Sail-World.com : Fireball National Championships Final Report
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Fireball National Championships Final Report |
An impressive 90 Boat fleet assembled for for a great week's racing off the Cornish coast. The forecast was for a mixed week weather wise and that's how it turned out. The entry list was littered with past National, European and World champions from the Fireball and other classes.
The competition was expected to be fierce and it was. All races were sailed on a triangle/sausage/triangle/sausage course with gate starts.
Sunday.
Race 1 was sailed in a Force 3 with waves rolling in from the south west. Former World champions and winners of the 2002 Nationals at Mount's Bay, Chips Howarth and Vyv Townend, led at the windward mark and held this to the finish. Martyn Lewis and Richard Byne, back in a Fireball after several years out, held 2nd for a long period only to be overtaken by 2006 European Champions Andy Smith and Jonny Mildred, who subsequently lost out to the fast finishing Derian and Andy Scott.
For race 2 the wind had built to force 4. Again Howarth and Townend led by taking a clear lane out to the left of the beat, but were later overtaken by Dave Wade and Ben McGrane and current World champions Matt Mee and Richard Wagstaff. Wade and McGrane won the race on the water but were subject to a protest hearing for an incident at the windward mark. The protest was dismissed and so they held onto their winning score which was to prove cruicial later in the week. Mee and Wagstaff finished second and Howarth/Townend third.
Howarth/Townend were overnight leaders, followed by DJ Edwards and Andy Thompson in second who had a consistent day with two fourths. Smith/Mildred held third with a 3,6 scoreline. Defending National Champions Tom Jeffcoate and Mark Hogan scored 6 and 9 and were 7th overall. an interesting week was unfolding.
Monday.
The lay day was taken early following prior consultation with the fleet in view of the predicted high winds. The wind arrived and was coupled with poor visibility and rough seas. Those who had a little too much Pimms at Buddy night went back to bed, others went surfing.
Tuesday.
The forecast was for strong westerly winds and they arrived, gusting up to 30 knots by the end of the day. The previous day's swell was still rolling in from the southwest but the wind further west, this made for difficult sailing conditions particulary upwind. Dave Wade and Ben McGrane won both races to put them top of the leader board at the end of the day. For some the highlight was the dolphin pod joining in on the 2nd gate start of the day.
Wednesday.
A hard day on the water. The fleet launched on time for an 11 o' clock start. Race 5 was sailed in a south westerly breeze of 12 knots combined with a building swell bringing tricky conditions. Edwards and Thompson took the gun followed by Smith/Mildred and Mee/Wagstaff. Low cloud brought shiftier conditions and the visibility had reduced enough at the end of the race for the fleet to be sent ashore for half an hour.
Race 6 was started only to be abandoned after a large right hand shift. After the course had been re-laid Adam Whitehouse and Mike Pratt led initially but disaster struck near the finish with an expensive capsize. Smith/Mildred took the gun with Kevin Hope and Russell Thorne second and Tom Jeffcoate and Mark Hogan third. Overall this meant that Wade/McGrane led from Smith/Mildred on count back, with both teams on 12 points. Howarth/Townend and Mee/Wagstaff within 3 and 5 points respectively .
Thursday.
Instead of the expected 10 knot westerly breeze the morning saw a very light easterly forming in Mount's Bay. Visibility was low and the fleet took on tea and pasties in preperation for the afternoon's race. The postponement flag remained hoisted until 2.30 when the fleet launched. Race 7 was started in marginal trapezing conditions but was abandoned on the first beat after a 35 degree shift to the right. With the wind shifting through 40 degrees the fleet retired to the shore to enjoy a great barbeque in the sunshine.
Friday's racing was on flatter water and in shiftier conditions than the rest of the week as the wind had tracked round to the Northwest.
Race 7 saw fleet new boys Ross Kearney/Dave Hynes lead for a lap but they were eventually overtaken and fell back. Of the leading contenders DJ Edwards and Andy Thompson were unable to complete any races as their rudder was ripped off by a collision with an object in the water, chief suspect Mr A Dolphin. Andy Smith and Jonny Mildred had another consistent day but a 5,6 was not enough to challenge for the title.
Matt Mee and Richard Wagstaff had a good day posting a 1st and a 3rd. But the real battle was between Chips Howarth and Vyv Townend and Dave Wade and Ben McGrane. Howarth and Townend posted a 2nd and a 1st meaning that to beat them Wade and McGrane needed to place 3rd or 2nd in the last race, having been 3rd in the first race of the day. Eventually Wade and McGrane squeezed into 2nd giving them the title by one point. After having been 2nd at a number of Fireball championships over the years, including this years Worlds Dave looked delighted to have won.
