Newcomers push old hands

It was a close battle between some new faces and old hands at the Fireball open in Parkstone

It was pure champagne sailing for the Fireball Open at Parkstone over the weekend of 7-8 July; sunshine and breeze.

Race one started in ten knots. Class newcomers, Tom Jeffcoate and Mark Hogan, showed impressive speed to lead for most of the race but as the breeze built they were overhauled by double World Champion DJ Edwards and Simon Potts on the final triangle. Edwards took the winner's gun, with Jeffcoate second and Chips Howarth and Vyv Townend third.

The wind built to 17 knots for race two. Edwards took an early lead but it was the conditions in which Adam Whitehouse and Mike Pratt revel and they swapped the lead with Edwards throughout the race eventually taking the winners gun with Vince Horey and Andy Thompson third.

Sunday dawned with little breeze, but after a postponement the sea breeze kicked in at lunchtime to provide some excellent racing out in the bay. Howarth led from start to finish with Jeffcoate second and Horey third.

Going into the final race, Howarth, Jeffcoate and Horey were all in with a shout of winning. However, it was Howarth who once again led from the start and extended his lead to comfortably win the race and the meeting, with Jeffcoate second and Becky Priest and Tim Sanders third.

Results:

1-Chips Howarth and Vyv Townend (Hayling Island/Bewl Valley SC) 5pts
2-Tom Jeffcoate and Mark Hogan (Notts County SC) 6pts
3-Vince Horey and Andy Thompson (King George SC) 10pts
4-Becky Priest and Tim Saunders (Staunton Harold SC) 13pts
5-Derian Scott and Andy Scott (Chew Valley Lake SC) 16pts
6-Noel Butler and Seamus Moore DMYC/SSC 18pts