Gul Fireball World Championship at Yacht Club de Carnac - Day 1
by Dave Hall 27 Aug 2018 01:47 PDT
25-31 August 2018
Gul Fireball Worlds at Carnac day 1 © Urs Kueblis
The Gul sponsored Fireball World Championship is being held in the bay of Quiberon sailing out of the Yacht Club de Carnac. The 101 boats competing are making the boat park very busy.
With 20+ knots for the first day it was spectacular sailing and racing for the fleet and certainly started the event with a bang. Some loved it and there were some who at the end of the day looked a little tired.
Racing started with an unfamiliar start line, the committee boat in the middle with a line either side.
In race one most boats decided that the starboard line was favoured making it very crowded and the inevitable recall. It was followed by a black flag which got the fleet away. Ian Dobson & Richard Wagstaff had a narrow lead at the start but after a bit of pole trouble allowed Tom Gillard & Geoff Edwards to snatch the lead having steadily moving through the fleet. They were followed in by Matt Burge & Dan Schieber.
Race two took some time to get away, the start line once again proved a challenge and it took several black flag starts to get the 101 boats started. There were many casualties -some names that you would expect to see in the top results. Penny & Russ Clarke stormed out to the right with Ian & Richard following along with Dave Hall & Paul Constable.
Penny & Russ lead all the way round opening up quite a gap. Ian & Richard followed in second with Matt & Dan once again third. Tom & Geoff after a medico start had worked their way through the fleet but a hasty last gybe while trying to take Dave Wade & Richard Pepperdine put them in the drink.
Racing ended just as the real storm filled in along with the rain.
Overnight leaders are Ian & Richard with Penny & Russ in second. Two more races are planned for Monday with much lighter winds forecast and hopefully some sun.
The day was followed by the opening ceremony and prize draw for Gul vouchers.
Results after Day 1 can be found here.