Over 140 Olympic-class sailors from 46 nations will compete on Dublin Bay when the ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship comes to Dún Laoghaire from 23–30 August.
This will be the first time since 2001 that Ireland will host a World Championship for an Olympic sailing class.
The event will be hosted jointly by the Royal St George Yacht Club and the National Yacht Club. The Championship will bring the world’s leading ILCA 7 sailors (athletes who compete in the men’s single-handed dinghy at the Olympic Games) to Irish waters.
Irish Sailors
Ireland will be represented by Olympian Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club), Ewan McMahon (Howth Yacht Club), Fiachra McDonnell (Royal Irish Yacht Club), Tom Coulter (East Antrim Boat Club), Bobby Driscoll (Ballyholme Yacht Club) and Roger Craig (Royal St George Yacht Club).
With the new Olympic cycle well under way, the championship will provide an important early benchmark on the road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. It offers Irish sailors the chance to test themselves against the world’s best on home waters.
Training camps
Several international teams have already held training camps in Dún Laoghaire. June’s Coaches Invitational Regatta provided an early opportunity for competitors to test the venue with Britain’s Elliot Hanson taking the ILCA 7 title, with Finn Lynch finishing level on points for third place. Ireland’s Eve McMahon won the women’s ILCA 6 event.
Six days of competition
The event, which promises six days of world-class competition, will be a significant milestone for Irish sailing as the sport builds towards LA 2028. Racing begins Tuesday next, 25 August.
The event will be followed by the Women’s ILCA 6 World Championship which takes place on Dublin Bay 5 – 12 September 2026.
