Eve McMahon – Gold Medal Hero at the 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca

09 April 2026
Eve McMahon – Gold Medal Hero at the 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca
 
Howth Yacht Club’s Eve McMahon claimed a remarkable victory at the 2026 Trofeo Princesa Sofía last weekend, one of the most historic and important regattas in international sailing. Competing in the ILCA 6 class, Eve emerged as the Gold Medalist, excelling in a fleet of the world’s best sailors.
 
The regatta, held from 27 March – 4 April in Palma Bay, Mallorca, was also the inaugural event of the Sailing Grand Slam, marking the official transition from winter training to high-stakes international competition and providing a key benchmark ahead of the World Championships in Dublin this summer.
 
 
HYC Commodore Kevin Monks sent his heartfelt congratulations to Eve on her magnificent achievement, highlighting how proud everyone at the club is of the way she represents Howth and Ireland at the highest level.
 
Competing Against the Best
 
Eve raced consistently at the front of a highly competitive ILCA 6 fleet of 148 boats. Entering the final day in second place overall, she faced intense pressure in the medal races. After finishing 5th in the first medal race, Eve rose to the challenge and won the final race, securing Gold overall in a thrilling finish.
 
The Race of Her Life
 
Eve described her final race as the “race of my life,” showcasing her focus, determination, and competitive maturity. Her consistency throughout the week, combined with a powerful final-day surge, underlines her status as one of Ireland’s leading sailors and an Olympic prospect.
 
 
Significance for HYC and Irish Sailing
 
Eve’s triumph is more than a personal milestone. It signals her readiness for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle and high highlights her career beginning at Howth Yacht Club.  It adds to a growing list of major international results, reinforcing her status as one of Ireland’s top sailing talents.
 
Wider Howth Yacht Club Participation
Sienna Wright sailed in the Gold Fleet throughout the event in the ILCA 6 class, finishing an impressive 36th overall in a deep international fleet. Her performance marked a standout showing at her first senior‑level Sailing Grand Slam event, demonstrating strong competitiveness and resilience against elite competition.
 
Ewan McMahon competed in the ILCA 7 men’s fleet and remained consistently in contention throughout the regatta. He narrowly missed qualification for the Final Series by just seven points, ultimately finishing just outside the top ten after a series of strong races.
 
Olympian Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove (Skerries Sailing Club) also participated but concluded their participation early. 
 
Congratulations to all - HYC is so proud of you!
 
Image credit irishsailing.ie