Ireland's ILCA 7 Paris 2024 campaigners ended a 'tough' week at the European Championships in Hyeres on Monday, with Finn Lynch finishing 25th and Ewan McMahon 11 places behind his Paris rival in 36th in a fleet of 137.

The Gold fleet started a final race after a long waiting on shore and also on the water, but had to be cancelled before the first mark due to lack of wind. The waiting game restarted with zero knots in the course. After a while without any breeze, and when the Race Committee was preparing to make a final decision, the wind suddenly arrived together with rain to allow the last race to be sailed in epic conditions.

Lynch placed 13th to bring him to 25th overall. 

A strong start to the regatta for the National YC's Rio 2016 Olympian looked promising in the breezy conditions for the qualification rounds earlier in the series. However, Lynch suffered in the lighter winds at the crucial later stage in the competition, meaning the hoped for top-ten finish on the Bay of Hyères was out of reach for the 2021 World silver medalist. 

Howth's Ewan McMahon had a faltering start to the event but regained his composure to qualify for Gold fleet and finished 36. Younger brother Jamie had been in the hunt for the top 55 but, in the end, had to settle for the Silver fleet.

The fourth Irish ILCA 7 sailor in action was Tom Higgins (Royal St. George YC), who earned a race win in the Bronze fleet to take seventh place in that event.