILCA 6 Under 21 European champion Photo: Thom Touw

Overnight leader Lilly May Niezabitowska POL was finally crowned the new 2024 ILCA 6 Under 21 European champion, showing a solid performance during the whole week. By finishing nineteenth today and staying ahead of her closest competitor, Emma Mattivi from Italy, she successfully secured the Gold medal.

Spanish sailor Claudia Adan Lledo ESP had a fantastic conclusion to the championship, claiming first place in today’s race and climbing from third to second to earn the Silver medal.

Top 10 European sailors – ILCA 6

1. Lilly May Niezabitowska POL 60 pt
2. Claudia Adan Lledo ESP 83 pt
3. Emma Mattivi ITA 95 pt
4. Eve McMahon IRL
5. Alina Shapovalova UKR
6. Alice Ruperto ITA
7. Ginevra Caracciolo ITA
8. Marga Perello ESP
9. Pia Conradi GER
10. Alenka Valencic SLO

A retiral in race nine of the 2024 Women's U21 European Championships dropped Ireland's Paris 2024 representative in the ILCA 6 class, Eve McMahon, off the podium in Mallorca this afternoon.

The Irish girl led the regatta most of the week, but a below-par performance on Thursday saw her relinquish her lead. 

The Howth Yacht Club sailor is lying eighth overall on 120 points in the 65-boat fleet, with the final race to sail on Saturday.

The day started with a two hours postponement onshore due to lack of wind. Sailors were only called to the water for their first race of the day at 13:10, with a 10-knot breeze blowing from the East.

All three fleets had a clear start and commenced racing consecutively. However, the breeze gradually diminished, leading the Race Committee to shorten the course. Only the ILCA 6 fleet completed the original course, with the first boat crossing the finish line after 59 minutes.

Polish sailor Lilly May Niezabitowska continues to show a solid performance. She further extended the lead over her nearest rival by finishing eighth today in the single race.

As the competition enters its final day on Saturday, she now holds 41 points, a significant 31 points fewer than the second-placed Emma Mattivi ITA from Italy.

Spanish sailor Claudia Adan Lledo ESP is also well-placed for the final day with 82 points and benefiting from a lower discard (30 points compared to Emma’s 45 or Lilly’s 38).

Alice Ruperto ITA (2nd today) and Marga Perello ESP complete the provisional Top 5 with 97 and 99 points, respectively.

European Top 10 after 9 races

Lilly May Niezabitowska POL 41 pt
Emma Mattivi ITA 72 pt
Claudia Adan Lledo ESP 82 pt
Alice Ruperto ITA 97 pt
Marga Perello ESP 99 pt
Ginevra Caracciolo ITA 109 pt
Alina Shapovalova UKR 111 pt
Eve McMahon IRL 120 pt
Pia Conradi GER 122 pt
Linda Dokoupilova CZE 127 pt

Ireland's Paris 2024 representative in the ILCA 6 class, Eve McMahon (47-33-12), relinquished her lead in the 2024 Women's U21 European Championships after eight races sailed in Mallorca on Thursday after maintaining the top position since the start of the regatta.

A below par performance in the afternoon races pushed the Howth Yacht Club sailor down to third place with 72 points in the 65-boat fleet. The new leader is Polish sailor Lilly May Niezabitowska POL (5-2-38) with 33 points, precisely half of the total points held by her closest competitor, Emma Mattivi ITA (44-6-1), who now sits in second place.

Spanish representatives Claudia Adan Lledo ESP (10-7-30) and Marga Perello ESP (24-50-13) complete the top 5 with 75 and 80 points respectively.

Winds fluctuating between 7 to 12 knots facilitated the addition of three new races across all three fleets, bringing the total to eight.

The day witnessed a mix of highs and lows within the fleets, resulting in some shifts at the top of the championship standings.

As the competition enters its final day on Saturday, the current provisional leaders stand as follows:

European Top 10 after eight races

1. Lilly May Niezabitowska POL 33 pt
2. Emma Mattivi ITA 66 pt
3. Eve McMahon IRL 72 pt
4. Claudia Adan Lledo ESP 31 pt
5. Marga Perello ESP 25 pt
6. Alice Ruperto ITA 95 pt
7. Ginevra Caracciolo ITA 96 pt
8. Alina Shapovalova UKR 99 pt
9. Irene de Tomas Perello ESP 103 pt
10. Pia Conradi GER 107 pt

Ireland's Paris 2024 representative in the ILCA 6 class, Eve McMahon, continues to lead the 2024 Women's U21 European Championships after five races sailed in Mallorca on Wednesday, but Poland's Lilly May Niezabitowska has whittled the Irish woman's margin down to just one point in some fickle winds at Reial Club Nautic Port de Pollensa.

As with previous days, proceedings began with a shore postponement. However, once on the water, all three fleets successfully commenced and completed their initial races of the day before the wind subsided.

Reigning ILCA 6 Women’s Under 21 World Champion McMahon of Howth Yacht Club is on 14 points, after one discard applied, with Niezabitowska on 15 and third-placed Marga Perello of the host nation on 25 in the 65-boat fleet.

