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Irish Times
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Olympians give a splash course in the art of high-speed sailing
As the newbie in The Irish Times sports department, I am still quite excited by assignments that a more seasoned (or sensible) reporter might turn down. That's how I found myself in Dún Laoghaire , waiting to go out on a Team Ireland 49er – my first assignment that required a safety briefing. Despite having never sailed, I needn't have worried. My crew, two-time Olympians Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove , had more than enough experience to go around. Removed from the other Olympic sports which are largely based in Abbotstown, Irish Sailing's HQ is nestled behind the Commissioners of Irish Lights building near the west pier in Dún Laoghaire. By their own admission it's not the finished article. READ MORE Set up in 2019, it's comprised of three blue shipping containers – one a store, another a briefing room, the third a small gym – arranged in a U-formation. They use the changing facilities in the Irish Lights building. On the weekends, when the building is closed, they have to do without. And yet, what they do have they clearly use to great effect. Dickson and Waddilove are currently ranked fourth in the world in the men's skiff, Finn Lynch and Ewan McMahon are ranked seventh and 11th respectively in the ILCA 7 class, while Eve McMahon recently became the first Irish sailor to achieve a number one world ranking , claiming the ILCA 6 top spot. All use Dún Laoghaire as their Ireland training base. ♦♦♦♦ Of course, there's a reason for the invite. Team Ireland has renewed its partnership with Flogas, which also provides funding for athletes through its Performance Programme. For Dickson and Waddilove, that money will go towards getting outside expertise to help them with strategy and tactics. While they smile for the cameras, I nab Irish Sailing's performance director James O'Callaghan for a chat, and he tells me their master plan. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council have given them permission to use the old lifeguard tower – a few minutes' walk up the marina from their current base – as a training facility. The catch? The building needs renovating to the tune of €3 million and Irish Sailing must foot the bill. 13 June 2025; The Irish Times journalist Muireann Duffy and Irish Olympic sailor Robert Dickson at Irish Sailing Performance HQ in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin as Flogas renew their partnership with Team Ireland through to LA 2028. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile *** NO REPRODUCTION FEE *** But O'Callaghan believes they now have a trump card which might get things moving – Dún Laoghaire has been picked to host next year's ILCA (Laser) World Championships, so they're lobbying the Government to get funding to bring the old lifeguard tower into use before then. ♦♦♦♦ Unsurprisingly, I came utterly unprepared in terms of kit, but thankfully I get the kind donation of waterproof overalls, a wetsuit top, neoprene boots, gloves, a helmet and a life jacket. It's my best look yet. O'Callaghan chats us through the T&Cs and then Dickson is tasked with leading the dry run. I'm put in a harness and shown how to hook myself to the trapeze which allows you to fully extend over the side of the boat while standing on the wing to counterbalance the wind in the sails. After the briefing I'm all but certain I'll be taking an impromptu swim, but it's a sunny day so I reason that I'll at least dry off quickly. Dickson and Waddilove launch the boat from the marina while O'Callaghan takes the rest of us out on a rib (that's a 'rigid inflatable boat' for the non-mariners among us). Once the lads get the 49er into open water, we're struggling to keep up with them. Irish Times journalist Muireann Duffy and Irish Olympic sailor Robert Dickson at Irish Sailing Performance HQ in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin. Photograph: Seb Daly/ Sports File Dickson steers from the back while Waddilove is his eyes up front, feeding him information on what's ahead and letting up and down the sail as needed. They make it look effortless and it's no wonder, their partnership has spanned over a decade and seen them to the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games. Then comes my turn. The lads manoeuvre the 49er alongside the rib allowing me to clamber aboard. Space is at a premium, so Waddilove makes way, safe in the knowledge that I'm unlikely to threaten his spot in the team. Once I've managed to hook myself to the trapeze, Dickson has us on our way and it's time to get to standing. Scooting out to the edge of the left wing, the trapeze linked to the mast taking my weight, I have to lean backwards over the side until my legs are fully extended and