With just Friday’s racing left to sail at ILCA European Championships in Andora in Italy, options for Irish success have narrowed to defending champion Rocco Wright who is the defending champion in his event.
The Howth sailor dropped from the overall lead to third place as the battle for podium places heated up on the penultimate day.
The leaders in the ILCA6 men’s competition are within a handful of points of one another. Although Greek sailor Athanasios Kyfidis and Mattia Cesana of Italy still got the better of Wright, the trio are almost certain of winning medals such is the points gap to the remainder of the 71-boat event.
Meanwhile, in the ILCA7 men’s senior event, there was a one-hour delay to racing as a group of sailors staged a protest by blocking the launching slipway over a grievance thought to be related to race management issues.
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As it happened, there was no wind afloat and the fleet sailed two races in light winds.
Ireland’s Finn Lynch sailed well to score a fourth place but was later protested by the Australian overall leader Matt Wearn and the alleged rule infringement was settled by arbitration ashore.
Lynch could have taken a chance in the protest hearing which was 50:50 at best so the 24 penalty points taken under the settlement means he dropped out of the top 10 and hopes of a medal were dashed.
In the ILCA6 women’s senior fleet, Eve McMahon of Howth had a mixed day but ultimately didn’t repeat Wednesday’s performance and she slipped back to 18th overall in her 56-boat Gold fleet.
