In June, Eve McMahon was ranked the number one sailor in the world in her class of boat, ICLA 6. It was another historic milestone for the UCD student from Howth, who has trailblazed from the junior ranks straight into medalling in senior regattas.
The top ranking followed a bronze medal at the World Championships in China in May and 13th in the Olympic Games last year, where she became the youngest Irish sailor to compete at the Games.
Now 21, McMahon’s seamless rise and her comfort in taking on the best dinghy sailors in the world has put her on a steep trajectory towards LA 2028.
Although it’s three years away, the experience of Paris 2024 and the early success of McMahon allows her to reflect positively on a 2025 season and also on what is to come.
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“The Olympic Games and LA 2028 is the biggest sporting event in the world, so of course that’s always going to be the bigger picture,” says McMahon.
“That’s always what we are going to be training for. A massive goal in my mind, but also we have these stepping-stone regattas which are also a big deal and a lot of history involved in them. Our World Championships, European Championship and World Cup series.
“It’s really nice to perform at those events because they give you a really good confidence boost for the bigger picture, the Olympics.”
Even the small matter of the Olympic course has been somewhat mastered. The Long Beach regatta was one leg of five including races in Spain, France, Netherlands and Germany. The Ad Astra scholar began the final day of racing in second place before ultimately taking the lead from Britain’s Hannah Snellgrove to win the gold medal.
“That was the Olympic course,” she said. “It is something I’m massively proud of. Again, that’s a confidence boost to be on Olympic waters and to perform at a very high level.
“I really love the venue as well. It’s technical and quite tricky and the wind can be a bit of everything. You have to be an all-round sailor and I got on great.”
There is a surety about McMahon, although she says it is the lack of security in sailing that she enjoys. Her background in training with Rio silver medallist Annalise Murphy and the Olympic medal-winning Danish team has brought her close to the best in the world. She is comfortable in such company.
Although she had a more muted outing last week, where she finished 11th in the European Championships overall – as consolation winning the bronze medal for the under-23 age group − the body of work so far has been hugely encouraging.
“In sailing, there are so many variables you are never secure. I think when you finish your first games and you have a breakthrough in the senior fleet, you are kind of going ‘okay this is within reach’,” she says.
“But nothing is ever secure and that’s what I love about it. You put pressure on yourself when you are in reach of something and you know you can do it and you have people who believe in you and you believe in yourself.
“In youth fleet, I had a very successful career and now to make a breakthrough this year in a senior fleet in my first year. It’s pretty incredible to have three medals in my first senior year.”
Breakfast chat in the McMahon household is only on one topic. Her brothers Ewan and Jamie are also sailors. Ewan recently recorded his best ever gold-fleet performance at the European Championships, beating LA 2028 rival Finn Lynch to come ninth.
“My oldest brother is still competing beside me in the men’s Olympic class. That’s been really special,” says McMahon. “He was in Sweden at the European Championships and he just got his personal best as well. So, it’s nice to see him on his trajectory too.
“We’ve been a big help in each other’s lives. I’ve another brother Jamie, who also sailed. Breakfast chat? Yeah . . . breakfast, lunch and dinner, to be honest.”
A two-time Under-21 world champion, McMahon knows how to get to podiums. It’s been a short career but heavily packed.
“I know exactly how to handle things because I’ve been through it and that’s a little bit of something I’m missing,” she says. “But I also think it’s something good because I don’t have any fears.”
