Fireball National Championships at Looe Sailing Club

Fireball National Championships at Looe Sailing Club - Day 3

by Andrew Robinson 1 Aug 2013 11:48 BST 27 July - 2 August 2013

Pete Gray with his Feckwit award on day 3 of the Fireball National Championships © Andrew Robinso

Sponsored by Noble Marine, Harken & Typhoon

After a sunny lay-day the sailors gathered in Looe Sailing Club for a fun packed evening in the bar, with a game show along the lines of "I'm sorry, I haven't a clue", culminating in a hilarious game of 'hats on - hats off' which saw Geoff Edwards crowned "Mr Fireball 2013".

Wednesday morning conditions were drizzly and overcast for day 3 of the Fireball Nationals at Looe SC.

The fleet were well rested after a lay day on Tuesday and keen to get going. With less wind than forecast it was due to be an easier ride on both the competitors and the safety crew.

Race 1 got away 1st time and Christian Birrell and Richard Anderton rounded the windward mark 1st, after digging their way out of a bad start. Tom Gillard & Simon Potts were keeping them honest, with Chips Howarth and Vyv Townend right up behind.

At the line Matt Burge and Richard Wagstaff posted their best result of the series so far, finishing the race 3rd, behind Chips & Vyv in second, with Birrell & Anderton claiming their 2nd win of the series although a protest meeting for Thursday morning may well change the result.

Richard Anderton said; "After a bad start we were pleased to be able to round 1st. There are so many great sailors here, and both Chips and Gilly are tough to beat, so we are always happy to be ahead of them on the water. This was the 3rd day of perfect conditions and were really enjoying the chance to sail on some fantastic waves"

In race 2 a general recall led to the fleet getting away 2nd time. Birrell & Anderton habitually rounded 1st, with Chips & Vyv hot on their heels and Gillard & Potts in 3rd. With all the usual suspects at the front of the pack, it was a hotly contested affair for places further down the pecking order. Birrell & Anderton were in top form again and their lead remained untouchable, seeing them take a second bullet on the day.

Last years winning boat, 15080 the Class Association Fireball is at the event, being sailed by Matt Rainback and Simon Foskett. They are having a solid event and have been described by the Gold Fleet as "damn quick". The boat is handed over to talented youth sailors each year, giving them a chance to compete at the highest level in a properly sorted, fully sponsored boat. The Ellis brothers won the nationals in her last year and Dan has stayed on, crewing for Dave Wade in this years event.

After sailing the teams headed back to the club for the prize giving, the feckwit award and a team quiz. Beach games, pasties and a disco are on the social agenda for this evening.

Results after Day 3: (six races, 1 discard)

Pos	Sail No	Boat Name	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts
1st	15089		Christian Birrell	Richard Anderton		1	2	2	‑50	1	1	7
2nd	15096		Chips Howarth	Vyv Townend	Bewl Valley SC	‑6	1	3	1	2	2	9
3rd	15091	Ollie Loves Owls	Thomas Gillard	Simon Potts	Sheffield Viking SC/ Northampton SC	2	‑12	1	2	4	3	12
4th	15083	P&B	Dave Wade	Dan Ellis	northampton SC	4	3	4	3	‑5	4	18
5th	15094		Tim Rush	Sam Pascoe	Nottingham SC & Weymouth SC	8	5	5	4	‑12	5	27
6th	15050		Kevin spunky Hope	Russell Thorne	Notts County SC	7	4	‑12	5	10	6	32
7th	15080		Matt Rainback	Simon Foskett	Staunton Harold SC	5	8	‑9	7	7	7	34
8th	15093	Stanley Lambchop	Matt Burge	Richard Wagstaff	Poole YC	‑13	7	11	6	3	9	36
9th	15085	Gill Race Team	Vince Horey	Robert Gardner	King George SC	3	‑50	6	11	11	10	41
10th	14877		Ian Dobson	Will Morgan	Southampton Male Voice Choir (SMVC)	‑9	9	8	9	8	8	42
11th	15073	Bossy Three	Peter Gray	Tim Saunders	Staunton Harold SC	‑14	7	7	12	6	11	43
12th	15081		Niki Birrell	Geoff Edwards	Parkstone Y.C.	10	‑33	17	8	9	15	59
13th	14941	Southpaws	Derian Scott	Andy Scott	Chew Valley Lake SC	‑50	16	10	10	15	12	63
14th	15045	Norbert	Christine Slater	Graham Slater	Paignton SC	11	15	13	14	‑19	13	66
15th	15070	Darth Winkle	Philip Popple	John Piatt	Shoreham SC	16	‑19	16	13	13	18	76
16th	14801		Richard Cornes	James Goodfellow	Milton Keynes SC	17	11	‑20	19	14	17	78
17th	14892	Pigs on the Run	Penny Gibbs	Ian Gibbs	Brightlingsea SC	15	13	24	‑31	16	16	84
18th	14807	Clandogg Millionaire	Conor Clancy	James Clancy	Royal St George YC	24	10	‑29	16	22	21	93
19th	15092	Ray	Veronica Falat	Ben Falat	Gt Yarmouth & Gorleston SC	12	‑50	15	17	34	19	97
20th	15041		Maria Richards	Jeremy White	Blackwater SC	20	‑23	21	22	17	20	100
21st	14928	Blue Tack	Anthony Willcocks	James Willcocks	Portishead Y&SC	21	17	‑38	21	18	24	101
22nd	15024	Pointless	Joe Jospe	Tom Egli	Pointe Claire YC	27	‑50	19	36	20	14	116
23rd	14889	Millennium Falcon	Barry Smith	Ben Ballard	Thornbury SC	28	18	28	15	30	‑31	119
24th	14798	Blew Genes	Lucy Riley	Tim Riley	Blackwater SC	18	21	25	29	28	‑50	121
25th	15075	Tricks of the Trade	Andy Willcocks	Andrea Willcocks	Portishead Y & SC	25	‑50	22	24	23	27	121
26th	14886		Simon Maskell	Thomas Maskell	Hunts SC	‑32	20	30	25	27	23	125
27th	15066		Mark Maskell	Nigel Sheppard	Blackwater SC	19	‑50	14	23	50	25	131
28th	15038	Rock 'n' Rolla	Stewart Scarff	David Warner	Shoreham SC	41	‑50	18	18	24	32	133
29th	14821	Jambo	Nick Hurst	Jake Elsbury	Shoreham SC	23	‑50	31	33	26	30	143
30th	14977		Jonathan Carter	Gareth Wilkinson	Chelmarsh SC	‑50	50	23	20	25	26	144
31st	14621	Not Hot & No Balls	Jeremy Hurst	Andrew Hurst	Parkstone YC	22	14	33	‑50	40	37	146
32nd	14885		Fiona Gray	Richard Nurse	Waldringfield SC	33	24	36	‑50	32	28	153
33rd	14837	JEFF	Russ Cormack	Ali Cormack	Budworth SC	‑50	28	27	50	21	29	155
34th	14778	Cruel and Unusual	Mike Deane	Iain Jennings	Draycote Water SC	31	‑50	26	28	50	22	157
35th	14514	Ultra Violet	Dale Giles	Noah Sprent	Paignton SC	38	25	34	30	36	‑40	163
36th	14229	Pink Panther	Geoff Holden	Sophie Holden	Northampton SC	35	26	35	32	37	‑38	165
37th	14391	www.boatrepaircentre.co.uk	Hannah Showell	Jo Line		‑50	27	32	38	35	34	166
38th	14991	Two Fat Laddies	Andy Robinson	Jon Chetland	Datchet Water SC	26	‑50	41	27	31	42	167
39th	14470		Matt Jaycock	Peter Greenwood	Looe SC	30	32	42	‑50	38	36	178
40th	14398	Otters Pocket	Tom Johnson	Ian Johnson	Blackwater SC	42	‑50	50	26	29	35	182
41st	14872	Magiic	Barbara Newson	Guy Newson	Pentland Firth YC	36	30	40	37	‑41	41	184
42nd	14579	Curveball	Martin Walker	Karen Hiles	Shoreham SC	37	‑50	37	34	39	39	186
43rd	14682	Crocodile Gordon	Michael Bryant	Keith Taft	Harlow (Blackwater) SC	40	31	39	35	42	‑43	187
44th	14264	Nibble Nobby's Nuts	Gareth Shaw	Verity Pope	Looe Sailing Club	‑50	29	43	39	43	44	198
45th	14994	Licken on both sides	Pete Badham	Steven Badham	Draycote Water SC	29	22	‑50	50	50	50	201
46th	11076		Tim Cox	Kingsley Cox	Newhaven & Seaford SC	43	34	44	40	‑45	45	206
47th	14893	On A Mission	Elaine Tudor	Warren Tudor	Brightlingsea SC	‑50	50	50	50	33	33	216
48th	14463	Cracker	Chris Turner	Jamie Prescott	Hayling Island SC/Dell Quay SC	39	‑50	50	50	44	50	233
49th	14960	roaring fourties	Melanie Lederer	Michael Sch"fer	Switzerland	34	‑50	50	50	50	50	234