Silver for Finn
DAY 6 - 10 Nov 2021
Ireland's Finn Lynch wins Silver and best ever result for Irish Sailing at World Championships in Spain
After a frustrating wait for wind on the final day, Ireland's Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club) has won Silver at the Laser World Championship in Barcelona today (Wednesday 10th November 2021).
Although the Carlow sailor finished the regatta with the best scores across all eight races, New Zealand's Thomas Saunders took Gold after allowance for worst race discard was applied.
Double Olympic Silver medallist Tonci Stipanovic from Croatia placed third ahead of a star-studded field.
Lynch's Silver at World championship level is the best ever achieved by an Irish sailor in any Olympic discipline.
This year's world championship was beset by light winds that delayed or postponed racing since last Friday. However, Tuesday's racing saw Lynch deliver his best day yet that ended with a race win.
"Finn has delivered an impeccable regatta and realised his full potential after years of dedication and hard work," commented James O’Callaghan, Performance Director with Irish Sailing. "It would be tempting to imagine what another day of racing might have achieved but Silver and the best performance of any of the 135 athletes at the regatta is everything we could ask of him."
Fresh winds were forecast for Wednesday to complete the regatta when a duel between Saunders and Lynch was on the cards but the weather again failed to deliver and Tuesday's overall results remain unchanged.
“I'm extremely happy with the result but it didn't come by co-incidence or some luck - it came after a lot of work after not being able to qualify for the Olympics which was really hard on Finn," commented Vasilij Zbogar, the Slovenian triple Olympic medallist who is Laser coach with Irish Sailing.
"This was something that Finn needed so that he can start to believe. He was good already last year but mentally he wasn't ready to be in the front. This week was really solid sailing all week and he didn't make any mistakes. He had the lowest point score of the entire fleet meaning he was really consistent."
The result is redemption for Rio 2016 veteran Lynch who missed out on qualification for Tokyo 2020 just six months ago despite earlier promising form.
"We still have things to work on but good to confirm that we're going in the right direction and we will continue pushing. Finn did any amazing job and now he can start to believe that a medal at Paris 2024 can be achieved," said Zbogar. ""A few things had to come together and they come together here at the right time. I knew this result would come one day - I was 100 per cent sure!"
Of the other Irish sailors competing in Barcelona, Howth YC's Ewan McMahon ended 25th overall in the Gold fleet with the loss of racing on the final day denying him a chance at finishing in the top 20 boats.
Under 21 sailors Tom Higgins of the Royal St. George YC finished 47th overall in the Gold fleet while Jamie McMahon (Howth YC), younger brother of Ewan placed 14th overall in the Silver fleet.
Catch up with some of the action from Day 5 here ...
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DAY 5 - 9 Nov 2021 - Finn Lynch Moves to Second
Ireland's Finn Lynch moves to second overall on penultimate day of the ILCA7 (Laser Standard) World Championships in Spain
With just three races remaining to decide the ILCA7 (Laser Standard) World Championships, Ireland's Finn Lynch now holds second overall after a stellar set of results off Barcelona today (Tuesday 9th November 2021).
The Rio 2016 Olympian placed seventh in the first race of the day before delivering a second place and then a race win in a clear sign of his growing form.
New Zealand's Thomas Saunders leads the 135-boat event overall some 14 points ahead of the National Yacht Club sailor.
The leading pair were by far the most consistent finalists for the day in their 70-boat Gold fleet while Croatian double Olympic silver medallist Tonci Stipanovic heads the chasing pack.
The championship concludes on Wednesday with three more races scheduled to catch-up on the programme that was beset by light winds over the weekend.
Meanwhile, there were mixed results for the other Irish boats in action on the penultimate day of racing in Barcelona.
Howth YC's Ewan McMahon moved up to 25th overall in the Gold fleet thanks to a 12th place in the second race of the day though 36th and 48th places in the other races could yet hamper his efforts at finishing in the top 20 boats.
It was a similar story for Under 21 sailor Tom Higgins of the Royal St. George YC who had a 15th place on his first day of racing in the Gold fleet where he lies 47th overall.
Jamie McMahon (Howth YC), younger brother of Ewan had a seventh place on Tuesday in the Silver fleet where he lies 14th overall.
“Finn has worked immensely hard in the lead up to this championship and it is great to see he is in contention at the business end of the championship,” commented James O’Callaghan, Performance Director with Irish Sailing. “With three races scheduled on the final day anything can happen; the challenge will be to take each race as it comes as he has done so well thus far."
You can follow all the results here: http://2021-standard-men.laser-worlds.com/race-results/
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DAY 4 - 8 Nov 2021 - Finn Lynch in Top Ten
Ireland's Finn Lynch in top ten overall at ILCA7 (Laser Standard) World Championships in Spain with two days of finals racing to go
Rio 2016 Olympian Lynch (National Yacht Club) delivered a solid day's performance on Monday (8th November 2021) counting eighth and tenth places to lie eighth overall as well as a 16th place that he discarded.
