McMahon Opens with Three Top-Ten Finishes at Women’s Worlds
Ireland’s Eve McMahon lies 12th overall following the opening day of racing at the ILCA 6 Women’s World Championship in Dún Laoghaire.
A fleet of 110 sailors took to Dublin Bay for a physically demanding first day at the historic championship, the first Women’s ILCA World Championship ever staged in Ireland and a significant moment for Irish sailing and women’s sport.
Eve McMahon (Howth Yacht Club) opened her championship with three top-ten results. She finished sixth in the opening race before improving to fourth in the second. A difficult start in the final race left her battling her way back through the fleet, but she recovered strongly to finish eighth and end the day in 12th overall.
McMahon spoke after racing: “It was a really tricky day out there, but I’m happy with my results. It was a consistent start to the week, which is what I was looking for.
“It’s a game of averages, so I just want to stay consistent and keep my points as low as possible. I think I managed to do that.
“It’s incredible to have a World Championship at home. It’s definitely a huge advantage on land and it has been a long time since my family and friends have been able to watch me sail. I’m really excited to be representing Ireland here in Ireland.”
The championship is currently led by strong-wind specialists Charlotte Rose of the USA and Belgium’s Emma Plasschaert, who are tied on points at the top of the standings, with Rose holding first place on countback.
Olympic silver medallist Annalise Murphy (National Yacht Club) also returned to international competition following a five-year break after the Tokyo Games.
Encouraged by her recent victory at the ILCA National Championships, Murphy produced an impressive opening-day performance, recording two 11th-place finishes followed by a 14th in demanding conditions.
“It was a tough day out there. I struggled to get off the start line in the first two races, so it was a battle to work my way back through the fleet. I’m in the mix, though. My biggest concern was that I might be battling at the back, but that definitely wasn’t the case.
“I’m having great fun, as much as you can in those conditions! The wind and the shifts made it very physically demanding and I’m still a little rusty, but I really enjoyed it.”
Irish Development sailor Lucy Ives (Royal St George Yacht Club) is competing in her first senior World Championship, with the strong winds and testing conditions providing valuable experience for the young sailor.
Elsewhere, Howth Yacht Club’s Sienna Wright entered the championship fresh from winning silver at the ILCA 6 Youth World Championships in Denmark last month. The 17-year-old found her stride in the second race, securing a promising 15th-place finish among this world-class senior fleet.
Stronger winds are forecast for tomorrow’s second and final day of the Preliminary Series, before the fleet splits for Gold Fleet racing on Wednesday. The championship concludes on Saturday, 12 September, with the Medal Series deciding the final podium positions.