Racing was tight throughout the fleet with the silver and bronze fleet titles not being settled until the last day. Simon Kelsall and Tom Williamson (Staunton Harold) gave Simon Lomas-Clarke and John Piatt (Weston) a run for their money in the silver fleet. In the bronze fleet Nick McLeod and Matt Rawson had a storming last day to overtake David and Michelle Ryder for the title.
In a week of tough conditions, even for the front of the fleet, a mention must go to Stewart and Lesley Scarff who won the Typhoon Perseverance Trophy - last boat on points to complete all the races. They finished 69th overall - and there were many pairings above them who retired from races!
Silver Fleet 2008 Sponsered by Rooster Sailing
1 Simon Lomas Clarke/John Piatt
2 Simon Kelsall/Tom Williamson
3 Alex Shaw/Jo Line
Bronze Fleet 2008 Sponsered by Harken
1 Nick Mcleod/Matt Rawson
2 Brett Cokayne/Tom Greenhalgh
3 David Ryder/Michelle Ryder
1st Youth Helm - Tom Castle
1st Youth Crew - Tim Needham
1st Lady Helm - Becky Priest
1st Lady Crew - Fiona Davies
Over 50 Helm - Veronica Falat-
Classic Boat Trophy - Helm Malcom Davies and Crew Fiona Davies
Typhoon Perseverance Trophy - Helm Stewart Scarff, Crew Lesley Scarff
1st Novice Helm John Tenny,
1st Novice Crew George Collett
Fireball - Final overall results
1st 14993 Dave Wade Ben McGrane Northampton SC -12 1 1 1 5 4 3 2 29 17
2nd 14830 Chips Howarth Vyv Townsend Bewl Valley SC 1 3 4 3 4 -5 2 1 23 18
3rd 14994 Matt Mee Richard Wagstaff Hollingworth Lake SC -9 2 3 2 3 8 1 3 31 22
4th 14895 Andy Smith Jonny Mildred Notts County SC 3 -6 2 4 2 1 5 6 29 23
5th 14948 Tom Jeffcoate Mark Hogan Notts County SC 6 -9 8 9 6 3 4 7 52 43
6th 14950 Kevin Hope Russell Thorne Notts County SC 8 7 7 7.5 -13 2 13 13 70.5 57.5
7th 14973 Matt Burge Paul Davies Poole YC 5 8 -15 14 7 11 8 10 78 63
8th 14226 Martyn Lewis Richard Byne Draycote Water SC 7 11 12 -16 11 6 14 9 86 70
9th 14977 Phillip Popple Gavin Tillson Shoreham SC 13 15 -20 10 16 7 9 4 94 74
10th 14899 Sam Mettam Richard Anderton Thorny Island SC -21 5 6 15 12 16 6 14 95 74
11th 14980 Tom Foskett Tim Needham Staunton Harold 19 10 11 6 15 -DNS 7 11 170 79
12th 14954 Becky Priest Tim Saunders Staunton Harold SC -26 12 16 12 8 13 10 12 109 83
13th 14920 Vince Horey Robert Gardner King George 18 -DNS 10 11 20 10 11 5 176 85
14th 14820 Andrew Pearce Olly Goldsmith Portishead Y&SC 23 16 17 -31 9 9 15 8 128 97
15th 14966 Grahame Newton Mark Stevens Staunton Harold SC 10 13 19 17 14 17 -21 20 131 110
16th 14941 Derian Scott Andy Scott Scaling Dam SC 2 14 -DNF 13 28 22 22 18 210 119
17th 14842 Paulo Brescia Dario Pagliani Yacht Club Italiano 29 19 9 25 -35 15 12 15 159 124
18th 14949 D J Edwards Andy Thompson Corus SC 4 4 5 7.5 1 12 -DNC DNC 215.5 124.5
19th 14867 Veronica Falat Ben Falat Waveney & 14 24 -33 18 18 23 18 16 164 131
20th 14791 Angus Hemmings Steve Chesney Hayling Island SC 17 17 14 20 21 20 -34 27 170 136
21st 14945 Tom Fenn Jim Baldwin Notts County SC 11 23 18 27 -32 28 31 17 187 155
