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Cyclops Marine 2023 November - LEADERBOARD

Fireball Open at Blackwater Sailing Club

by Mark Maskell 6 Jul 2007 05:15 BST 30 June - 1 July 2007
Martin Scarthe & Nigel Sheppard enjoy the Fireball open at Blackwater © Andy Denniss

Thirty Fireballers enjoyed a great weekend of classic Blackwater Estuary racing. Saturdays racing was held in a southerly force 3-4 with sunshine and lots of rain.

The first race was won by Mark Maskell and Jon Watkins using the new Rush tri-radial cut mainsail, second, Martin Scarth and Nigel Sheppard with Daniel and Jamie Hare in 3rd.

Race 2 was another win for Maskell and Watkins, with the Hare brothers second followed by Steve Jarred and Martyn Hare.

Sunday the fleet launched in a steady force 4, that rapidly built to survival conditions, with wind strength at constant force 6 and gusts registering force 8 in the clubhouse the rescue crews were kept busy. Jarred retired halfway up the first beat with a broken strut just as he went into the lead, there then followed a string of retirements leaving only three teams to finish. Maskell and Watkins were having a very close race with Scarth and Sheppard until Sheppard saw the red mist and decided to go for the spinnaker on a close reach, after enjoying a long swim they came upright to find the Hare brothers in close contact and in the end youth prevailed giving them second place and second overall. Maskell and Watkins managed to get round without a swim taking their third win to win the open, with Scarth and Sheppard in 3rd overall.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmCrewClubPts
1st 14805 Mark Maskell Jon Watkins FGSC/Hunts 3 
2nd 14809 Daniel Hare Jamie Hare Blackwater 7 
3rd 14798 Martin Scarth NIgel Sheppard Blackwater 9 
4th 14317 Steve Jarred Martyn Hare Blackwater 17 

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