Gul Fireball UK National Championship 2023 at Royal Torbay Yacht Club - Day 3

We headed out in the drizzle with a light NNE which started to build as we got closer to the starting area. After an extended postponement due to visibility challenges and direction changes the race got under way in the forecasted 14-17 mph breeze.

Tom and Andy rounded just ahead of DJ and Vyv but when DJ/Vyv gybed onto starboard down the first run they lost pressure and dropped a couple of places to Dave and Paul and Arron and Will. There were significant gains and losses to be made on the down wind legs throughout all three races. Tom and Andy closed out a relatively short race in first followed by Dave and Paul and then Arran and Will.

Race two started with the pressure down a couple of notches on Race 1 with more holes across the course. Russ and Ali cashed in on their port end start as they worked up the left hand side of the beat into the lead at the first mark but then lost a couple of places on a very challenging run with Dave and Paul managing to find the best pressure and edge into the lead. They were challenged by Tom and Andy up the next beat but managed to dial into a couple of great shifts with pressure, the last taking them into the windward mark, they then managed to hold their nerve down the next two legs despite pressure building from the harbour side of the course - a fantastic win for the experienced pairing moving them into contention. Tom and Shandy hung on to 2nd with Graham and Will Cook from Lyme Regis posting their best result of the champs so far rounding out the top three.

With a bit more breeze than race 2, race 3 started with the rain finally easing and we could all start to use our tell tales again, this was Dads excuse for a couple of indifferent results in the first two races. A great first beat saw DJ and Vyv round the windward mark in first but they were then passed down the run by Tom and Andy and Georgia and Fresh who had gybed off and found better breeze on the left side. The Pea green assassins managed to hold onto their 2nd up the next beat behind Tom and Andy with DJ and Vyv in third.

Overall Tom and Andy move into the lead on 8 points with DJ and Vyv on 11 points along with Dave and Paul. A nice three way battle for the championship with two races scheduled on the 25th and much lighter breeze forecast.

Results after Day 3: