Fireball UK National Championship and Pre-Worlds at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club

by Adam Whitehouse 25 Jul 00:14 PDT 22-24 July 2026

The Fireball National Championships and Pre-Worlds, hosted by the Royal Torbay Yacht Club in Torquay, delivered three days of close, tactical and, at times, dramatic racing as some of the class's strongest teams battled it out at the sharp end of the fleet.

Going into the event, the forecast suggested conditions would be fairly even across the three days, setting the stage for a championship where consistency, speed and decision-making would be critical. With the Pre-Worlds forming an important marker ahead of the main event, the level of competition was extremely high from the outset.

At the top of the fleet, the racing was particularly tight between the Australian pairing of Heather McFarlane and Chris Payne, DJ Edwards and Vyv Townend, Georgia Booth and Ollie Davenport, Tom Gillard and Andy Thompson, and Dave Hall and Paul Constable. With so much talent packed into the leading group, every start, shift and boat-on-boat decision mattered.

In the early races, it was McFarlane and Payne who asserted themselves most strongly. Showing exceptional speed and impressive consistency, the Australian duo built a commanding position and went into the final day with what looked to be a comfortable lead. Their pace across the opening part of the championship had been one of the standout performances of the event, and they looked well placed to convert that form into the overall title.

However, the final day brought both stronger breeze and high drama. With the wind increasing to a steady 13mph, gusting 15mph, the fleet enjoyed some fantastic racing conditions, with the extra pressure adding another layer of intensity to the closing stages of the championship.

McFarlane and Payne again showed their quality in race six, but their campaign was brought to an unfortunate and premature end by a terminal gear failure, which meant they were unable to contest the final two races. It was a cruel twist after such a dominant opening to the event, and it immediately changed the shape of the championship battle.

With the door suddenly open, Georgia Booth and Ollie Davenport took full advantage. Combining speed, composure and consistency on the final day, they put together the results they needed to move to the top of the standings and claim the overall championship. Their performance was a fitting reward for a strong and measured series, and it marked a particularly significant moment for the class, with Georgia believed to be the first female Fireball National Champion.

Second overall went to Vyv Townend and DJ Edwards, who delivered another excellent championship performance, while Dave Hall and Paul Constable completed the podium in third. The final top three had a familiar look compared with last year, albeit with one major and very welcome exception in the form of Booth's historic win.

Congratulations to Georgia Booth and Ollie Davenport on a superb championship victory, and a special well done to Davenport Sails on another excellent result at the front of the fleet.

The Fireball class would also like to extend a massive thank you to Royal Torbay Yacht Club for hosting the event, the race committee who were widely recognised as the most efficient and decisive the fleet has ever seen and to all of the sponsors whose support helped make the championship possible: P&B Sails, North Sails, Allen Brothers, Robline, WEST SYSTEM Pro-Set, Windermark and the Wetsuit Outlet.

First Lady - Georgia Booth
First Youth helm - Finlay Lomas-Clarke
First Youth crew - Iain Blake
Silver fleet winner - Finlay Lomas-Clarke and Oli Raynor
Bronze fleet winner - Jean Jaques Provoyeur and Gideon Snyman

Overall Results:
If you finished in the top ten at the Fireball nationals then enter your Gear Guide information

