Fireball youths

The Fireball combined Youth National Championships and Open Meeting was held at King George SC

The fireball fleet enjoyed good breeze and close racing over the 27-28 October for the annual Youth Championships and combined the open Meeting at King George Sailing Club.

After some fantastic bacon butties courtesy of Mrs Horey and her team, Saturday's racing was held in a shifty 10-15 knots. Locals and runners up at this summers World Championships Vince Horey and Andy Thompson led round the top mark in race one with the pack close behind. After some early place changes Matt Mee and Richard Wagstaff led to the finish followed by Peter Gray and Simon Forbes, 420 Junior European Champions Tom Gillard and Sam Brearey third with Horey and Thompson slipping to fourth.

Race two saw a tighter set of reaches, proving more difficult for the lighter teams. Mee and Wagstaff led round the top mark and extended to take the win. Mark Maskell and John Watkins finished second with Horey and Thompson in third.

Gray and Forbes took an early lead in race three but by the second round Mee and Wagstaff had a narrow lead over Horey and Thompson followed by Gray and Forbes. Gear failure saw Mee and Wagstaff drop to third on the final run. Gray and Forbes took the win, just ahead of Horey and Thompson.

Sunday's racing was held in more breeze, around 20 knots with a fair bit more in the rainsqualls. Mee and Wagstaff took an early lead in race four but capsized on the second reach along with a few others! This handed the lead to Gray and Forbes closely followed by Gillard and Breary. Mee and Wagstaff regained the lead by the finish, James Fryatt and Richard Anderton stormed through to take second with Maskell and Watkins third.

Race five saw a change in course, giving a windward leeward the full length of the reservoir. Mee and Wagstaff led all the way round, winning by a big margin. There was plenty of place changing in the chasing pack, Gillard and Breary took second, followed by Horey and Thompson.

Going into the sixth and final race the Open meeting was safe for Mee and Wagstaff but the Youth Championships was still wide open, Gray and Forbes had a four point lead over Gillard and Breary. Mee and Wagstaff won the race, followed by Gray and Forbes giving them second in the Open Meeting and the Youth National Championship. Horey and Thompson finished third, leaving them third overall. Gillard and Brearey who led the race early on could only manage a fourth giving them fourth at the Open Meeting and second youth.

Results:

Open Meeting:

1-Matt Mee and Richard Wagstaff- 5pts
2-Peter Gray and Simon Forbes- 13pts
3-Vince Horey and Andy Thompson- 16pts

Youth Champioships:

1-Peter Gray and Simon Forbes
2-Tom Gillard and Sam Brearey
3-James Fryatt and Richard Anderton