Four races and 25 black flags

Tough going at the French Fireball Nationals and Europeans after two days

The Fireball fleet were treated to some excellent conditions on the first day of racing at La Rochelle in the French Nationals and Europeans,

Two races were sailed in warm and sunny conditions with the wind slighty better than forecast and temperatures slighy lower than the previous few days!

Race 1
After a short wait for the wind to settle the opening race of the French National and European championships was away. Flag O was flying. After several attempts at starting the fleet were away under the black flag. Those who took advantage of the pin end bias lead at the windward mark. Ludovic Alleaume and Etienne Perdon lead round until the leeward mark at the end of the run where Chips Howarth and Vyv Townend squeezed in front. Dave Wade and Ben McGrane were 3rd and these places were held until the finish with Kevin Hope and Russell Thorne 4th and Becky Priest and Tim Saunders 5th.

Race 2
The wind had built slighty for the 2nd race of the day and the sea slighty rougher. On the third start the fleet were away. Chips and Vyv again took the gun again but they along with 10 other boats had been caught by the black flag. This handed the race to Vince Horey and Rob Gardner with Dave Wade and Ben McGrane 3rd which gave them the overall lead.

On Tuesday the 89 boat fleet were again treated to excellent conditions on the race course.

Race 3
The race was started in 10 knots of breeze and bright sunshine. Once again Chips Howarth & Vyv Townend lead and after a tussle with Vince Horey & Rob Gardner they took the gun. Wade and McGrane worked their way past several boats to take 3rd with Becky Priest and Tim Saunders 4th. The consistent Czech team of Martin Kubovy and Martin Cap 5th and Phillipe Collard and Gabriel Thuillier 6th.

Race 4

This ace was away after several recalls with again lots of black flags. At the finish Howarth & Townend were again first to the line but again were over at the start. This gave the race win to Martyn Lewis and Richard Bailey with Jaroslav Verner & Pavel Winkler in 2nd with a 3rd for Kubovy and Cap giving them the lead overnight. Things could all change on Wednesday as the discard comes in after five races.

