Difficult day for Lynch as he slips outside top ten

It was a difficult day on the water for Ireland’s Finn Lynch, who dropped 11 places overall at the in Dún Laoghaire on Friday.

The heavy overnight rain cleared from Dublin Bay by mid-morning, allowing a light breeze of six to eight knots to fill in as the fleet prepared for the fourth day of racing.

The opening Gold Fleet race saw a large number of sailors cross the line before the start signal. With the new Vakaros start line technology in use, each sailor was immediately notified and required to return behind the line before beginning their race.

Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club) was caught in the disruption and forced to restart, leaving him at the back of the fleet from the outset. He recovered a number of places but finished 33rd, a result that dropped him to seventh overall.

There was little reprieve in the second race, with the Carlow sailor finishing 43rd. That result saw him slip to 13th overall, five points outside the top ten. However, with two races scheduled for Saturday, a top-ten finish remains firmly within reach.

Ewan McMahon (Howth Yacht Club) was also caught in the disruption at the start of the opening race, leaving him at the back of the fleet. He recovered strongly in the second race, making a smart call to take the left side of the course before finishing 14th. That result moved him up several places to 33rd overall.