Please select your home edition
Edition
Zhik 2024 December

P&B and Zhik Fireball National Championships 2025 at Looe Sailing Club - Day 1

by Adam Whitehouse 25 May 07:09 PDT 24-27 May 2025
P&B and Zhik Fireball National Championship at Looe © LSC

Thirty-six boats entered and were ready to go. Back in Looe, we were greeted by an extremely welcoming shore team and an intimate dinghy park. Fuelled by the biggest Cornish pasty ever baked, we reached down to the starting area with strong wind settings, which we immediately changed upon arrival. I guess some of the new boats did it while they were reaching.

Anyway, the wind wasn't what we anticipated, and after one general recall, the fleet got away up the long beat back towards the town. Local knowledge was important at this stage, and we had none. If it's blowing a westerly, hit the shore and keep going, which is exactly what Tom Gillard & Andy Thompson did, promptly rounding the windward mark with a tidy lead.

No surprise as to who the next boat was chasing them: DJ Edwards and the smooth operator Vyv Towned, immediately setting up another epic battle for the championship. In third was Duncan Gregor & Jasmine Williams in one of the two classic boats, showing that 25-year-old boats still cut it.

It was a relatively short race, just two laps, and on the last run, DJ & Vyv managed to work low and inside Tom & Andy to lead them along the short leg to the finish, opening their account with a win. Vince Horey & Rob Gardner worked up to third.

Race 2: I t had to be said, the race committee was really on it, with barely any time to drink my isotonic sports drink between races. It would have been even quicker, I'm told, if Paul Cullen & Simon Forbes had behaved themselves as pathfinders.

Anyway, no messing around from the fleet, another clean start, and we decided to get out early and see if we could pick up something to get us over to the right side of the course.

There wasn't a lot of movement, and at the windward mark, the leading pack was made up of early and late starters. Pathfinder Paul rounded in first, followed by Georgia Booth and Oli Davenport. The fleet split down the run, with some, including Tom & Andy, staying on starboard.

With a bit more breeze and better wave opportunities, they saw themselves in the lead by the bottom mark, with DJ and Vyv dropping to about eighth with some work to do. The second beat saw some real pressure across the course, and the beautifully laid triangle was a real test on starboard and port.

In the end, Tom & Andy hung on for a comfortable win, with Georgia & Oli bagging second and DJ & Vyv third.

So, a fun first day. It all feels very tight, with quality right through the fleet, and minor mistakes proving very costly. More breeze is forecast for day 2, so an early night for everyone... yeah, okay.

Results after Day 1:

PosFleetSail NoHelmCrewR1R2Pts
1stGold15122Thomas GillardShandy213
2ndGold15144DJ EdwardsVyv Townend134
3rdGold15091Graham CookWilliam Cook4610
4thGold15147Paul CullenSimon Forbes5510
5thGold15120Vincent HoreyRobert Gardiner3811
6thGold15151Martyn LewisDaniel Lewis6713
7thGold15172David HallPaul Constable10414
8thGold14940Georgia BoothOliver Davenport18220
9thGold15133Kevin HopeAndrew stewart81220
10thGold15145Steve GoacherTom Goacher71926
11thGold15118Peter GrayRich Pepperdine141327
12thGold14801Oliver RaynerBen Rayner121628
13thGold15042peter woodRichard Bailey20929
14thSilver14754Simon EvansMatthew Sharman191130
15thGold14928Anthony WillcocksJames Willcocks112132
16thSilver15114Daniel ThompsonHenry Thompson231033
17thSilver15075Andy WillcocksAndrea Willcocks92736
18thSilver14991Alex PiggottSimon Hibbert132336
19thGold15174Simon KingsJono Loe221537
20thGold15102Imogen WadeDave Wade211738
21stSilver15073Joe WarwickerTim Saunders251439
22ndGold15127Mike DeaneRichard Botting172441
23rdSilver14624Duncan GregorJasmine Williams152843
24thSilver15113Craig BurltonHennie Burlton242246
25thGold15046Philip PoppleAndy Phillips311849
26thSilver14750Chris BatemanLucy Loughton292049
27thGold15173Ben SchulzIain Blake16DNF53
28thGold15096Adam WhitehouseMike Hanson302656
29thGold14837Russ CormackAli Cormack263157
30thSilver15045Christine WillcocksGraham Slater332558
31stSilver15087Dave PooreDave Orrell283058
32ndSilver14391Jemima LineJo Line273259
33rdSilver14797Chris HampshireNiel Peters342963
34thSilver14889Barry SmithRick Spring323365
35thSilver14876Jason CahillKerry Webb353469
36thSilver14836Matt PotterJake willarsRETDNC74