I'm at a 45-degree angle over the water. The lads had assured me that falling backwards isn't likely to happen because of the harness, unless I accidently manage to unhook myself, but that does little to ease the fear. Being so far reclined gives the same sensation of when you lean too far back in your chair and your life flashes before your eyes. We're hurtling north out beyond the west pier at a rate of knots (literally) and you best believe I'm hanging on to the trapeze rope for dear life (something I later come to learn was a useless exercise as it increased the chances of me accidently unhooking my harness). Irish Times journalist Muireann Duffy and Irish Olympic sailor Robert Dickson at Irish Sailing Performance HQ in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin. Photograph: Seb Daly/ Sports File The 49er glides through the water to start but as we pick up pace it starts to bounce over the waves, and I have to fight against the momentum to not end up flying forward into the side of the boat. Thankfully it's not too loud, because I need distracting from the thought that I'm going to fall, so I subject Dickson to a barrage of quick-fire questions. He has things well under control boat-wise, so with two of us hanging over the side of a boat, I get some interesting titbits. Dickson started sailing as a very young child; winter conditions in Ireland make it hard to train for any lengthy spell so they instead head to places like Portugal on training camps; and the 49er can hit speeds of 45km/h (or 25 knots if you want the proper lingo). How about that for an interview under pressure? He tries to show me how they can tell there's wind up ahead by the darkening of the water, but with that he's lost me. ♦♦♦♦ Back on dry land, the three of us sit down in the aforementioned gym container. After I thank them for not letting me get stranded at sea, we start by talking about the recent European Championships in Greece where they finished just outside the medals. 'I think the result maybe doesn't reflect the performance so much because we did actually have a lot of good races,' says Dickson. 'Unfortunately in the last race we had a crash with a German boat who didn't see us. It cost us a few too many points. We still had a chance going into the medal race, but we just didn't quite do enough.' But the overarching feeling is positive. The pair are still in the early stages of their return from a post-Olympic break having finished fourth at the Games. Irish Times journalist Muireann Duffy and Irish Olympic sailor Robert Dickson at Irish Sailing Performance HQ in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin. Photograph: Seb Daly/ Sports File '[Paris] was our best performance to date, and after the debrief we all agreed that we could go one better,' says Waddilove. On aiming for a third Olympics, he adds: 'It was quite a straightforward decision, and we believe we have the right team in place with the coaches and all the support staff, so that kind of guided the decision as well.' [ The agonising story of how two Irish sailors lost out on an Olympic medal Opens in new window ] Fourth in Paris came after a difficult start in the medal race. The flag to indicate a false start was raised, the lads weren't sure whether they were at fault so turned back to restart to avoid disqualification. The sickener was they hadn't jumped the start at all. 'We know we can do better than that, and I don't think it would feel right to leave it at fourth place,' Waddilove adds. Irish Times journalist Muireann Duffy and Irish Olympic sailor Robert Dickson at Irish Sailing Performance HQ in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin. Photograph: Seb Daly/ Sports File 'If Paris hadn't gone the way it did, we could be sat here feeling like we're never going to be able to get close to it,' Dickson chimes in. 'But actually we did get very close. 'Even though we just missed out, it gives you more confidence that we're right there, we only need a little bit to actually achieve that medal.' The next Games may be three years away, but the medals that will catch the light of the LA sun are currently being earned in the shadows. In that regard, Dickson and Waddilove won't be found wanting. 'There's not really any magic bullet,' Dickson says of their approach for LA. 'You'd love to be able to say you can change it all up and do something completely different, but at the end of the day it's just going out and repeating the exact same things over and over a hundred times, and that's the thing that gets you better. 'There'll be small changes, and that's all really it's going to take, because we're very close, we're not reinventing the wheel.' There may yet be difficult waters up ahead, the path to the Olympics rarely runs smooth, but this pair have shown they're capable. Stick to the plan and the winds of LA may yet blow in their favour.