22nd 13945 Malcolm Davies Fiona Davies Paignton SC 15 -DNF 23 30 23 21 24 23 250 159
23rd 14829 Matt Grant Tim Searle Castle Cove SC 28 20 -41 28 17 24 29 22 209 168
24th 14805 Mark Maskell John Watkins Brightlingsea 16 26 25 -DNC 26 34 26 21 265 174
25th 14991 Adam Whitehouse Mike Pratt Draycote Water SC 22 18 13 5 10 18 -DNC DNC 268 177
26th 14834 Paul Smalley Alex Knight Weston SC -47 35 27 21 24 25 27 19 225 178
27th 14628 Simon Lomas-Clarke John Piatt Weston SC 31 21 -32 23 27 30 25 25 214 182
28th 14818 Pete Badham John Rohde Dracote Water SC 30 28 22 -39 25 31 23 24 222 183
29th 14982 Martin Scarth Anthony King Blackwater SC 24 29 -DNF 41 31 26 17 33 292 201
30th 14911 Joe Jospe Tom Egli Pointe Claire YC -46 27 42 19 39 39 20 26 258 212
31st 14909 Ian Priest Mike Stoddart South Cerney SC 41 -44 26 32 37 19 28 31 258 214
32nd 14928 Andy Willcocks Andrea Willcocks Clevedon SC 39 30 21 26 -40 35 30 34 255 215
33rd 14967 Tom Castle Anthony York Northampton SC -40 38 30 29 30 33 32 32 264 224
34th 15002 Simon Kelsall Tom Williamson Staunton Harold SC 25 33 37 24 36 -44 37 37 273 229
35th 14837 Russell Cormack Ali Cormack Budworth SC 27 39 34 38 38 29 33 -40 278 238
36th 14391 Alex Shaw Jo Line Portishead Y&SC 42 31 28 37 -50 32 42 48 310 260
37th 14789 Rhys Lankester Chris Bishop Bristol Corinthian 32 36 -DNF 35 43 46 39 36 358 267
38th 14565 Elaine Slater Graham Slater Paignton SC 33 37 38 40 49 -DNF 40 38 366 275
39th 14662 Anthony Proctor Alan Goule Paington SC 45 45 35 34 42 36 41 -46 324 278
40th 14976 Ross Kearney Dave Hynes Northampton SC -DSQ DSQ 29 22 DNF 14 16 30 384 293
41st 14742 Nick McLeod Matt Rawson Ogston SC 36 34 44 -DNF 52 52 49 44 402 311
42nd 14182 Tim Riley Chris Tuchett Waveny & 51 40 40 45 45 49 44 -52 366 314
43rd 14870 Peter Wood James Wood Draycote Water SC 59 41 -DNS -DNC 29 27 36 35 409 318
44th 14821 Jonathon Bale Gary Henwood-Fox Chew Valley 48 60 50 51 41 41 -DSQ 29 411 320
45th 13697 Christine Slater Nigel Williams Paignton SC 34 43 46 47 22 38 -DSQ DNF 412 321
46th 14955 Ian Western Keith Bundy Draycote Water SC 37 51 48 -DNC 53 42 45 50 417 326
47th 14876 Chris Walker Oli Needham Staunton Harold SC 35 50 24 36 34 -DNS 59 DNF 420 329
48th 14843 Colin Snowden Karen Hiles Draycote Water SC 56 47 36 46 56 -58 48 41 388 330
49th 14111 John Tenny Tom Vian Draycote Water SC 55 42 31 33 44 45 -DSQ DSQ 432 341
50th 14621 Jeremy Hurst Abigail Hurst Parkstone SC 50 53 64 -DSQ 47 50 43 39 437 346
51st 14625 Brett Cokayne Tom Greenhalgh Staunton Harold SC 38 49 43 42 51 40 -DNF DNC 445 354
52nd 14771 Terry Forbes Dan Walker Staunton Harold SC 54 48 60 -DNF 57 47 46 43 446 355
53rd 14755 David Ryder Michelle Ryder Blackwater SC 57 46 52 -DNC 48 51 57 56 458 367
54th 14893 Elaine Tudor Warren Tudor Brightlingsea SC 49 57 -DNF DNC 33 DNS 35 28 475 384
55th 14600 Anthony Willcocks James Willcocks Clevedon SC 64 56 57 50 -67 54 54 54 456 389
56th 14964 David Mason George Collett Weirwood SC 70 -DNF 47 DNF 46 37 55 45 482 391
57th 14886 John Lang Damian Abbott West Riding SC 62 58 -DNC DNC 54 43 38 49 486 395
