McMahon Climbs to Second Ahead of Final Series at Princess Sofia Trophy
Eve McMahon has surged into second place in the women's dinghy class on the final day of Gold Fleet racing at the Princess Sofia Trophy in Mallorca, setting up an exciting Final Series showdown tomorrow.
The Howth sailor began the day in third place but delivered two strong opening races to briefly reclaim the top spot in the fleet. A hard-fought third race saw McMahon finish 19th after an intense battle with Britain’s Daisy Collingridge. While McMahon came out ahead in that duel, the introduction of the discard rule saw her slip to second overall, with Collingridge taking the lead heading into the final stage of the regatta.
Irish Sailing ILCA 6 coach Vasilij Zbogar reflected on the day’s racing: “We had excellent conditions today and delivered strong performances in the opening two races. While we dropped some points in the final race with a 19th-place finish, everything remains wide open with plenty still to play for. Our focus now is on preparation, reviewing all possible scenarios ahead of the final and positioning ourselves to achieve the best possible result.”
The top 10 boats of the women’s dinghy fleet will now progress to a two-race final series, where qualification scores are compressed to maintain close competition. The overall standings are then determined by combining these adjusted scores with results from the two final races. There will be no discards, placing a strong emphasis on final performance.
In the same fleet, 18-year-old Sienna Wright (Howth Yacht Club) maintained her position in the middle of the Gold Fleet throughout the Elimination Series, ultimately finishing an impressive 36th overall. It marks a standout performance for the young sailor competing at one of the sport’s most prestigious Sailing Grand Slam events.
Ewan McMahon (Howth Yacht Club) remained consistently on the edge of the top ten throughout the regatta. Starting the day in 11th place with three races remaining, he was well positioned to secure a place in the Final Series. However, results of 19th, 20th, and ninth saw him narrowly miss out by just seven points.
Reflecting on his performance, McMahon said: “Laser sailing is all about the fine margins. I’ve really enjoyed this week and I feel I now know what I need to improve on to get myself back into medal contention and at the front of the fleet. It’s a shame to miss out, but I’m really looking forward to the next event.”
Teammate Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club) was forced to retire early from the regatta due to illness but is expected to return to full fitness in time for the next Sailing Grand Slam event in Hyères later this month.
In the Silver Fleet, development squad sailor Fiachra McDonnell (Royal Irish Yacht Club) delivered promising performances, including a seventh and a 13th-place finish. The young sailor continues to show strong potential on the international stage.
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the bay, newcomers to the women’s skiff circuit, Erin McIlwaine (Royal St George YC / Newcastle Yacht Club) and Ellen Barbour (County Antrim Boat Club), enjoyed the better conditions and concluded their first senior-level event in this technically demanding class with a 37th-place overall finish.
In the men’s skiff, Development Squad sailors Ben O’Shaughnessy (Royal Cork Yacht Club) and Ethan Spain (National Yacht Club) completed their regatta in the Silver Fleet, finishing 61st overall. The pair will take valuable experience from the week’s racing.
Final Series racing for the women’s one-person dinghy (ILCA 6 class) is scheduled for 10:00am (Irish time) on Saturday, 4 April, subject to weather conditions.