Pos	Sail No	Fleet	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Pts
1st	GBR 14940	G	Georgia Booth	Oliver Davenport	HISC	4	3	3	‑6	1	3	2	2	18
2nd	GBR 15144	G	DJ Edwards	Vyv Townend	Bough Beech SC	1	(OCS)	1	7	4	8	1	1	23
3rd	GBR 15188	G	David Hall	Paul Constable	Blackwater SC	6	‑12	7	2	6	9	3	3	36
4th	GBR 15187	G	Tom Gillard	Andy Thompson	Sheffield Viking / East Antrim boat club	2	7	4	11	9	1	6	(RET)	40
5th	GBR 15192	G	Dave Wade	Iain Blake	Draycote Water Sailing Club	12	2	6	12	2	4	5	(UFD)	43
6th	GBR 14941	G	Derian Scott	Andy Scott	Chew Valley Lake SC	9	4	‑30	4	21	7	4	9	58
7th	GBR 15091	G	Graham Cook	William Cook	Lyme Regis Sailing Club	11	9	‑19	16	5	5	8	5	59
8th	AUS 15152	G	Heather Macfarlane	Chris Payne	Black Rock Yacht Club	3	1	5	1	3	2	(DNF)	DNC	69
9th	GBR 14742	S	Finlay Lomas‑Clarke	Oliver Rayner	Exeter University Sailing Club	8	11	12	10	(UFD)	15	12	8	76
10th	GBR 14928	G	Anthony Willcocks	James Willcocks	Portishead Yacht and Sailing Club	22	10	2	5	11	12	15	(UFD)	77
11th	FRA 15081	G	Olivier Burgaud	Florence Devaux	CNSR	7	5	14	9	‑31	10	25	19	89
12th	SUI 14495	S	Regula Baumgartner Schärer	Stefan Schärer	CVE Cercle de la voile Estavayer	15	(OCS)	8	8	16	13	19	12	91
13th	GBR 14929	G	Katie Byne	Rich Bailey	Draycote Water Sailing Club	10	16	‑25	13	22	20	16	6	103
14th	GBR 15129	S	Nick Rees	Evelyne Schotte	Hayling Island Sailing Club	13	15	23	3	(UFD)	11	21	18	104
15th	SUI 14863	S	Laura Markwalder	Tobias Frey	Segelclub Sihlsee	14	14	21	14	‑24	19	14	11	107
16th	GBR 15177	S	Mike Deane	Richard Botting	Draycote Water	‑35	23	9	18	7	26	20	14	117
17th	GBR 14893	S	Ralph Singleton	Andrew Ffoulkes	Bartley Green Sailing Club	25	20	18	20	‑32	14	10	15	122
18th	GBR 15133	G	Kevin Hope	Andrew Stewart	Notts County Sailing Club	5	8	17	15	19	6	(UFD)	UFD	124
19th	AUS 15184	G	Ben Schulz	Nathen Stockley	Adelaide Sailing Club	28	29	11	19	26	‑31	9	4	126
20th	IRL 15156	S	Jack McNaughton	Kilian Mathieu	Dun Laoighre Motor YC	21	6	28	‑31	13	22	24	20	134
21st	GBR 15103	S	Nathan Rushin	Joanne Rushin	HISC	32	17	13	26	8	27	‑39	13	136
22nd	BEL 15140	S	Bart Meynendonckx	Francis De Roeck	Hofstade Zeilclub	20	21	16	21	‑29	21	11	27	137
23rd	IRL 14840	G	David Evans	William Draper	SLIGO Yacht Club	17	18	34	24	23	18	7	(UFD)	141
24th	GBR 14785	G	Simon Lomas‑Clarke	Rob Daniels	PSC	18	19	20	32	10	25	17	(UFD)	141
25th	CZE 14864	S	Martin Veit	Filip Krejza	Alt Fireball	24	13	‑36	22	12	24	32	17	144
26th	GBR 15046	G	Philip Popple	James Popple	Shoreham SC	16	22	27	17	25	‑29	28	16	151
27th	GBR 13945	S	Malcolm Davies	Russell Thorne	Teign Corinthian Yacht Club/Castle Cove	33	25	10	33	18	23	(UFD)	10	152
28th	GBR 15096	S	Mike Whitehouse	Adam Whitehouse	Bartley Green	23	32	24	‑36	20	17	22	23	161
29th	IRL 15114	S	Daniel Thompson	Harry Thompson	WHBTC/RSGYC	26	(DNF)	32	23	UFD	16	31	7	189
30th	RSA 14723	B	Jean Jacques Provoyeur	Gideon Snyman	Royal Cape Yacht Club	36	35	26	37	14	28	13	(UFD)	189
31st	FRA 14793	S	Frederic Mouches	Jean Francois Nouel	CN Pornic	34	24	35	38	15	‑40	18	29	193
32nd	BEL 14898	S	Erik Van der Voort	Jules Orlent	SRNA	31	28	33	27	‑34	33	26	24	202
33rd	IRL 14915	B	Frank Miller	Ed Butler	DMYC	40	36	40	‑41	28	30	27	25	226
34th	GBR 14605	S	Philip Hooper	Michael Hooper	Saltash Sailing Club	27	30	‑48	25	47	34	29	38	230
35th	GBR 15075	S	Andy Willcocks	Andrea Willcocks	Portishead Y & SC	29	26	37	35	‑42	37	35	31	230
36th	GBR 14889	B	Barry Smith	Chris Smith	Thornbury Sailing Club	30	43	15	‑47	36	47	38	32	241
37th	GBR 15045	S	Christine Willcocks	Graham Slater	Paignton S C	‑45	31	31	44	45	44	23	28	246
38th	IRL 14748	B	Jon Evans	Aidan Caulfield	Sligo	38	‑44	43	34	27	39	43	26	250
39th	RSA 14877	B	David Laing	Jayan Smart	GLYC	39	40	39	39	39	‑45	36	22	254
40th	GBR 14844	B	Kath Broatch	Pippa Rogers	Port Dinorwic	47	27	44	40	40	‑50	40	21	259
41st	IRL 14740	B	Jack McDowell	Hugo Matj	MYC	41	45	22	28	33	46	44	(DNC)	259
42nd	GBR 14964	B	David Mason	George Collett	Bough Beech S C	44	34	‑47	43	37	38	33	30	259
43rd	GBR 14514	S	Dale Giles	Ben Fuller	Paignton Sailing Club	19	39	46	‑48	46	43	34	33	260
44th	IRL 15179	B	Richard Quinlan	Michael Keegan	Royal St George Yacht Club	‑48	37	41	30	41	35	42	34	260
45th	GBR 14868	B	Iain Walker	Tim Morgan	Paignton Sailing Club	46	46	29	‑51	38	36	46	36	277
46th	BEL 14328	B	Pieterjan Verplancke	Ruben Dekeyser	Vlaamse Yachthaven Nieuwpoort	43	41	38	(P30)	17	32	UFD	UFD	279
47th	BEL 15093	B	Thomas Vermeiren	Alixe Djoumbi Sango	SRNA	37	42	‑50	50	35	48	30	39	281
48th	GBR 14624	B	Geoff Holden	Sean Biggs	Porthpean Sailing Cliub	‑49	33	45	46	44	41	37	35	281
49th	GBR 15130	B	Nick Hurst	Daren Prior	Hayling Island Sailing Club	42	47	42	29	30	(DSQ)	41	DNC	285
50th	GBR 14872	B	Barbara Newson	Guy Newson	RYA	‑50	38	49	45	48	49	47	40	316
51st	AUS 15186	B	Kevin Luff	Nicholas Luff	Mandurah Offshore Fishing Sailing Club	51	(DNF)	51	49	43	42	45	37	318
52nd	USA 15138	B	Russell Doherty	Tim Edlund	Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club	‑52	48	52	52	49	51	48	41	341
53rd	GBR 15150	B	Steve Chesney	Angus Hemmings	Gurnard SC	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	378