Irish Times
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Eve McMahon takes top spot in latest World Sailing rankings
Eve McMahon has become the first Irish sailor to achieve a number one spot in the World Sailing rankings. The 21-year-old Dubliner charged up the ILCA 6 pecking order off the back of her bronze medal-winning performance at the ILCA World Championships in China last month. The result marked McMahon's first senior medal and saw her become the first Irish female sailor to medal at a senior world championship. The Howth Yacht Club sailor made her Olympic debut at last summer's Paris Games , where she placed 13th in the women's dinghy event. READ MORE Meanwhile, two-time Olympians Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove are ranked fourth in the world in the men's skiff, while in the ILCA 7 class, Finn Lynch sits seventh and Ewan McMahon has achieved a career-best of 11th. Commenting on the rankings, Irish Sailing's performance director James O'Callaghan said: 'To have five senior athletes ranked so high globally is a remarkable achievement and a true reflection of the depth of talent in Irish sailing. 'For Eve to reach World Number One at just 21 years of age is exceptional. It proves, once again, that Ireland consistently punches above its weight on the international stage in sailing. But, whilst these ranking are a significant and welcome marker, our athletes remain focused on delivering at key events.' The updated rankings follow confirmation that Dún Laoghaire will host next year's ILCA World Championships.
Irish Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ireland's Eve McMahon becomes world sailing number one
Dublin sailor Eve McMahon is now rated as the number one sailor in the World Sailing rankings. It is an incredible feat for the 21-year-old, who trains in Howth Sailing Club. She jumped from twelfth to first in the standings after her strong Olympics last year in addition to a bronze medal at the ILCA World Championships in China last month. She came 11th in Paris last year but impressed on the way. She is just one of a number of sailors spurring on Irish sailing, as Olympians Robert Dickson, Sean Waddilove and Finn Lynch are also doing well. McMahon's brother Ewan is also a strong sailor, reaching 11th place in the rankings. The Performance Director at Irish Sailing, James O'Callaghan said: 'To have five senior athletes ranked so high globally is a remarkable achievement and a true reflection of the depth of talent in Irish sailing. "For Eve to reach World Number One at just 21 years of age is exceptional. It proves, once again, that Ireland consistently punches above its weight on the international stage in sailing. "But, whilst these ranking are a significant and welcome marker, our athletes remain focused on delivering at key events.' In more good news for Irish sailing, it was recently announced that the 2026 ILCA World Championships will be held in Dun Laoghaire, providing a chance to see our Irish Olympians in home waters. The glory days are set to continue for Irish sailing, even though it is a long way to go towards the next Olympics in Los Angeles.
Irish Daily Mirror
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish Sailing on the rise as Eve McMahon and team-mates look to LA '28
It's a grey, cold Monday in Dun Laoghaire but the heat is rising in the harbour as Ireland's elite sailors get into it. There are few observers to what's happening on an ordinary May weekday but that doesn't dilute the competitive nature of what's happening on the water. Back home after making history in China by becoming Irish Sailing's first World Championship bronze medal winner, Eve McMahon is part of a group of six fighting to manoeuvre around the halfway mark in first place in the second of three races leading into a medal race. The 21-year-old overcooks the turn and her dinghy overturns, and can only wait for her friends and rivals to speed past before she rights the vessel and is on her way again. It's all part of pushing the envelope, why she has already been so successful. It's a frustrating moment for such a ferocious competitor but this day and this race is not her real focus. Already twice a world champion at under-21 level, everything she does now is part of her preparation for LA 2028 and her second Olympics. For now, she is still coming to terms with her achievement in China. "When you're competing so far away, you don't really get to experience what it's like back home and how much support you have, so it's nice to come back and have received that support," McMahon said. And that competitive streak, where did it come from? "I think it was from having two older brothers, Jamie and Ewan, to be honest with you," smiled the young Howth woman. "There was always kind of a fight at home, always something going on! But no, I'm hugely grateful. They've been such a great help in my life and my career so far. "But yeah, I've just always seen a really fierce, aggressive sailor in