Irish Fireball Open Championships at Galway Bay Sailing Club

Another huge Irish Fireball fleet turnout at Galway Bay SC for the Open Championships © Will Moody / www.fotoboat.com

Another huge Irish Fireball fleet turnout at Galway Bay SC for the Open Championships © Will Moody / www.fotoboat.com

Another huge Irish Fireball fleet turnout at Galway Bay SC for the Open Championships © Will Moody / www.fotoboat.com

Yet another huge Irish Fireball fleet turnout at Galway Bay SC for the Open Championships showing once again that it is the only dinghy fleet which is continually growing and getting large numbers to all its events.

This time 35 fireballs fought out some hotly contested racing. Race one got underway after a few practice starts and Noel and Hugh Butler took the lead which they held until the finish. Tom Fitzpatrick and Dave McHugh showed some good speed to come back to second from a fairly average first beat and Damian Bracken and Brain O’Hara who had fought bravely for most of the race in second slipped to third.

Race 2 saw more general recalls and this time Neil Spain and Matt Treadwell lead at the first turn from Will Moody and Milan Kolacech. Whilst Spain carried on to the finish the Butlers did well to get into second and Justin McGuire and Francis Rowan edged third.

Race 3 got underway after a few wind changes and this time Fitzpatrick lead. They pulled away to the finish whilst second went to Spain and Cieran Hickey and Ismail Inan held on grimly to a well earned third.

Despite it being late in the afternoon the race officer decided to start a fourth Race. Putting the black flag up from the start catching seven boats out it was Spain who lead from Fitzpatrick and Bracken taking third. For some unexplicable reason the race officer shortened to one lap and the positions finished as they were.

Sunday dawned to bright sunshine and a good stiff trapezing conditions. The crews revelled in the wind. Fitzpatrick powered away upwind and despite the Butlers chasing as hard as they could they remained in 2nd with Spain getting through to third.

The 6th race was again a trapezoid course but the breeze was more active and some spectacular reaching ensued. Fitzpatrick again lead the way with Mcguire in an easy second with Bracken in third. The final reach was a real blaster of an affair showing the fireball off to its absolute best capping a wonderful weekends racing.

Overall Results:

1st David Fitzpatrick/ Dave Mchugh (Howth YC) 14781
2nd Neil Spain/ Matt Treadwell (Howth YC) 14713
3rd Noel Butler/ Hugh Butler (DMYC) 14790
4th Damian Bracken/ Brian O’hara (Clontarf Y&BC) 14855
5th Justin Mcguire/ Francis Rowan (RIYC) 14840
6th Will Moody/ Milan Kolacech (DMYC) 14849

Gold 2
1st Brian Nolan/ Tim Leonard (Clontarf Y&BC) 14629
2nd Jim Ryan/ David Tanner (Killaloe SC) 14584
3rd John Walsh/ Niamh O’Rouke (Clontarf Y&BC) 14698

Silver
1st Keith Coleman/ Dave Coleman (National YC) 14044
2nd Damian Maloney/ Mike Campion (ULSC) 14176
3rd Derval O’Carrol/ Siobhan Hayes (CHSC) 14855