58th 14229 Geoff Holden Sophie Holden Ogston SC 52 52 51 -DNF 68 53 65 62 494 403
59th 14463 Steve Popple Suzie Capey Shoreham SC 69 -74 49 44 72 66 60 63 497 423
60th 14624 Steve Patten Brian Aldgate Penzance SC 61 62 -DNF 49 61 DNS 47 53 515 424
61st 14918 Gordon Evans Ruth Evans Coran SC Margam 58 55 56 -DNF 63 DNS 51 51 516 425
62nd 13656 Tony Godwin Tim McEvoy Torpoint -DSQ DSQ 62 43 64 56 52 58 517 426
63rd 14716 Paul Anthony Quentin Hayes Draycote Water -DSQ 54 65 55 62 DNS 53 47 518 427
64th 14798 Maria Richard Lucy Lingard Blackwater SC 63 -DNS DNF DNF 55 48 50 42 531 440
65th 13910 Nathan Batchelor Adam Bowers Castle Cove SC 43 25 -DNF DNC 19 DNC DNS DNC 542 451
66th 14114 Barry Smith Christopher Smith Thornbury SC 60 59 -DNF DNC 66 59 62 55 543 452
67th 14315 Jeremy Belling Paul Robbins Castle Cove SC 53 32 39 -DNF 60 DNC DNC DNC 548 457
68th 14268 Nick Hurst Ben Fjaeren Shoreham SC 68 -DNS 58 DNC 65 57 61 59 550 459
69th 14135 Scarff Stewart Lesley Scarff Shoreham SC 82.5 67 67 54 -83 61 70 64 548.5 465.5
70th 14872 Barbara Newson Guy Newson Pentland Firth YC 67 63 -DNC DNC 70 63 58 57 560 469
71st 13152 Kirsten Claiden-Yardley Andrew Jarvis Oxford SC 78 70 61 -DNS 74 64 66 60 564 473
72nd 14266 Bob Tuckwood Debbie Tuckwood Notts County SC 75 65 -DNF DNC 59 55 69 61 566 475
73rd 13857 Martin Smith Julie Hanson Mounts Bay SC 65 61 55 DNC 73 60 73 DNF 569 478
74th 14118 Grahame Collett Mark Homer Draycote Water SC 77 68 59 53 78 65 -DNF DNC 582 491
75th 14892 Penny Gibbs Ian Gibbs Brightlingsea SC 20 DNS DNC DNC DNC DNS 19 DNC 585 494
76th 13659 Peter Clayton Richard Clayton Scaling Dam SC 76 71 63 DNC 75 62 56 DNF 585 494
77th 14999 David Festing Karen Festing Soreham SC -DNF DNS 54 52 77 DNS 67 65 588 497
78th 14236 Tom Burton Graham Burton RYA 74 69 66 -DNF 71 DNF 64 67 593 502
79th 14674 Duncan Roberts Kayleigh Roberts Carsington SC 71 64 53 48 DNF DNF DNC DNC 600 509
80th 15004 Peter Gray Robert Lyn Staunton Harold SC 44 -DNF 45 DNC 58 DNF DSQ DNC 602 511
81st 14593 Bob Reynolds Graham Ditcham Weirwood SC 66 72 -DNC DNC 79 DNS 63 66 619 528
82nd 14995 Steve Greenhalgh Heidi Cokayne Staunton Harold SC 72 66 -DNF DNC 76 DNS 68 DNC 646 555
83rd 14882 Rob Watson Lisa Kelly Staunton Harold SC 79 22 -DNC DNC DNF DNC DNF DNC 647 556
84th 14264 Corrie Bell Ben Cosh Shoreham 82.5 -DNC DNF DNC 84 DNS 71 68 669.5 578.5
85th 14887 Gareth Hill Janet Hill Corus SC 73 73 -DNC DNC 69 DNS DNF DNC 670 579
86th 12914 Graham Gittins Teresa Tonks Chelmarsh SC 81 -DNS DNC DNC 82 DNF DNC 69 687 596
87th 14108 Richard Stone Ollie Stone Staunton Harold SC 80 -DNF DNC DNC 80 DNS 72 DNC 687 596
88th 14387 Wendy Wood Helen Bedford Shoreham SC -DNS DNS DNC DNC 81 DNC DNF DNC 718 627
89th 14874 Gary Russam Andy Ffoulkes Bartley SC -DNS DNS DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 728 637
89th 14779 John Hobson John Rowell Notts County SC -DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 728 637
by Tim Saunders
4:27 AM Tue 26 Aug 2008 GMT
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