Related Articles

2025 Fireball World Championship overall
Switzerland's Yves Mermod & Maja Siegenthaler crowned champions on Lake Garda The Fireball World Championship 2025 concluded on Friday, 29 August, hosted by Circolo Vela Arco (North Lake Garda, Italy), in what turned out to be a historic edition for both participation and the number of nations represented. Posted on 30 Aug
2025 Fireball World Championship day 4
Plenty of drama on the penultimate day on Lake Garda The penultimate day at the Fireball World Championship 2025, organized by Circolo Vela Arco in collaboration with the Italian Sailing Federation and the Italian and International Fireball Classes was, marked by unstable weather but also plenty of drama. Posted on 28 Aug
2025 Fireball World Championship day 3
The standings tighten up on Lake Garda - Trentino After three days of competition and six races completed, with the first discard now applied, the leaderboard of the Fireball World Championship 2025 is getting closer and more exciting. Posted on 26 Aug
2025 Fireball World Championship day 2
Classic Garda conditions and British dominance The second day of racing at the Fireball World Championship, hosted by Circolo Vela Arco on Lake Garda, brought two more races and confirmed the event's high technical and competitive level. Posted on 25 Aug
2025 Fireball World Championship day 1
Spectacular start for the 136 boat fleet on Lake Garda The 2025 Fireball World Championship kicked off in record-breaking style, hosted by Circolo Vela Arco and running on the waters of Lake Garda - Trentino until Friday, 29 August. Posted on 24 Aug
The countdown is on for the Fireball Worlds
Largest fleet ever recorded outside the UK The countdown is on for the Fireball World Championship 2025 on Lake Garda - Italy, organized by Circolo Vela Arco in collaboration with the Italian Sailing Federation, the Italian Fireball Association and the International Fireball Association. Posted on 21 Aug
Irish Fireball Exodus to Lake Garda is underway
20 sailors will be competing under the Irish flag at the Fireball Worlds 20 sailors will be competing under the Irish flag at the Fireball World Championship on Lake Garda from this weekend. The Worlds takes place at the Northern end of the lake at Arco hosted by Circolo Vela Arco. Posted on 20 Aug
Fireball Worlds 2025 Runners, Riders & Rascals
Team GB Storm Garda in the Italian job Picture this: a battalion of salty sea dogs squeezing into red, white, and blue Minis, armed with daisy roots and dry bags, storming across the Channel, charging through fine patisserie country, and scaling the Alps. Posted on 19 Aug
Fireball Irish National Championship at Tralee Bay
23 boats attend, with plenty of new young talent Barry MacCartin and Conor Kinsella are the 2025 Fireball National Champions after six races at Tralee Bay SC, Fenit, Co Kerry over the weekend. Twenty-three Fireballs competed in a breezy event. Posted on 11 Aug
Australian team gears up for Fireball Worlds
A record Australian contingent is ready to compete at Lake Garda Lake Garda, Italy's largest lake, is set to host the 2025 Fireball World Championship - a first for the Fireball class at this iconic venue. Hosted by Circolo Vela Arco on the lake's northern shore, the event runs from 21-29 August 2025. Posted on 8 Aug
Zhik 2024 December