Finn Lynch into Medal Series at World Championships
Ireland’s Finn Lynch has qualified for the Medal Series at the ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship in Dún Laoghaire following a remarkable comeback that keeps him in contention for a podium finish.
A lengthy postponement ashore left sailors waiting for the breeze to fill across Dublin Bay. The wind finally arrived at approximately 2.15pm, allowing the 140 competitors to launch from the National Yacht Club and Royal St George Yacht Club for the final day of Gold Fleet racing.
Lynch began the day with considerable ground to make up, having dropped 11 places to 13th overall following a difficult day on Friday.
The National Yacht Club sailor finished sixth in the opening race. Although it was not enough to move him up the standings, it kept his Medal Series hopes alive heading into the final race.
With everything on the line, Lynch delivered when it mattered most. He remained inside the top two throughout the race before finishing an impressive second behind Italy’s Lorenzo Brando Chiavarini.
The result lifted Lynch into 10th overall, securing the final place in the Medal Series and keeping him firmly in contention for the World Championship podium.
Speaking after racing, Lynch said: “I’m feeling good. I sailed well today, did what I needed to do and secured my place in tomorrow’s Medal Series, which is great.
“The points are halved for the Medal Series, so everything remains open even though I’m going into it in 10th place. I have nothing to lose tomorrow, so anything from here is a bonus. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Elsewhere in the Gold Fleet, Ewan McMahon (Howth Yacht Club) dropped five places overall following a difficult day in the highly competitive field. He will compete in tomorrow’s Fleet Race, which will bring together the remaining Gold Fleet sailors with the Silver and Bronze Fleets to determine the final overall positions.
Irish Sailing Development sailor Fiachra McDonnell (Royal Irish Yacht Club) finished the day 12th overall in the Bronze Fleet, while Bobby Driscoll (Ballyholme Yacht Club) sits 39th. Both sailors will also compete in tomorrow’s final Fleet Race.
The Medal Series begins tomorrow at 1pm, with the top ten sailors lining up for two decisive races. Britain’s Elliot Hanson holds a narrow lead over Singapore’s Ryan Lo, but with the sailors’ points halved ahead of the series, the margins have closed significantly and the podium remains wide open.
The action can be followed via the live broadcast of the 2026 ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship Medal Series, with commentary from RTÉ sailing correspondent Maurice O’Connell and Olympic silver medallist Annalise Murphy.
Racing will also be shown live on the big screen at the Royal St George Yacht Club, with everyone welcome to attend and enjoy the action.