Double Olympian Finn Lynch is the best of the Irish sailors heading into the final day of fleet racing in the first major event towards the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles in Mallorca on Friday.
The Carlow sailor improved to fourth overall, a single point off third, in the men’s single dinghy event of the Princess Sofia trophy.
Britain’s Michael Bennett all but has the gold sewn up, although the two remaining races could yet upset his prospects with a forecast change of wind direction.
Even so, the podium is wide open ahead of Saturday’s high-scoring medal race final for the top-10 finishers in each of the 10 events that comprise the Olympic disciplines.
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Another solid day or better, like a repeat of Tuesday’s pair of second places, would solidify Lynch’s prospects of starting off his LA2028 journey on a positive note.
Not to be forgotten in this quest is his shoreside team-mate but rival afloat in Ewan McMahon from Howth Sailing Club.
McMahon beat Lynch for the fourth time this week in Thursday’s opening race but still trails just outside the top 10 in a highly creditable 12th place.
In the not too distant past, having even one Irish ILCA7/Laser sailor in the top 20 would justify celebrations.
And McMahon’s sister, Eve, isn’t faring badly either, lying 15th overall, though hampered by two penalties from earlier in the week that would otherwise certainly see her in or around the top 10 in these unforgiving fleets.
Even at this early stage of the Olympic quadrennial, forgiveness is in short supply and errors are quickly punished as seen in the men’s skiff event where double Olympians Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove slipped back to 17th overall after poor starts hampered their results.
Yet, three races remain for the duo and the top 10 is just 15 points away so anything could happen still.