A second Irish sailor, Lucy Ives, lies 51st.

This year’s event has attracted 202 sailors, 137 of whom compete in ILCA 7 and 65 in ILCA 6. They represent 36 nations, including 28 from Europe.

Racing continues until Friday.

European Top 10 after five races

1. Eve McMahon IRL 14 pt
2. Lilly May Niezabitowska POL 16 pt
3. Marga Perello ESP 25 pt
4. Helena Wolff DEN 28 pt
5. Claudia Adan Lledo ESP 31 pt
6. Ginevra Caracciolo ITA 31 pt
7. Emma Mattivi ITA 32 pt
8. Alina Shapovalova UKR 40 pt
9. Pia Conradi GER 48 pt
10. Adriana Castro Nuñez ESP 56 pt

Since the doors opened for the European ILCA 6 Championships at Ballyholme Yacht Club a few weeks ago, 388 applications for 440 places have been received.

The club lies on the north shore of County Down near the mouth of Belfast Lough and has vast experience hosting top-level competitions. It is ideally placed to run a huge regatta like this, with most of the lough providing a vast area of virtually tide - and hazard-free water, as well as ample boat and car parking ashore.

Applicants are from 26 countries across Europe including some from Northern Ireland and from young sailors hailing from Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Thailand, Qatar and Brazil.

The event will take place over eight days, from 27 July to 3 August 2024. The qualifying rounds will decide who will race in the Gold, Silver, and Bronze divisions.

Aidan Pounder, one of the event organisers, is delighted with the support for this major event thus far. “Although there were 388 entries at last year’s event in Poland, we believed that we should be more modest with our expectations given that Northern Ireland is a long journey for many sailors coming from continental Europe. It seems that, in fact, we underestimated the dedication that these sailors have for their sport and that they are indeed keen to make the journey for what we hope will be a cracking event.

Applicants for the European ILCA 6 Championships at Ballyholme Yacht Club are from 26 countries across Europe including some from Northern Ireland and from young sailors hailing from Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Thailand, Qatar and Brazil

Among applications from Northern Ireland sailors for the event are those from Autumn Halliday from Strangford Lough YC, Lucy Ives from Carlingford, Daniel Palmer from the host club and Rory Pollard and Luke Simpson from County Antrim YC as well as Cormac Byrne of Strangford Lough YC and Ballyholme.

Trevor Millar, one of the founders of the fledgling Laser fleet at Ballyholme is looking forward to bringing a team to the Euros: “Heading to Ballyholme Yacht Club, where it all began for me, starting one of the first Laser classes in Ireland along with Ron Hutchieson. After some 50 years, it will feel like returning to familiar waters after a long voyage. The postponement during Covid of the ILCA 6 Youth Europeans was a bitter setback. Returning this July fills me with a profound sense of homecoming and anticipation. The club, having hosted the 1979 European Championships, was not just a backdrop for my early sailing days but a launchpad for my coaching journey".

Trevor Millar

Another important aspect for the club, and indeed EurILCA, was the ability to deliver a ‘Clean Regatta’.

As sailors and water sports enthusiasts, BYC holds a very strong marine environmental position and the club is proud to be signed up to the Green Blue Pledge, hold platinum-level Clean Regattas Certification and Final Straw Certification, all of which aligns with EurILCA’s values and has put BYC in an excellent position to meet EurILCA’s sustainability requirements. A group of hardy BYC sailors braved the chilly easterly to climb Cave Hill for some tree planting with #thewoodlandtrust and were rewarded with great views over the Lough. They planted over 550 saplings to help offset carbon emissions of the RIBs during the ILCA 6 European Championships.

Ballyholme Yacht Club members planting trees on Cave Hill

The application closing date is 31st May, and the entry closing date is 25th June.

Successful applicants will be chosen after the 31 May deadline. The list of applicants is here 

Nineteen-year-old Eve McMahon concluded the weather-hit ILCA 6 class European Championships in 15th place overall. 

Already qualified for Paris, the Howth Olympic debutante will compete at the forthcoming French Olympic Week in Hyeres as her final major competition before the Olympics.

She was coached this week in Athens by ILCA 6 Rio silver medalist Annalise Murphy, who said: "Eve is so young, still only 19 and sailed a great week to come 15th at a European championship is really great.”

Maria Erdi of Hungary celebrates her first-ever European ILCA 6 championship title in Athens Photo: Matias Capizzano

Maria Erdi of Hungary clinched her first-ever European championship title, adding to her accolades as the reigning World champion from the previous year in The Hague. This marks her second European medal, following her bronze achievement in Andora, Italy, in 2023. Securing victory in the Medal Race, she concluded the championship with 21 points after seven races.

Viktorija Andrulyte of Lithuania secured second place with 27 points, earning the Silver medal along with qualification for Paris 2024.

The Bronze medal went to French sailor Louise Cervera, who amassed 29 points.

Croatia’s Elena Vorobeva finished fourth overall, clinching the second Olympic spot at stake in this championship.

