Finn Lynch leads after opening day of World Championships in Dún Laoghaire

MAKING A SPLASH: Finn Lynch takes part in the ILCA 7 Men’s World Sailing Championships in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin. Pic: Andrew Conan/Inpho

Ireland’s Finn Lynch has taken the overall lead following the opening day of the ILCA 7 Men’s World Championships in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin.

A fleet of 141 sailors from around the world took to Dublin Bay for the opening day of the six-day regatta, the first World Championships for an Olympic sailing class to be staged in Ireland in over 25 years.

The sailors were met by a light easterly breeze, which gradually filled in across the racecourse and allowed racing to begin in a steady seven to nine knots. The wind shifted midway through the day, forcing a course change for the final race, before building to approximately 15 knots. Three races were completed in good conditions.

Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club) opened his championships in impressive form, securing a comfortable victory in the first race of the day. He followed that with a second-place finish in race two and a fourth in race three, leaving him at the top of the overall standings.

Speaking after racing, Lynch said: “I’m happy with how the first day went, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. We’re competing against the best sailors in the world and the conditions are tricky. 

"I’ve sailed here all my life and I’ve never experienced a day quite like today on Dublin Bay, so the plan for the rest of the week is to stick with what works and take each day as it comes.” 

Fellow Irish sailor Ewan McMahon (Howth Yacht Club) also began his championships with a strong eighth-place finish. He followed that with a 19th and a mid-fleet result, which became his discard, leaving him 48th overall after the opening day.

Irish Sailing Development Squad sailors Fiachra McDonnell (Royal Irish Yacht Club) and Bobby Driscoll (Ballyholme Yacht Club) were also in action, gaining valuable experience against a world-class fleet. McDonnell recorded an impressive 17th-place finish among his results.