Fickle winds and drizzle in Garda

The Fireball Grand Nationals were not held in the glamour conditions usually associated with Lake Garda, Italy

Last weekend saw 54 fireballs from around the world converge on the Sailing Mecca that is Riva Del Garda for three days racing that decided the 2007 Grand National, the first event of a fantastic triple header culminating in the World Championship at Lake Silvaplana in Switzerland.

54 boats got away for race one in the Southerly Ora breeze of 12-15 knots. Matt Mee and Richard Wagstaff lead all the way round from the windward mark with Andy Smith and Jonny Mildred in hot pursuit. Richard Estaugh and Rob Gardner finished third and Chips Howarth and Vyv Townend fourth.

David Edwards and Simon Potts lead from the windward mark in race two closely followed by Chips Howarth and Vyv Townend, Vince Horey and Andy Thompson and Estaugh and Gardner. Behind this group Mee and Wagstaff, Smith and Mildred and Becky Priest and Tim Saunders all sailed lower on the run keeping them in touch with the bunch. Mee and Wagstaff got through to first with Edwards and Potts pulling through to second and Howarth and Townend third.

Monday dawned with a shifty 14 knot Peler breeze from the north and saw Peter and James Wood lead at the windward mark in race one. They battled with Howarth and Townend, Edwards and Potts and Horey and Thompson. The Woods lost these three boats around the course but managed to hold on to fourth. Veronica and Ben Falat held fifth from Massimo Dinale and Pierluca Debernardis in sixth.

The shifting wind continued having dropped to eight knots for race two. The right hand side of the beat favoured Dave Giles and Dave Mason with Andy Pearce and Jon Bale closely second at the windward mark. The lighter wind made the run more tactical with many close fought place changes. At the finish Mee and Wagstaff had pulled through to first with Edwards and Potts second.

The right hand side of the beat was again favoured in race three with Pearce and Bale just leading Edwards and Potts at the windward mark. Despite being constantly challenged by the following pack and place changes on the second beat, Pearce and Bale lead Mee and Wagstaff at the finish with Edwards and Potts in third.

Monday started with rain and no wind, weather which was to continue until mid afternoon when the race committee made a popular decision to finish the event there.

This meant that the overall winners were Matt Mee and Richard Wagstaff continuing their good form of this year.

Fraglia della Vela Riva organised a great event for the Fireballs, both on and off the water. Competitors particularly appreciated the pasta after sailing each day.

Following the Grand National competitors now have two options. Top up the tan for a few more days and enjoy some more blasting on Lake Garda or take the trip up to the mountains to Lake Silvaplana in Switzerland and take part in the Pre worlds regatta proceeding the World Championships.

Results:

Pos	Helm	Sail Number	1	2	3	4	5	Tot
1	EDWARDS DAVID	GBR 14949	-5	2	2	2	3	9,0
2	MEE MATT	GBR 14919	1	1	8	1	(dns)	11,0
3	HOWARTH CHIPS	GBR 14830	4	3	1	-6	4	12,0
4	HOREY VINCE	GBR 14926	-25	7	3	4	8	22,0
5	ESTAUGH RICHARD	GBR 14948	3	4	-13	8	10	25,0
6	PEARCE ANDY	GBR 14821	13	12	-30	5	1	31,0
7	PRIEST BECKY	GBR 14954	-20	6	7	13	7	33,0
8	WADE DAVE	GBR 14953	7	8	21	3	(dns)	39,0
9	SMITH ANDY	GBR 14895	2	5	(dns)	17	20	44,0
10	JEFFCOATE TOM	GBR 14960	12	19	9	7	-25	47,0
11	RUMBALL KENNETH	IRL 14962	6	14	24	-28	6	50,0
12	KORAN PETR	CZE 14827	15	11	11	-19	18	55,0
13	GIBBS PENNY	GBR 14892	10	9	26	-27	12	57,0
14	MASON DAVID	GBR 14964	9	-47	27	10	13	59,0
15	GREEN JENNY	FRA 14912	-35	29	12	18	2	61,0
16	FALAT VERONICA	GBR 14867	17	22	5	-41	17	61,0
17	LEVY ROBERT	CAN 14768	21	10	-29	21	9	61,0
18	BUTLER NOEL	IRL 14894	19	-28	25	15	5	64,0
19	FRÉDÉRIC DUVOISIN	SUI 14863	8	13	-36	16	30	67,0
20	WOOD PETER	GBR 14870	16	23	4	25	-38	68,0
21	SCOTT DERIAN	GBR 14941	11	15	-34	31	11	68,0
22	BYRNE CONOR	GBR 14340	26	18	-32	14	15	73,0
23	FLAHIVE BRIAN	IRL 14790	-45	27	22	9	19	77,0
24	MC GROTTY NIALL	IRL 14938	14	30	-46	11	22	77,0
25	GOLIAS HINKO	SLO 14796	22	24	-28	23	16	85,0
26	GAULT PHILIPPE GAULT	FRA 14671	-27	26	14	22	27	89,0
27	JOSPE JOE	CAN 14968	40	21	18	-48	14	93,0
28	BOYLE ANDREW	IRL 14934	28	-39	16	29	24	97,0
29	HENWOOD-FOX KERYN	GBR 14873	23	20	19	-38	35	97,0
30	DINALE MASSIMO	ITA 14856	-42	32	6	39	23	100,0
31	GIOVANOLI GIAN-ANDREA	SUI 14802	24	16	41	26	(dns)	107,0
32	LIECHTI KURT	SUI 14726	30	-40	15	32	33	110,0
33	CECHURA JIRI	CZE 14931	-38	34	31	24	21	110,0
34	KRATKY JAN	CZE 14358	-41	41	10	36	28	115,0
35	BADHAM PETE	GBR 14818	29	-45	43	12	37	121,0
36	WHITE JEREMY	GBR 14885	-36	36	23	30	36	125,0
37	MILLER FRANK	IRL 14713	33	25	35	-46	34	127,0
38	JENISTA MILAN	CZE 14577	32	35	20	-45	43	130,0
39	TUDOR ELAINE	GBR 14893	39	33	-47	33	26	131,0
40	SMYTH LOUIS	IRL 14854	18	-42	37	37	40	132,0
41	HAERDI CHRISTINA	SUI 14859	37	43	17	-44	39	136,0
42	COX JAMIE	CAN 14680	34	37	-39	35	31	137,0
43	O'TOOLE CONOR MARK	IRL 14629	47	31	-50	20	44	142,0
44	GUSTIN MIRAN	SLO 14881	(dns)	17	48	50	29	144,0
45	SUTER MAJA	SUI 14921	31	38	(dns)	34	46	149,0
46	SUPOLIK PETR	CZE 13111	-46	46	44	42	32	164,0
47	MCDONAGH DARA	IRL 14877	-48	48	38	40	42	168,0
48	VOMÁÈKO LADISLAV	CZE 14853	43	44	-45	43	41	171,0
49	KOZELJ ANDRAZ	SLO 14731	49	-53	33	52	48	182,0
50	FESTING DAVID	GBR 14673	(dns)	51	42	47	47	187,0
51	MUELLER DOMINIK	SUI 14961	44	-49	49	49	45	187,0
52	SLACK PETER	GBR 13951	51	50	40	51	(dns)	192,0
53	NEWSON BARBARA	GBR 14872	50	52	51	-53	49	202,0