After a shaky start on Wednesday due to a penalty, youth sailing star Eve McMahon of Howth Yacht Club is inside the cut-off for the Gold fleet at the ILCA 6/Laser European Championships in Hyeres, France.
McMahon had a consistent Thursday in which she produced 13th and 14th places in her 109-boat fleet.
She has to finish inside the top 55 boats to qualify for Gold and lies 41st overnight with two more qualifying races left to sail.
The top places are very tight after four races, with Maud Jayet SUI (2-9-3-1) leading now the fleet with six points, followed one point behind by the overnight first and reigning 2021 Senior European champion Agata Barwisnka POL (4-1-2-4) with 7. British sailor Hannah Snellgrove GBR (21-1-2-6) is third with 9.
The Gold medalist in Rio 2016 and multiple times World and European champion Marit Bouwmeester NED (9-5-4-2) comes fourth with 11 points.
Two-times world champion Emma Plasschaert BEL (5-8-6-2) completes the provisional European’s Top 5 with 13.
Canadian sailor Sarah Douglas CAN (14-2-1-3) is second overall in the Open European Trophy, tied in 6 points with the leader.
Vasileia Karachaliou POR (3-10-16-1) and Pernelle Michon FRA (5-5-8-4) are also close with 14 units.
Friday is the last day of the qualifying series, with the first warning signal at 12:00.
The forecast is for even stronger winds.
Six days of races are scheduled in total, with the last ones coming on Monday 21st to decide the new 2022 EurILCA Senior European champions.
Download results below