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Zhik 2024 December

Irish Fireball Nationals at Mayo Sailing Club

by Conor Byrne 30 Jul 2008 08:03 BST 25-27 July 2008

UK helms dominated the 29 boat Irish Fireball National Championships at Mayo Sailing Club, Rosmoney, over the ‘Reek Weekend’. Tom Gillard, crewed by Frances Rowan showed impressive form by winning the final three races and the event in taxing conditions, with a 6 point lead over Andy Pearse and Hugh Butler.

The three-day event was dogged by light and sometimes absent winds, only three races sailed from a schedule of nine.

With the prospect of poor sailing contitions, race officer Harry Gallagher ran four races under Croagh Patrick in Clew Bay on Friday, only for shifting winds to turn Race 1 around with a 180 degree wind change. Races 2 and 3 provided classic Westport sailing conditions with a westerly force three to four wind and large swell. Simon McGrotty and Tim Saunders were leading both races, to be beaten by Ross Kearney and David Hynes in Race 3, but McGrotty didn’t let them past in race 3 and became the only Irish helm to win a race. Kearny / Hynes later took 3rd place overall.

After many general recalls, five top-end boats were black flagged in Race 4, Gillard / Rowan proving hard to catch and taking the bullet.

Saturday and Sunday yielded one race each, in very light and shifty winds. Sunday’s race was sailed in the bay south of Collanmore Island, and was as close to snakes and ladders as sailing gets; several boats at the very top falling down to the very back as the race progressed, and several winds blowing across different parts of the windward/leeward course.

The fight for first Irish boat, and Irish National Title, was won on equal points between Noel Butler / Seamus Moore in 4th place; and Michael Murphy / Alex Voye in 5th, Butler winning the tie break on countback.

3rd placed Irish boat was also a tie-break, awarded to McGrotty / Saunders (6th) over Damien Bracken / Brian O’Hara (7th).

Overall Results:

PosSail NoFleetHelm & CrewR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1st14996GoldTom Gillard & Francis Rowan2381118
2nd14790GoldAndy Pearce & Hugh Butler129522414
3rd14976GoldRoss Kearney& Dave Hynes414294215
4th14894GoldNoel Butler & Seamus Moore352541219
5th14908GoldMichael Murphy & Alex Voye543431719
6th14981GoldSimon McGrotty & Tim Saunders8212913327
7th14904GoldDamien Bracken & Brian O' Hara1077372934
8th14983GoldConor O'Toole & Chris Clayton7121476941
9th14340GoldConor Byrne & Leo Bishop11911612643
10th14934GoldAndy Boyle &Brian Flahive9899111045
11th14990Gold 2Owen Laverty & Ed Butler66158221146
12th14937GoldMick Creighton & Steve Gram141062916551
13th14817Gold 2Doire Shiels & Paul Amerlynk12111710141360
14th14854Gold 2Louis Smyth & Cormac Bradley13131013201463
15th14938Gold 2Niall McGrotty & Robert Mahon1615161218867
16th14700SilverCally Donaghy & Sarah Donaghy17211211102371
17th14713SilverFrank Miller & Marguerite O'Rourke182320208773
18th14695Gold 2Ciaran Hickey & Grattan Donnelly21161815192489
19th14623SilverIan O Gorman & Glen Fisher2419221992593
20th14916SilverJohn Dunne & Matt Barnes15142529172293
21st14748Gold 2Jon Evans & Andrew Caulfield23261314261995
22nd14564Gold 2Jonathan Cooper & Cheryl Jessop20182116232095
23rd14691Gold 2Louise McKenna & G. Denzler22222417152197
24th14865Gold 2Daire McNally & Ismail192319292716104
25th13878SilverVivian Besbler & Jonathan Nicholson262423182529116
26th14655SilverDerval O' Carroll & Siobhan Hayes252527292418119
27th14595SilverBrian O' Neill & R. O' Neill 292929292115123
28th14244SilverOwen Clarkin & John Bolger272626212826126

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