Historic World Championship medal for Ireland’s Eve McMahon in China

HISTORIC: Howth sailer Eve McMahon has claimed an historic bronze medal at the ILCA World Championships in Qingdao in China on an epic final day. Pic: Johnny Fidelin/Sportsfile

Howth sailor Eve McMahon has claimed an historic bronze medal at the ILCA World Championships in Qingdao in China on an epic final day.

McMahon finished the women's ILCA 6 event in third behind Poland's Agata Barwinska who finished second with France's Louise Cervera taking gold. She becomes the first Irish female sailor to medal at the senior World Championships and the 22-year-old already has back-to-back U21 World Championships to her name.

It is a step-up for McMahon who competed in her first Olympics in Paris after just two years at senior level and recent results have seen her record good placings mixed with costly errors but that has changed this week.

In the six races McMahon placed in the top six places in the 99-boat event while avoiding penalties.

"We were struggling in the last few events but we've worked really hard to fix that before coming to China," commented Irish Sailing coach Vasilij Zbogar. "We spent time in Lymington training in (tidal) current with the British team and that really helped us fight for a medal - and get a medal.” 

"It was a really difficult day, very strong winds but Eve made three solid races," said Zbogar who won silver for Slovenia at this venue in the 2009 Beijing Olympics. "She is sailing really well and we're looking forward to the days and months of competition ahead."

In the ILCA 7 men's event, Carlow's Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club) bounced back from a faltering start on Friday with three top six results including second place in the final race. He finished 15th overall though a longer regatta would likely have seen him in a more familiar top ten result.

Teammate Ewan McMahon (Howth YC) counted a ninth and a tenth in their 138-boat event to finish 19th overall and just four points behind Lynch. Like his sister, his regatta counts only top 10 results reflecting a very close points difference at the top of the fleet.

"This is another truly historic moment for Irish Sailing. Eve is the first female sailor to win a senior world championship medal” commented James O'Callaghan, Irish Sailing's Performance Director. "Massive credit goes to Eve's determination and coach team of Vasilij Zbogar and Rory Fitzpatrick."

Meanwhile, on her first senior level world championship, Sienna Wright (Howth YC) ended in an impressive mid-fleet position though a ninth place in her opening race on Friday plus several top 20 results are indicators of her growing form.