the water. Sometimes it causes damage, but that's what you need to work on. "And I've kind of worked on it over the years to a point where I'm still working on it. I'm only 21 years of age, so I still have a lot of experience to go and a lot of lessons to learn." She talks of the many life skills that sailing imparts. "I don't think I'd be studying a degree and trying to balance high performance sport if I didn't have to learn the pressure that that sport gives you," said McMahon. "And it's a pressure that you don't get to experience unless you're on the start line of some sort of competition. "But also it's just the freedom that sailing brings. It comes with a lot of highs and lows, so you really just have to stick with it. But it's an amazing sport." Like many of her colleagues, sailing wasn't her first sporting love. She grew up playing a lot of sports. "It took me quite a long time to realise that I really love this, that I'm really kind of suitable for this sport," she confided. ********* It's a sport that is growing in this country. Annalise Murphy's Olympic journey to gold in Rio nine years ago took in the frustration of finishing just outside the medals at London 2012. But that 2012 near miss was the start of something big for Irish Sailing. "Following Annalise's fourth place in London, the profile of sailing really saw some growth at club level where total membership grew significantly," said Irish Sailing's performance director James O'Callaghan. "There was particular growth amongst young people taking up sailing and this has led to a steady upward curve in junior sections in clubs around the country, where young sailors are regularly encouraged by our elite athletes in the form of coaching, talks and participation. "Sailing is an extremely accessible sport and Irish Sailing is actively encouraging, promoting and supporting the recruitment of new sailors. "With funding from Sport Ireland (and in particular the DAC) and with annual events like the Watersports Inclusion Games (held this year in Malahide YC 5/6 July) sailing is more accessible than ever. "We also have a Clubs Disability fund where clubs can apply for grants to help support and provide inclusive opportunities for participation for people with a disability. These projects are built to help local clubs to connect in a meaningful way with their community. "We currently have three fleets of boats strategically located around the country and accessible to all those who would like to use them such as schools, third level institutions and adults. "These fleets encouraged almost 700 participants to take part in team racing last year, which is one of the fastest growing disciplines in sailing at the moment." More than 8,000 people took part in Irish Sailing training programmes last year that directly support sustained participation in the clubs, training centres and the sport in general. Schemes such as 'Start Sailing' and 'Cara Na Mara' for younger sailors are vital access points to the sport at a grassroots level in local clubs. Irish Sailing have developed pathway programmes that can lead into more defined areas such as instructor training or competitive racing. "Sports Capital grants have enabled clubs to purchase their own boats removing one of the biggest barriers to entry - owning a boat," O'Callaghan stressed. "Now you can literally try before you buy." Ewan McMahon is also a full-time competitor and is racing today against Eve, and the sibling rivalry is evident in their determination to beat each other. He was in China when she won bronze but was competing in his own race at the same time. "We definitely have a special bond," said Eve, speaking to Inside Sport before the racing got started. "It's not a bond that many competitors have. It's kind of like a comfort, like a piece of home that I'll always have when I'm sailing internationally. It's really nice to have him there." Both are ranked 12th in the world in their category and Ewan remarked: "Super proud of her as always. I was doing my own racing, so I didn't exactly follow what was going on, but that's really cool that she got the medal. I'm not surprised." While Eve went to her first Olympics last year - the sailors were in Marseilles, while the vast majority of the other Games action took place in Paris - Ewan just missed out on qualification. The LA '28 cycle began for him while his colleagues recovered from that Olympic experience. "I really put the head down straight after the Games," he said. "I was already training and I could see that progress when competition started again. I've been really happy with the progress. "I was in Marseilles watching and it was disappointing not to be a part of it. I tried my best to use it as motivation and focus towards my training and knew I needed step it up a gear. "I've just been trying to take as many learnings as I can from my previous cycles and kind of streamline that into being the best that I can." Surprisingly, Robert Dickson wins the first race. Dickson