Ireland made a powerful statement at French Olympic Week as Eve McMahon won silver in the women’s dinghy and Olympians Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove secured silver in the men’s skiff in the second sailing Grand Slam of the season.
In the men’s skiff, Dickson (Howth Yacht Club) and Waddilove (Skerries Sailing Club) sailed their Final Series, consisting of two races, recording a second-place and a fifth-place finish. They finished the races ahead of both China and France, whom they had been battling all week for the top positions.
China took gold and were impossible to catch on points, but the race for silver was tight and effectively became a match between Ireland and France. Dickson-Waddilove rose to that pressure and executed their two races well with the French pair of Erwan Fischer and Clément Péquin relegated to bronze.
In the women’s dinghy/ILCA 6 it was a battle for gold between Ireland and USA with just one point splitting them in the end. The first race of the series saw McMahon (Howth Yacht Club) finish third to Charlotte Rose (USA) in second with the final race turning into a showdown between the two.
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This is McMahon’s second medal of the sailing Grand Slam Series in 2026 after a stellar performance in Palma at the Princess Sofia Regatta which saw her take gold.
“It’s a little bittersweet. I went into today in first position but dropped down to second by the end. It was a great battle with the American girl but just not enough to win gold,” Eve McMahon said after racing.
“I’m happy with my sailing, there’s still a little to learn so we’ll debrief after the event and learn from it and we’ll go into the European Championships better prepared.”
In the women’s skiff/49erFX the Northern Irish pair of Erin McIlwaine (Royal St George YC / Newcastle YC) and Ellen Barbour (County Antrim Boat Club) had a fifth in their first race and a third place in the second leaving them in seventh place overall.
Next up for Dickson, Waddilove, McIlwaine and Barbour will be the 49er World Championships in Quiberon in Northern France from the May 12–17. The ILCA sailors will take a short break before they go to their European Championships in Kastella, Croatia from May 17–22.
