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Fireball International Week at Kilifi, Kenya Overall

by Event News 22 Feb 2003 09:43 GMT

The Safaricom World Fireball Sailing Championships racing began at Kilifi with a brisk breeze blowing over a sparkling sea, and a school of dolphins playing around the Committee boat, as if to see what was going on in their waters. International Week had two races a day from Tuesday to Thursday. In the first two races on Tuesday the British boats established a firm lead, with Howarth / Townend taking first place twice and Wade / Wagstaff taking second place twice.

The second day produced equally fine sailing conditions, with slightly lighter wind in the 3rd race picking up more strongly for the 4th. Two boats (skippered by Vincent Horey and Alex Bale) were over the line at the start of the 3rd and were disqualified for not returning to recross the start line. Malcolm Davies and crew Fiona Jump established a commanding lead and never looked back, winning the 3rd race easily. Horey and Bale made no mistakes in the 4th race and came in the winner, followed in by Howarth and Townend.

The Kenya boats were led by John Trundell and Peter Hime who secured 13th and 10th places in the first two races and then on the Wednesday an excellent 5th in the third race. A fine performance was given by young Kenyans Omar Mbithi and Steve Ogada who improved from 26th in the first race to 18th in the 3rd - it would seem these young men are on the way up!

At Kilifi, Kenya the last two races of International Week took place yesterday in light and light/medium winds and bright sunshine. In race 5 much of the fleet was over the line at the start and so after a general recall the black flag went up. This still did not stop the rush to the start and there were still 6 boats across ahead of the gun.

The UK boats confirmed their hold on the event with Wade and Wagstaff winning both races 5 and 6 and Horey and Turner with a 5th and a 3rd. Howarth and Townend's second place in race 5 was sufficient to win them the series, so they headed for the beach ahead of the fleet. Second place in the series were Wade and Wagstaff, with Horey and Turner in 3rd.

The first Kenyan boat was Trundell and Hime who gained 8th and 7th places, and ended International Week in overall 10th position. The first Irish boat was McCarthy and McCusker with two excellent finishes at 3rd and 2nd, ending 5th overall. Young Kenyans Mbithi and Ogada had their best result of the series at 16th in the fifth race - getting faster all the time as they get used to sailing Fireballs!

International Week ended with a prize-giving ceremony at the Mnarani Club beach bar, with prizes for each race, top series places, the top series team, the boat with the first lady on board, and the special prize awarded for the boat which visited the Measurer more often than any other boat (to Cullen and Tillson, with applause). The team element of the event is just an additional fun feature of the event - team racing rules do not apply but racing points are accumulated to give a team score. Each team has a sponsor and most of the teams have received polo shirts from their sponsors to wear. Team Going Places took the Team prize for International Week.

Overall Results:

PosNatSail No HelmCrewR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1GBR 14708Chips HowarthVyv Townend11222DNS/328
2GBR14809Dave WadeRichard Wagstaff2243119
3GBR14770Vincent HoreyJim Turner35OCS/3215317
4GBR 14783Paul CullenGavin Tillson54344520
5IRL14816Shane McCarthyPhil McCusker67853223
6GBR13945Malcolm Davies Fiona Jump7811371033
7GBR14778Jeremy DavyNorman Byrd831010OCS/32435
8GBR 14789Penny GibbsIan Gibbs166699636
9GBR14556Andy PearceRachel Keeling912966838
10KEN14534John TrundellPeter Hime 13105148743
11IRL14655Philip LawtonMarkham Nolan49131712947
12SUI 14718Kurt VenhodaSonja Zaugg112477131250
13GBR14675Edwin Sadd Steve Kuhl1013118111353
14KEN14533Don WhiteRob Allport 15151618101470
15GBR14820Ian HarrisonDavid Broome12142015231172
16KEN14535Simon WoodsAlastair Bush19111419191679
17GBR14804Elaine TudorWarren Tudor17201916141581
18FRA 14385Pierre-Jean Gallo Pierre-Yves Robin 14161721OCS/322088
19KEN14456Ben SchulzNigel Shaw18DNS/321211OCS/321891
20GBR 14704Barrie WinshipRose Winship22261520202198
21KEN14115Omar MbithiSteven Ogada261918241623100
22KEN14531Joachim BebbingtonRoger Bebbington201723232124104
23GBR14821Alex BaleJonathon BaleDNS/32DNS/32OCS/32121717110
24IRL 14676Louis SmythShane Mugan21182125OCS/3226111
25KEN14473Chris ShawAlex HurnDNF/32DNS/3225221519113
26GBR14466Keryn Henwood-FoxGary Henwood-Fox282126271822114
27KEN14401Graham BushHarriet Bush252327282225122
28IRL14765Francis RowanEd Butler23222426OCS/3228123
29KEN14532Graham AlderTaryn Childs242528302427128
30IRL14633Corrin MackenzieClaudette Hall292722292530132
31KEN13740Shah KhanAndy Burnard27DNF/322931OCS/3229148

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