is one half of the men's 49er crew and, later the same evening, the pair are flying to Greece for the European Championships. They finished an agonising fourth in Marseilles because they had to turn around and re-start the medal race while in second position. Inevitably, rain begins to come down on Dublin Bay as the racing continues and there is drama as the wind shifts and with big gusts to fight through and use, if possible, for advantage, for the 10 competitors ranging from juniors to elite sailors to coaches. Ultimately, it is Carlow's Finn Lynch who takes the honours on the day, with Ewan McMahon a close second. Lynch, 28, competed at the Tokyo and Paris Games and is eyeing up medal possibilities in his third Olympics in three years time after starting this cycle in top form. Like several of his Ireland team-mates he will get his first recce in LA in the coming weeks. "We've got a nice little community of Irish people on the ground that are helping us," Lynch explained. "Hopefully with that in place we'll get our feet quicker than if we hadn't. We'll be looking forward to the Olympic qualification when it comes around in a couple of years' time. The Olympics is a great thing." He took a six month break after last year's Games and is now working with a new coach. "It's just a constant process of learning, improving, that's what I love, Lynch said. "It's just the process of trying to sail the perfect race, which is impossible. "It's an amazing sport to get into when you're a kid. There's a sense of freedom, being out on the water, steering your own ship, taking care of your own boat. It's a big responsibility but there's so much enjoyment with that. It's a sport for life." Dun Laoghaire's waterfront clubs are in a competitive bid process to try and secure the first Olympic Class World Championships to be hosted in Ireland in 25 years. The 2026 championship encompasses both Men's and Women's titles from August 18th to September 12th next year. Ireland, with Lynch and Eve McMahon, will have genuine contenders for the title. "With up to 70 nations represented it also gives Dun Laoghaire and Ireland the opportunity to showcase itself as a tourist destination," said James OCallaghan. "Ideally, we would also have a refurbished performance HQ to welcome training partners prior to the event." Irish Sailing is also still trying to secure government funding to redevelop the iconic old lighthouse building in Dun Laoghaire harbour into a new world class high performance centre. Currently using repurposed shipping containers with minimal amenities, Irish Sailing's temporary HQ is 'insufficient for world-class training', Irish Sailing claims. 'The current facilities lack basic amenities for elite athletes, such as toilets, showers and changing rooms. Irish Sailing pointed out that the facility, to be located in the historic Coastguard Station, is ready for renovation. The building has been vacant for over 20 years. Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has agreed to lease it to Irish Sailing on a long-term, nominal-rent basis once the refurbishment is completed. Detailed architectural plans and cost estimates are already in place, with construction ready to begin as soon as funding is secure. It was costed at €2.59m overall had the redevelopment got underway at the start of 2024, so the cost is predicted to be higher now. The proposed HQ would be part of the National Watersports Campus and, insists Irish Sailing, 'is expected to elevate Irish sailors' performance on the global stage'. A new base would also reduce the amount of time the elite sailors have to spend away from Ireland. "We see it as a no-brainer and can be delivered relatively cheaply for a capital project," said O'Callaghan.
Irish Times
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Ireland's Eve McMahon secures historic bronze medal at World Championships in China
In a historic first for Irish sailing, Howth Yacht Club's Eve McMahon won a bronze medal at the ILCA World Championships during the final day of action in Qingdao, China. McMahon finished third behind France's Louise Cervera, with Poland's Agata Barwinska in second. It is the first time an Irish female sailor has medalled at senior World Championships and a huge achievement for the 22-year-old who already has two back-to-back Under-21 World Championships to her name. The result marks a big step up step-change for the Irish sailor who competed in her first Olympics last summer in Paris after just two years at senior level. In the six races sailed in China, McMahon recorded results within the top six places in the 99-boat event, while also avoiding any penalties. READ MORE '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 with very strong winds but Eve made three solid races,' said Zbogar, who won silver for Slovenia at this venue in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 'She is sailing really well and we're looking forward to the days and months of competition ahead.'