Light and tricky winds continued to affect the championship with two races sailed early on Monday in a dying breeze before the 135-boat fleet was sent ashore. A sea breeze formed in the afternoon that permitted one more race.
At the end of the qualification round, three out of four Irish sailors have reached the Gold fleet for the event with up to six races planned to decide the championship by Wednesday afternoon.
Fresher winds are also forecast so a full wind range for the series is likely to be achieved.
Currently 31st overall, Howth YC's Ewan McMahon secured his Gold fleet place and a top 20 overall place is still within reach.
Meanwhile, Under 21 sailor Tom Higgins of the Royal St. George YC made the cut of the top 70 boats for the finals phase when he picked up four places to finish the qualification round in 45th place.
Higgins showed great form in two attempted races on Monday but these had to be abandoned due to the fading wind. However, he did secure a sixth place today (Monday) which resulted in his qualification for the finals.
Jamie McMahon (Howth YC), younger brother of Ewan and Ireland's second Under 21 sailor at the event is in 83rd place overall.
"Finn is proving very consistent despite the challenges of the conditions so far and he is in a strong position going into the final two days," commented James O'Callaghan, Performance Director with Irish Sailing. "The series will now intensify as the best sailors from both qualification flights come together but seeing three Irish boats in the final is very encouraging."
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DAY 3 - 7 Nov 2021 - Racing postponed again
Racing postponed again at ILCA7 (Laser Standard) World Championships in Spain
Racing at the ILCA7 (Laser Standard) World Championships was again postponed today (Sunday 7th November 2021) due to light winds in Barcelona leaving just two races sailed out the six originally scheduled for the series that began on Friday.
The fleet went afloat on Sunday morning as planned and while two races were started, both had to be abandoned as the already light breeze faded.
The qualification phase of the championship has now been extended into Monday for the 135-boat event that will eventually decide the Gold and Silver fleets for the final round that is due to conclude by Wednesday afternoon (10th November 2021).
Rio 2016 Olympian Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club) is currently fifth overall while Howth Yacht Club's Ewan McMahon is 19th overall from Saturday's two races.
Ireland also has two other sailors competing at Under 21 level. Tom Higgins of the Royal St. George YC lies 49th overall while Jamie McMahon (Howth YC), younger brother of Ewan is in 72nd place.
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DAY 2 - 6 Nov 2021 - GOOD START
Good start for Irish sailors at ILCA7 (Laser Standard) World Championships in Spain
After a delayed start to the ILCA7 (Laser Standard) World Championships in Barcelona due to light winds, the 135-boat event finally got two races completed on Saturday (6th November 2021) with Irish sailors featuring amongst the fleet leaders.
Rio 2016 Olympian Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club) placed third and sixth to lie fifth overall in the qualification round that will determine the Gold fleet final next week.
The Carlow sailor had a poor start to the second race and did well to recover ground for his top ten finishing-place.
Howth Yacht Club's Ewan McMahon had a tenth in the opening race and had been leading the second race before finding himself on the wrong side of a wind-shift and placed 12th to lie 19th overall for the day.
Racing had been scheduled to start on Friday but light winds forced the organisers to postpone to an early start on Saturday with three races scheduled.
However, the light winds persisted and while one race was completed, the fleet was brought ashore before lunch to await an improvement. The weather duly obliged later in the day with fresh conditions and a big sea swell to permit a second race.
Ireland has two other sailors competing at Under 21 level. Tom Higgins of the Royal St. George YC lies 49th overall after a 13th and 41st place in the Yellow fleet while Jamie McMahon (Howth YC), younger brother of Ewan is in 72nd after scoring 50th and 30th in the same flight.
"It's great to see both Finn and Ewan deliver solid performances at the front of the fleet in such a high quality field," said James O'Callaghan, Performance Director with Irish Sailing. "There is a long way to go before this championship is decided on Wednesday afternoon but steady, race by race progress is the key."
You can follow all the results here: http://2021-standard-men.laser-worlds.com/race-results/
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DAY 1 5 Nov 2021 - NO WIND
The opening race of the ILCA7 World Championships at the Barcelona International Sailing Centre has been postponed due to no wind at the venue.
A fresh attempt to start the six-day series will be made at 9am on Saturday.
Rio 2016 Olympian Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club) and Ewan McMahon (Howth Yacht Club) will represent Ireland supported by Irish Sailing coach Vasilij Žbogar.
Also competing is Ewan’s younger brother Jamie McMahon and Tom Higgins (Royal St George Yacht Club).
You can follow all the results here: http://2021-standard-men.laser-worlds.com/race-results/