Fireball Irish National Championship 2025 at Tralee Bay Sailing Club
by Frank Miller 11 Aug 19:39 AEST
8-10 August 2025
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 notable for the breakthrough of young talent at the top end of the results table. The event was shared with a relatively low key 9er Westerns.
Seven Fireballs took part in a pre-Nationals coaching session with Thomas Chaix on the Thursday, learning lessons about the bay and the conditions as well as achieving optimum sail settings for the anticipated windy conditions. Friday's forecast always looked marginal and there were no surprises when racing was postponed while race officer Michael Tyrrel went out in the bay several times to take wind readings and check the sea state in strong South Westerly breezes.
Ultimately with gusts approaching thirty knots and significant waves racing was cancelled for the day. Saturday's forecast was just a touch lighter and the NRO made good on his promise to get the maximum five races in.
The first attempt at a start led to a general recall and for the rest of the event the U flag replaced the P flag with three boats falling victim to the former in race 1. Courses for the day were the preferred Olympic Triangle type with an offset finish. The first race was sailed in winds of between twelve and twenty knots with MacCartin & Kinsella punching their way through to the front. With a forecast for the wind to shift right a little that side of the course seemed to pay best during all races, despite being closer to the deeper channel and adverse tide.
The start of race two went very light leading to a scramble to adjust settings during the countdown. About halfway through the race decent wind re-established itself and stayed for the rest of the races leading to thrilling conditions. MacCartin & Kinsella won that race and the next three, putting a definitive stamp on proceedings. Other boats featuring in the top six positions included the Thompson brothers Daniel and Harry, Josh Porter and Cara McDowell, Conor Twohig and Matthew Cotter, Noel Butler and Stephen Oram, Jack McNaughton and Olin Bateman and French visitors Youan Fouassier and Jean Robillard. Five races, typically of about 45 minutes, is a lot to handle for race team and for competitors alike but remarkably efficient race turnarounds made for a great if intense day's sailing.
Sailors returned ashore on Saturday evening tired but happy and enjoyed a barbecue and refreshments in the club bar.
Sunday's forecast was mixed depending on which weather model you believed. All agreed that the wind would be more southerly, leading to wind funnelling over the mountains to the south and increases in gust strengths. With the intention and hope of getting three races in race number six got under way after just a short postponement to settle the course. It was sailed in champagne conditions with winds of up to 20 knots and some great off-wind planing.
MacCartin & Kinsella suffered a capsize leading to them fighting their way back towards the front, while the Thompsons led the way around the course followed by Butler & Oram and Adrian Lee & Ossian Geraghty. After that race the breeze upped a notch and with a couple of boats capsized with masts in the mud (and one mast breakage) the race team took a moment to assess conditions. The wind was now a steady 23 knots and quickly building and further racing would mean moving over a mile upwind to find deeper water as the tide was falling.
In consultation with the class the NRO called it for the day and sailors sped ashore to de-rig and pack up for home.
When the numbers were crunched MacCartin & Kinsella were the undisputed champions with the Thompsons second overall, having overtaken Porter & McDowell on points via the final race. The Silver trophy was won by Pat McGoldrick & Paul Ter Horst with Brian Jones and Ed Hynes taking the second silver Transom Trophy. The youth trophy went to Jack McDowell & Olin Bateman while Jack's sister Cora McNaughton & Sean Lemonier won the classic trophy in a composite hull. The lady helm prize went to Louise McKenna, sailing with Hermine O'Keefe.
A special youngest competitor prize went to ten-year old Ben Chaix crewing with his father Thomas Chaix in another classic composite boat, formerly owned by John Lavery & David O'Brien, winners of the 1995 Worlds.
So ended a thrilling Nationals where younger sailors are clearly finding their way to the front, most notably the Thompsons, McNaughton & Bateman, but also relative newcomers like Conor Twohig & Matthew Cotter are ones to watch. Several veteran teams found themselves displaced by this influx of youth and new talent, notably Butler & Oram who finished 5th overall. This arrival of new talent, coupled with renewed interest in the class worldwide thanks to a design refresh, augurs very well for the future of the class in Ireland and internationally.
Special mention for the Nationals must go to Cormac Murphy, Commodore of TBSC and the very many volunteers who made the event possible. To our terrific race officer who wins the prize for the fastest turnarounds we have seen, all the time while keeping the course square and the sailors honest. To Ailbe Millerick, National Judge who travelled to oversee rules and protests, although there were none of the latter in the Fireball fleet this time.
And especially to John Lovett from Cleveland, a veteran of the 1970 worlds in Fenit, who travelled back to TBSC to present the prizes and reminisce with friends on that historic Worlds. Those who were there in 1970 there included a teenage Louise McKenna who helped with launching and recovering.
Next up on the Fireball agenda is the World Championship on Lake Garda this month where ten Irish boats will be competing in what is turning into a giant event of well over 130 competitors. After that comes the Ulster Championship at Mullaghmore SC 20th & 21st September. And there are even rumours of a final Autumn Open event to wrap up what has been another remarkable year for Fireballs in Ireland and Internationally.