Irish team at the ILCA Laser Standard Men's Worlds at Miho Bay, Japan - Day 3
by Gail MacAllister 6 Jul 2019 17:52 PDT
4-9 July 2019
Ewan McMahon during the Laser World Championship at Sakaiminato, Japan © Junichi Hirai / Bulkhead Magazine Japan
Ireland's Ewan McMahon (Howth, Co. Dublin) and Finn Lynch (Bennekerry Co. Carlow) have progressed into the Gold fleet for the top 52 competitors at the Laser World Championship in Japan that is a qualification event for next year's Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Six races over the coming three days will decide the finals standings and the next five nations to be included for Japan next year.
While Lynch scored two top 20 places earlier today to stand 50th overall in the 156-strong fleet, it is McMahon who has the best overall Irish placing in 41st place following a 14th and 13th for the day in his first senior World Championship in the class.
Liam Glynn from Bangor was unable to find his opening day form and lies mid-fleet in 77th overall.
"It definitely depends on the wind; with lighter wind anything is possible as the (overall) points are actually quite close," commented Vasilij Zbogar, Irish Sailing's head Laser coach. "Many good sailors didn't make the Gold fleet and now we have nothing to lose. For now, it's not about the (final) result, it's about sailing freely and having fun."