Light winds conspired to limit the ambitions of both Irish single-handed dinghy sailors at the Paris Olympics on Monday.
Both ILCA classes had two races scheduled but neither of the men’s races could take place, and only one of the women’s went ahead. Eve McMahon performed strongly in Race 9 of the women’s event, taking an honourable seventh place.
That finish moved her up to 13th overall and raised her chances of reaching the top 10 in the last race and thereby qualifying for the medal-race final. However, she was denied that opportunity as the persistent low winds forced organisers to abandon Race 10, and McMahon bowed out of the competition.
Only the bronze medal is still up for grabs anyway, as the gold and silver places have already been decided. The former will go to the four-times medallist Marit Boumeester of the Netherlands while Denmark’s Anne-Marie Rindom - McMahon’s friend and training partner - has secured silver.
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“It’s just been a lot of hard work put into it, and I was quite close, but just when you wanted that last race...” said an emotional McMahon after coming ashore. “Looking back on the results, I’ve beaten the silver medalist from Tokyo and the current European champion so I’m really happy, but it’s a little bit heartbreaking. I was kind of in this position this time last year at the test event and I missed the medal race by a point, but my luck has to come sometime and hopefully that’s for the LA cycle.”
Finn Lynch was also disappointed with the lack of wind.
The Carlow sailor had been counting on Race 9 and 10 in the men’s event to lift him from 10th overall. Although that would not have made a podium place possible, somewhere around sixth would represent a recovery for him.
However, eighth overall is the best he can secure in the medal final on Tuesday - or Wednesday, or even Thursday if light winds continue.
