Irish competitor Eve McMahon rides on good fortune to secure third place at the European Championships
Sailors McMahon and McMahon Shine at ILCA European Championships Despite Challenges
In the 2025 ILCA European Championships in Marstrand, Sweden, the McMahon siblings, Ewan and Eve, have put up a strong performance despite facing some setbacks.
Ewan McMahon, a sailor from Howth, showed a commendable performance in the ILCA 7 (Laser Standard) Gold Fleet. After a challenging start in light wind conditions, Ewan managed to climb up the ranks, achieving a personal best of 9th overall in the Gold Fleet. This result marks his best-ever European performance and a solid finish in the final series 1.
However, earlier in the event, Ewan struggled, falling as low as 30th. But he recovered well by the end, demonstrating his resilience and determination 2.
Eve McMahon, competing in the ILCA 6 (Laser Radial) Gold Fleet, had hoped for a top ten finish after earlier podium-level form. She won a race on the final day but was hampered by two penalty disqualifications and two yellow flags, which affected her consistency. Despite these setbacks, Eve finished 11th overall in the senior women's category, while also securing a bronze medal in the Under-23 category1.
Unfortunately, Eve was obliged to retire from her final race due to the penalties. She received two yellow flag technical penalties in her final race, one for excessive sculling, and the other for rocking her boat 1.
In the ILCA 6 women's event, McMahon currently holds 3rd place overall. Finley Dickinson, the under-23 leader in Britain, currently holds the first overall position. Dickinson has built his lead over the past three days, including two notable race wins in the third day's tricky conditions 1.
The points spread is very tight in the gold fleet with six races to come. Gold fleet racing for the ILCA one-person dinghy started on Thursday morning in Marstrand, Sweden. Finn Lynch, Ewan McMahon's team-mate, holds 16th overall in the ILCA 7 men's event 1.
It's worth noting that McMahon's sixth race of the qualifying event was cancelled due to light winds. Had the race not been binned, McMahon would have incurred maximum points due to the penalties 1.
Despite the challenges, both Ewan and Eve have shown great promise and resilience in the face of adversity. The final races promise to be exciting as the sailors strive for higher positions in their respective categories.
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