The Irish Sailing Senior Squad are ramping up preparations for two critical 2027 Olympic qualifiers that could secure national places at the Los Angeles 2028 Games. World Sailing has published the Notice of Race for the 2027 World Sailing Championships, set to unfold across two international venues with several Olympic classes in contention.
The ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 fleets will race in Fortaleza, Brazil, in January, before the 49er, 49erFX, 470, and Nacra 17 classes converge on Gdynia, Poland, in July. The January championships in Fortaleza will mark Ireland’s first nation qualification opportunity in the ILCA class.
Ireland’s ILCA campaign features a strong lineup. Howth Yacht Club’s Eve McMahon will compete in the ILCA 6, while Finn Lynch of the National Yacht Club and Howth’s Ewan McMahon will contest the ILCA 7. All three sailors will be looking to put Ireland firmly on the path to Olympic representation.
Attention will then shift to Gdynia in July, where Ireland’s Olympic skiff and mixed-class campaigns face another pivotal moment in the road to LA 2028. Two-time Olympians Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove are chasing a remarkable third Olympic appearance in the 49er, while Erin McIlwaine and Ellen Barbour continue building momentum in their 49erFX campaign.
The 2027 championships in Gdynia will also incorporate the Para and Inclusive Sailing World Championships, bringing together competitors across a range of inclusive and para sailing classes. Overall, 2027 shapes up as a defining year for Irish Sailing’s Olympic campaigns as the countdown to Los Angeles 2028 intensifies.
