National Yacht Club’s Finn Lynch Earns Bronze Medal at European ILCA 7 Championships in Athens

With a final day turn of speed, the National Yacht Club‘s Finn Lynch won the bronze medal at the ILCA 7 European Championships in Athens today (Friday, 23rd February 2024) after a three-race final day that ended the weather-hit event.

The Carlow sailor had a consistent day of top-ten results to end the eight-race regatta on equal points with Hungary’s Jonatan Vadnai, who took the silver on a tie-break.

This marks Vadnai’s second Senior Europeans medal, following his Bronze win in 2021, while it’s Lynch’s first Senior European prize in his career.

Both boats were just four points off Gold, where Valterri Uusiltalo topped the 141-boat fleet for Finland.

Lynch now adds a Bronze to his world championship silver at Barcelona in 2021 as he aims to secure the Irish place for the Men’s single-handed event at the Paris 2024 Olympics this Summer.

Green Rebel McMahon

The Rio 2016 Olympic veteran was in the second round of a selection trials series with Ewan McMahon (Howth YC), who ended this week’s event in 17th place and, at times, was leading Lynch.

While a third regatta was included in the Irish selection trials series, Lynch cannot be beaten and is set to be nominated for Paris.

There were plaudits in Athens for McMahon’s independent Green Rebel campaign, too. The recently graduated UCD Engineering student rose to the challenge this week and regained Sport Ireland funding status for any future campaign for LA2028.

“It was very tricky, very up and down for the three races of mostly six knots, maximum eleven,” commented  Lynch’s Laser Coach Vasilij Zbogar. “We were hoping for a little more wind, preferably over 10 knots, where Finn definitely has an edge. But we wanted a medal here, we got a medal here, so we’re happy.”

Finnish sailor Valtteri Uusitalo made an impressive debut as a Senior European medalist, clinching the Gold prize by finishing atop the fleet after eight races with a total of 42 points.

“Very difficult day for me. I mean, super tricky conditions but I guess I managed to do quite well. I am very pleased with myself,” Uusitalo said.

In terms of the Olympic spots at stake, Omer Vered Vilenchik and Zan Luka Zelko emerged as the winners, securing the ILCA 7 tickets for Israel and Slovenia in Paris 2024.

Top 10 ILCA 7 Senior Europeans:

Valtteri Uusitalo FIN 42 pt
Jonatan Vadnai HUN 46 pt
Finn Lynch IRL 46 pt
Finley Dickinson GBR 49 pt
Benjamin Vadnai HUN 53 pt
Dimitri Peroni ITA 59 pt
Eduardo Marques POR 61 pt
Omer Vered Vilenchik ISR 65 pt
Tonci Stipanovic CRO 73 pt
Alexandre Boite FRA 74 pt

Thanks to AFLOAT.IE for the article