Ireland's eight-strong squad for the World Sailing Team Racing World Championship brings together sailors with backgrounds ranging from Olympic classes and team racing to match racing, keelboats and offshore competition.
The championship begins in Stockholm on Wednesday (12 August), with Ireland racing two supplied J/80 keelboats on Riddarfjärden.
As Afloat reported this week, team captain Jamie McMahon has identified reaching the semi-finals as the Davy sponsored squad's first target after a summer of J/80 training at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire.
So who are the eight sailors carrying the Irish challenge?
Tom Higgins — Helm
Tom Higgins arrives in Stockholm with a strong international dinghy and match-racing background.
He finished second at the 2018 Laser Radial Youth World Championships and fifth at the same championship in 2019. More recently, he placed sixth at the 2024 Youth Match Racing World Championships.
World stage: Tom Higgins helms the first Irish J/80 in Stockholm, eight years after taking silver at the 2018 Laser Radial Youth World Championships. Photo: James Crombie/Inpho
Jamie McMahon — Team Captain/Jib Trimmer
Jamie McMahon won the European Men's Laser Radial U21 title in Porto in 2019.
He finished sixth at the U23 Match Racing World Championships in Sydney in 2023 and was part of the winning team at the 2025 Irish University Team Racing National Championship in Dingle.
McMahon sails as jib trimmer alongside Higgins and also captains the eight-person Irish squad.
Captain's call: Jamie McMahon is Ireland's team captain and jib trimmer, with European Laser Radial and international match-racing experience behind him. Photo: James Crombie/Inpho
Henry Higgins — Mainsail Trimmer
Henry Higgins brings considerable keelboat and match-racing experience to the first Irish J/80.
He is a three-time Irish match racing national champion and won the 2023 Etchells Hong Kong National Championship. He was also a class winner in the 2024 Newport to Bermuda Race.
Fiona Ferguson — Bow
Fiona Ferguson's background includes 420, 29er and match-racing competition.
She won three successive 420 national titles from 2018 to 2020 and was 12th female at the 2021 29er European Championships.
Ferguson subsequently finished sixth at the 2023 Youth Match Racing World Championship in Sydney.
Bow ambition: Fiona Ferguson brings championship experience in the 420 and 29er classes and international youth match racing to Ireland's Stockholm challenge. Photo: James Crombie/Inpho
Second Irish J/80
Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin — Helm
Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin was part of the Irish team that took third at the 2025 Team Racing World Championship at New York Yacht Club.
He is also the 2024 and 2025 Squib Irish National Champion as helm and was first Corinthian at the 2023 Cape 31 European Championship as mainsail trimmer.
At the helm: Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin arrives in Stockholm with a 2025 Team Racing Worlds bronze medal and back-to-back Irish Squib titles.Photo: James Crombie/Inpho
Fionn Lyden — Jib Trimmer
Fionn Lyden brings one of the most varied international CVs in the Irish squad.
He took third at the 2025 World Sailing 2K Team Racing World Championship and won bronze at the 2017 Finn U23 World Championship.
Lyden also won the Irish Sailing Senior Helmsman's Championship, now the Champions' Cup, in 2017.
Medal pedigree: Fionn Lyden combines team-racing experience with a Finn U23 World bronze medal and victory in Irish Sailing's Champions' Cup. Photo: James Crombie/Inpho
Clíodhna Ní Shúilleabháin — Mainsail Trimmer
Clíodhna Ní Shúilleabháin is a three-time 420 national champion, winning the title in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
She represented Ireland at the 2013 Youth Worlds as a 420 helm and has more recently finished third at the 1720 National Championships in both 2025 and 2026.
Main player: Clíodhna Ní Shúilleabháin brings Youth Worlds experience, three 420 national titles and recent 1720 success to the Irish team. Photo: James Crombie/Inpho
Sally O'Flynn — Bow
Sally O'Flynn completes the second Irish J/80 crew and brings recent experience from both team racing and keelboat competition.
She finished fifth at the 2025 New York Yacht Club Invitational as bow on an IC37, before winning the 2026 1720 Irish Nationals as bow and the 2026 Irish 2K Nationals.
On the bow: Sally O'Flynn heads to Stockholm after winning both the 1720 Irish Nationals and Irish 2K Nationals in 2026. Photo: James Crombie/Inpho
Ireland's first boat therefore comprises Tom Higgins, Jamie McMahon, Henry Higgins and Fiona Ferguson, with Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Fionn Lyden, Clíodhna Ní Shúilleabháin and Sally O'Flynn aboard the second.
The World Championship runs from 12–16 August in Stockholm.