Top 10 ILCA 6 Women’s Senior Europeans:

1 – Maria Erdi HUN 21 pt
2 – Viktorija Andrulyte LTU 27 pt
3 – Louise Cervera FRA 29 pt
4 – Elena Vorobeva CRO 37 pt
5 – Nazli Cagla Donertas TUR 49 pt
5 – Emma Mattivi ITA 49 pt
7 – Pernelle Michon FRA 53 pt
7 – Agata Barwinska POL 53 pt
7 – Anne Marie Rindom DEN 53 pt
10 – Marie Barrue FRA 58 pt

Irish Masters ILCA/Laser champion Sean Craig of the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour shot straight to the top of the ILCA 6 Masters World Championship with two fourth places scored in breezy conditions in the opening races of the Adelaide, Australia-based regatta. 

Craig, on eight points, leads Australian Colin Beashel by one in the Grand Master division after two races sailed back to back.  Lying third is American Andrew Holdsworth on 10 points. 

The competition continues until next Saturday, February 10th. 

The event follows last week's exploits at the same venue, where Finn Lynch and Ewan McMahon competed in the first of three trials at the 2024 ILCA 7 World Championships.

ILCA Grand Master Sean Craig competing on his home waters of Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

As regular Afloat readers know, Craig earned his first Grand Master title last May when he finished top of the Barcelona Masters Championships in Spain.

Spain proved a successful hunting ground for the 59-year-old Dun Laoghaire ace, who won a Bronze Medal at the EurILCA Masters Europeans at L’Escala in Spain in October 2022.

Scroll down the results sheet (below) to read the latest ILCA 6 (Radial) Grand Master scores.

Although Sienna Wright of Howth is just 15, she approaches sailing in particular and life generally with remarkable sophistication and style. Thus her mid-January winning of the Silver Medal in the ILCA 6 Youth Women’s Worlds in Argentina, coupled with her total victory in the U17 Championship in the same series seemed to flow on seamlessly from a podium place in the Youth Worlds in December.

Seventeen-year-old Zoe Whitford from East Antrim Boat Club on Larne Lough is one of ten young athletes to be awarded a £500 bursary by the Mary Peters Trust.

The Sports section of Local Women Magazine in Northern Ireland reports the partnership aims to help young talent on their sporting journeys.

The Mary Peters Trust was established to create an ongoing meaningful commemoration of her Gold Medal win in the 1972 Olympic Games. It is Northern Ireland’s leading sporting charity.

Larne-based Zoe has been competing in the single-handed Laser for some time, and among her 2023 achievements, she was the placed girl in the ILCA 6 class in the Youth Sailing National Championships at Howth Yacht Club and first female and overall 7th in the 2023 RYANI Youth Championships at Ballyholme. Zoe also secured a place in the coveted Gold Fleet Youth Europeans in Poland in July.

Racing in the ILCA 6 class, Zoe has a highly competitive discipline demanding strategic decision-making and strong aerobic fitness.

Local Women continues saying that Zoe’s passion for sailing had been evident from a young age. Zoe said: “I have always grown up around the yacht club as my Mum sails regularly and seeing people on the water from a young age lit a fire in me. I began my sailing journey through participating in summer beginner sailing courses at age seven and have been a member of the RYA Youth Performance Programme for six years, first while competing in my Topper and then in both ILCA 4 (Laser 4.7} and ILCA6.

Chris Dorman, newly appointed Commodore of East Antrim BC, is delighted at Zoe’s progress. “I think it’s fantastic that Zoe has been selected for the bursary. She is more than deserving of it, given the immense effort and time commitment that Zoe puts into her sailing career, not to mention the juggling act of her academics included in the mix. Normally, when I’m speaking to her Mum, Lucy, she’s telling me how Zoe is away training here or competing there! It’s great that a young club member is doing so well”.

Celebrations in Argentina on Friday night for Howth Yacht Club's Sienna Wright (15) were well earned as she added to her ILCA 6 medal haul with a silver medal – and the under 17 title, too – on the final day of racing at the 2024 class Youth's Women Fleet of the World Championships at Yacht Club Argentino.

After 12 races sailed and one discard, the Irish youth world bronze medalist had an eight-point margin in the 31-boat fleet to claim the silver prize and, as Afloat reported previously, held second overall going into the final rounds.

Barely a month after taking to the podium at the Youth World Sailing Championships, Ireland's Sienna Wright has won the Under 17 world title as well as the overall silver medal in her ILCA6 class this weekend (Buenos Aires, Argentina Friday 19th January 2024). Photo:  Matias Capizano

On the sixth and final day of the championship, the last races were held with a south wind of approximately 8 to 12 knots.

Italian Maria Vittoria Arseni became the overall champion after sailing consistently well all week. The third-place award went to Italian Ginevra Caracciolo.

The 15-year-old Dubliner included three race wins in her tally (including a standout performance on a penultimate day by winning the first race of the day), but discarding a retiral from race six, so on 25 points, Arseni ended up some 12 points clear at the top.

The Howth sailor delivered a highly consistent 12-race series across the wind range in which she took three bullets and featured in the top six leading boats for most of the event Photo:  Matias Capizano

Scroll down the results for the girl's division results below.