Finn Lynch Eighth as Jonatán Vadnai Wins World Title in Dún Laoghaire
With the ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship taking place just outside our door in Dún Laoghaire, Viking Marine has been following the racing throughout the week, with particular attention on the Irish sailors competing against the world’s best.
Hungary’s Jonatán Vadnai has been crowned 2026 ILCA 7 Men’s World Champion following a dramatic final day on Dublin Bay, while Ireland’s Finn Lynch completed his home championship in eighth place.
The top ten sailors contested two short Final Series races, with their scores from the earlier stages adjusted before racing began. The compressed standings and closely matched fleet left the title open to several competitors.
Lynch entered the finale in tenth place but continued his strong weekend recovery with sixth- and third-place finishes. The National Yacht Club sailor ended the championship on 54 points, moving two places up the standings to eighth overall.
Vadnai began the day in fifth position before finishing fourth in the opening race and winning the championship decider. His total of 47 points secured the world title by a single point.
Australia’s double Olympic champion Matt Wearn produced first and second-place finishes to take silver. Britain’s Michael Beckett won bronze on the same 48-point total, with Wearn placed ahead on countback.
Italy’s Lorenzo Brando Chiavarini finished fourth, level on 49 points with fifth-placed Elliot Hanson. The British sailor had led overnight but scores of eighth and tenth ended his title challenge.
Croatia’s Tonci Stipanovic finished sixth, ahead of Singapore’s Ryan Lo. Lynch was eighth, followed by Britain’s Finley Dickinson and Hong Kong’s Nicholas Halliday.
The remaining Irish sailors completed their championships following Saturday’s final fleet races. Ewan McMahon finished 36th overall, with Fiachra McDonnell 106th, Tom Coulter 108th, Roger Craig 114th and Bobby Driscoll 127th.
Lynch’s eighth place concludes an event in which he led the championship on home waters, recovered from a difficult middle stage and fought his way back into the ten-boat finale.
The championship brought 141 sailors from 45 nations to Dún Laoghaire, with racing hosted jointly by the National Yacht Club and Royal St George Yacht Club.
Viking Marine has been supporting Ireland’s sailing community from Dún Laoghaire since 1987. We stock an extensive range of ILCA sails, spars, ropes, fittings and replacement hardware, available online and from our Dún Laoghaire store.
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View the latest provisional results from the 2026 ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship