Please select your home edition
Edition
Rooster 2025

Gul Fireball World Championship at Yacht Club de Carnac - Day 1

by Dave Hall 27 Aug 2018 09:47 BST 25-31 August 2018
Gul Fireball Worlds at Carnac day 1 © Urs Kueblis

The Gul sponsored Fireball World Championship is being held in the bay of Quiberon sailing out of the Yacht Club de Carnac. The 101 boats competing are making the boat park very busy.

With 20+ knots for the first day it was spectacular sailing and racing for the fleet and certainly started the event with a bang. Some loved it and there were some who at the end of the day looked a little tired.

Racing started with an unfamiliar start line, the committee boat in the middle with a line either side.

In race one most boats decided that the starboard line was favoured making it very crowded and the inevitable recall. It was followed by a black flag which got the fleet away. Ian Dobson & Richard Wagstaff had a narrow lead at the start but after a bit of pole trouble allowed Tom Gillard & Geoff Edwards to snatch the lead having steadily moving through the fleet. They were followed in by Matt Burge & Dan Schieber.

Race two took some time to get away, the start line once again proved a challenge and it took several black flag starts to get the 101 boats started. There were many casualties -some names that you would expect to see in the top results. Penny & Russ Clarke stormed out to the right with Ian & Richard following along with Dave Hall & Paul Constable.

Penny & Russ lead all the way round opening up quite a gap. Ian & Richard followed in second with Matt & Dan once again third. Tom & Geoff after a medico start had worked their way through the fleet but a hasty last gybe while trying to take Dave Wade & Richard Pepperdine put them in the drink.

Racing ended just as the real storm filled in along with the rain.

Overnight leaders are Ian & Richard with Penny & Russ in second. Two more races are planned for Monday with much lighter winds forecast and hopefully some sun.

The day was followed by the opening ceremony and prize draw for Gul vouchers.

Results after Day 1 can be found here.

Related Articles

Fireballl Munster Championship at Monkstown Bay
Another spectacular event with warm medium breezes on Saturday and stronger conditions on Sunday Eighteen Fireballs gathered at Monkstown Bay Sailing Club last weekend (21/22 June) for their Munster Championship, kindly sponsored by Doyle Sails. Posted on 24 Jun
Fireball Inland Championship at Chew
Race team did an excellent job of keeping the race track away from weed After a lively Nationals at Looe the fleet were looking to enjoy some freshwater sailing on some flatter water. The forecast was for a moderate breeze on Saturday with and increasing wind on Sunday. Posted on 18 Jun
Fireball World Championship preview
38 entries from the UK and 17 from Australia, going to Lake Garda It's still two months away but entries for the 2025 Fireball Worlds on Lake Garda have already reached 127 boats. Posted on 12 Jun
P&B Zhik Fireball Nationals overall
One big wind race on the final day Day 4 of the P&B Zhik Nationals. With the first two positions already decided, Tom and Shandy, and Vyv and DJ had already packed up their boats by the time the remaining 15 or so hardy souls decided to venture out for one last race. Posted on 31 May
P&B Zhik Fireball Nationals day 2
A day from the sublime to the ridiculous and back again The fleet was all planning for war at sea, but by the time we were going down the first run of race 3, we were frantically pulling out the fast pins. Race 3 was won by the championship leaders, Tom Gillard and Andy Thompson. Posted on 26 May
P&B Zhik Fireball Nationals day 1
36 boats in Looe, fuelled by the biggest Cornish pasty ever baked Thirty-six boats entered and were ready to go. Back in Looe, we were greeted by an extremely welcoming shore team and an intimate dinghy park. Fuelled by the biggest Cornish pasty ever baked, we reached down to the starting area. Posted on 25 May
Fireball Worlds coming to English Riviera in 2026
Royal Torbay YC are pleased to host The Royal Torbay Yacht Club are pleased to announce that the Fireball World Championship will be held in Torquay in July 2026. Posted on 24 May
Enter now for Chichester Harbour Race Week
Last year nearly 600 competitors in 383 boats attended Book your place at the biggest dinghy and keelboat regatta in the UK! With the website open, you can now reserve your place in this year's 'must attend' event. Starting on Monday 11th August, ending on 15th. Posted on 24 May
Final call for event delivery to Looe
The P&B and Zhik Fireball Nationals takes place this weekend The P&B and Zhik Fireball Nationals take place at Looe Sailing Club this weekend, the fleet's looking strong, as are the conditions! If you need an order taking we can arrange that for you. Posted on 22 May
Fireball National Championship runners and riders
The conditions are looking great for some vigorous sailing this weekend It's an early nationals this year, back in the popular venue of Looe in Cornwall. The conditions are looking great for some vigorous sailing, not so good for chillin' on the beach but thems the breaks! Posted on 21 May