Harken Fireball Inland Championship at Rutland Sailing Club

The 2016 Harken Fireball Inland championship took place over the weekend of the 11th and 12th June. With a forecast that was about as inspiring as a walk in the rain entries were a little depleted. However, those that made the trip were not disappointed as the forecast turned out to be wrong. After arriving Saturday morning to no wind a breeze from the south west kicked in and provided the fleet with three full on trapezing races.

With a port line bias Ian Pinnell & Andrew Bonsey made the best start followed by Dave Hall and Paul Constable. At the gybe mark the Rutland Belle pleasure boat decided it had water on Ian and Andrew which allowed Dave & Paul to slip into the lead, a position they held to the end of the race.

Race 2 got away with an almost clean start, the port bias once again making that end somewhat crowded. Lucy Borham & Richard Anderton were the casualty picking up an OCS early in the series.

Dave & Paul got away chased by Antony & James Willcocks. It was a close battle all the way around with Dave & Paul taking the final gun. With the late start for the first race the last race of the day was eating into the evening and with it the threat of the breeze fading. Keven Hope & Andy Stewart made an excellent start and got a jump on the whole fleet, they held the lead to the finish and were never really challenged by second place Vince Horey & Sam Platt.

Saturday evening was spent at the club with the Scorpion fleet watching a disappointing England play football.

The original forecast for Sunday was for more wind than the previous day, it was however lighter with only marginal trapezing conditions and some very odd patches of wind which brought some big shifts. Kevin & Andy continued their winning ways by taking the first race followed in by Dave & Paul in 2nd who almost gave it away with a senior moment by not spotting the windward mark had drifted downwind. Dave & Paul took the second race of the day after a real close battle between the Willcocks brothers, Ian & Andrew and Lucy & Richard. Dave & Paul's result meant they could not be beaten and were the Inland Champions.

For the last race of the day Kevin & Andy took line honours followed by Antony & James giving Kevin & Andy runner up spot on countback.

A big thanks to Rutland SC and their catering and bar staff, also to William Jeffcote and his team for getting all 6 races in over the weekend.

Overall Results: