Lynch must improve results to be in with chance this weekend 

Carlow’s Finn Lynch must deliver counter results from now on to make both Gold fleet and, crucially the medal race final on Saturday.

IMPROVEMENT NEEDED: Finn Lynch. Pic: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

A gruelling seven hours at sea for the single-handed sailors competing at the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma, Mallorca on Tuesday marked the second day of the weather dominated event.

After Monday’s false start with rain and light winds, while there was some sunshine and breeze the direction fluctuated for much of the day with delays afloat of three or more hours.

Just before sunset, the crews returned to the C’an Pastilla waterfront base to check results which proved a mixed bag for the five Irish sailors.

Carlow’s Finn Lynch had opened the series with a 19th place in his 63-boat fleet but followed with a disqualification for early-starting. He can drop this result once a fourth race is sailed.

He later added a 13th in a better show of form but must deliver counter results from now on to make both Gold fleet and, crucially the medal race final on Saturday.

His team-mate Ewan McMahon had a better day with a very nice second place coming on top of a 14th and a 12th so will likely be close to Lynch in the overall standings.

McMahon’s sister Eve discovered on Monday evening that her sole abandoned race of the opening day had seen her disqualified for early-starting came as a shock and she wasn’t permitted to sail the attempted race the following morning.

But she went on to deliver a seventh place in the second race and more form like that will see her overcome the maximum points penalty once the fourth race is sailed and the discard is applied.

Meanwhile, the 49er skiff fleet started their series but were only permitted two races to ensure that other fleets got some races in on their shared race course in the uncertain breeze of the day.

Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove had a fourth and a an eleventh in a good opener for the Dublin boat. Crosshaven’s Seafra Guilfoyle with Johnny Durcan had a nineteenth but were then disqualified for early starting in their second race.