			R1	R2	R3	R4	P Net	P tot
1	CZE 15019	KUBOVY Martin	6	8	5	3	22	22
		CAP Martin	6	8	5	3
2	GBR 14226	LEWIS Martyn	10	11	7	1	29	29
		BAILEY Richard	10	11	7	1
3	IRL 14996	GILLARD Tom	9	7	14	5	35	35
		ROWAN Francis	9	7	14	5
4	GBR 14980	FOSKETT Tom	8	3	20	21	52	52
		NEEDHAM Tim	8	3	20	21
5	GBR 14636	RUSH Tim	25	9	9	10	53	53
		BREAREY Sam	25	9	9	10
6	CZE 14827	KORAN Petr	20	15	11	9	55	55
		KVASNIK Milan	20	15	11	9
7	GBR 14899	FINDLAY Matt	16	6	17	18	57	57
		ANDERTON Richard	16	6	17	18
8	CZE 14809	VERNER Jaroslav	37	10	12	2	61	61
		WINKLER Pavel	37	10	12	2
9	FRA 14917	THUILLIER Remy	17	18	8	23	66	66
		BERTHELOT Loic	17	18	8	23
10	GBR 14976	KEARNEY Ross	11	4	24	DPI	75	75
		HYRES Dave	11	4	24	36
11	IRL 14894	BUTLER Noel	31	17	13	15	76	76
		MOORE Seamus	31	17	13	15
12	FRA 14823	COLLARD Philippe	32	16	6	25	79	79
		THUILLIER Gabriel	32	16	6	25
13	CAN 15024	JOSPE Joe	24	14	29	17	84	84
		EGLI Tom	24	14	29	17
14	FRA 14779	JUIN Franck	34	20	30	4	88	88
		LAIGLE Ronan	34	20	30	4
15	FRA 14679	BASSET Eric	35	24	15	19	93	93
		COLLIN Ludovic	35	24	15	19
16	GBR 14993	WADE David	3	2	3	BFD	98	98
		MAC GRANE Ben	3	2	3	90
17	GBR 14941	SCOTT Derian	19	21	32	26	98	98
		SCOTT Andy	19	21	32	26
18	FRA 14803	RENON Jean Yves	46	35	10	13	104	104
		LECHENE Nicolas	46	35	10	13
19	GBR 15020	HOREY Vincent	14	1	2	BFD	107	107
		GARDNER Rob	14	1	2	90
20	GBR 14954	PRIEST Becky	5	BFD	4	12	111	111
		SAUNDERS Tim	5	90	4	12
21	FRA 15014	GUIDEL Estelle	26	30	35	20	111	111
		PERDON Pierre	26	30	35	20
22	BEL 14861	MEYNENDONCKX Bart	30	25	34	22	111	111
		DE ROECK Francis	30	25	34	22
23	IRL 14990	CLANCY Conor	38	33	36	8	115	115
		LAVERTY Owen	38	33	36	8
24	GBR 14909	PRIEST Ian	29	28	27	32	116	116
		PEPPERDINE Richard	29	28	27	32
25	GBR 14948	FRY Ali	18	5	---	6	119	119
		THOMPSON Andrew	18	5	90	6
26	FRA 14959	ALLEAUME Ludovic	2	BFD	22	7	121	121
		PERDON Etienne	2	90	22	7
27	GBR 14950	HOPE Kevin	4	13	16	BFD	123	123
		THORNE Russell	4	13	16	90
28	GBR 15002	KELSALL Simon	27	29	33	42	131	131
		WILLIAMSON Tom	27	29	33	42
29	GBR 14864	CURZON John	7	12	25	BFD	134	134
		ELVER Peter	7	12	25	90
30	GBR 15004	GRAY Peter	21	BFD	21	11	143	143
		FORBES Simon	21	90	21	11
31	GBR 14820	PEARCE Andrew	12	22	19	BFD	143	143
		BROUGHTON Adam	12	22	19	90
32	IRL 14962	RUNBALL Kenneth	13	BFD	26	14	143	143
		MORAN David	13	90	26	14
33	GBR 14977	POPPLE Philip	15	DNF	23	16	144	144
		TILLSON Gavin	15	90	23	16
34	FRA 14866	PERILLEUX Loic	39	39	48	33	159	159
		PERILLEUX Arnaud	39	39	48	33
35	GBR 14966	NEWTON Grahame	BFD	23	18	31	162	162
		NEEDHAM Olivier	90	23	18	31
36	BEL 14609	WOUTTERS Kristof	47	40	44	34	165	165
		DE BACKER Wilfried	47	40	44	34
37	FRA 14712	LEMONNIER Jean-michel	75	32	37	29	173	173
		PERROT MINNOT Laurent	75	32	37	29
38	CZE 14979	SKOREOVA Eva	36	26	28	BFD	180	180
		TKADLEC Viktor	36	26	28	90
39	GBR 15013	HOWARTH Chips	1	BFD	1	BFD	182	182
		TOWEND Vyv	1	90	1	90
40	IRL 15007	SMYTH Louis	33	64	41	44	182	182
		BRADLEY Cormac	33	64	41	44
41	FRA 14686	BOUTAREL Frederic	49	45	59	30	183	183
		MARTINEZ Jany	49	45	59	30
42	FRA 14372	LUCET Denis	45	51	54	37	187	187
		LUCET Francoise	45	51	54	37
43	CZE 14888	JENISTA Milan	28	31	DPI	BFD	189	189
		NAPRAVNIK Jakub	28	31	40	90
44	GBR 14755	RYDER David	50	38	61	40	189	189
		RYDER Michelle	50	38	61	40
45	FRA 14537	MALARET Emmanuel	52	43	47	48	190	190
		ITURRALDE Orotz	52	43	47	48
46	GBR 14885	WHITE Jeremy	22	36	46	BFD	194	194
		TURNEN Dave	22	36	46	90
47	GBR 15016	SLACK Peter	62	59	45	28	194	194
		SLACK David	62	59	45	28
48	GBR 14635	HOWEY Paul	57	44	43	52	196	196
		LANG Douglas	57	44	43	52
49	FRA 14311	OLIVIER Patrice	53	BFD	31	24	198	198
		PUBERT Jean marc	53	90	31	24
50	FRA 14671	DAGUET Alain	DNF	19	39	51	199	199
		GAULT Philippe	90	19	39	51
51	FRA 14728	BRIGAUDEAU Christophe	48	37	62	53	200	200
		BEGANTON Gerard	48	37	62	53
52	FRA 15001	COQUEREL Maurice	54	52	55	39	200	200
		GUERIN Claude	54	52	55	39
53	IRL 14877	MC NALLY Daire	59	49	DPI	43	210	210
		O ROURKE Marguerite	59	49	59	43
54	FRA 14501	VENUAT Cecile	76	47	53	36	212	212
		FORTUN Margaux	76	47	53	36
55	FRA 14878	MARGUERAT Gilles	56	41	68	47	212	212
		MARGUERAT Pierre	56	41	68	47
56	FRA 14926	BARBIER Philippe	41	42	40	BFD	213	213
		BARBIER Thibault	41	42	40	90
57	FRA 14703	MORIN Ludovic	42	56	56	61	215	215
		DECORSE Jean-francois	42	56	56	61
58	GBR 14882	WATSON Rob	40	BFD	51	45	226	226
		WALKER Dan	40	90	51	45
59	GBR 14682	WARD Katherine	63	53	63	50	229	229
		TOYTON Julia	63	53	63	50
60	FRA 15015	PECULIER Martin	23	27	DNC	DNC	230	230
		LE SEAC'H Thomas	23	27	90	90
61	FRA 14925	FOUASSIER Bruno	44	55	42	BFD	231	231
		FOUASSIER Dominique	44	55	42	90
62	FRA 14693	ROTTELEUR Eric	74	60	71	35	240	240
		ROTTELEUR Laurent	74	60	71	35
63	FRA 14367	JUNCA Valentin	51	48	52	BFD	241	241
		JUNCA Dominique	51	48	52	90
64	IRL 14938	MC GROTTY Nial	55	DPI	58	BFD	246	246
		MAHON Robort	55	43	58	90
65	FRA 14632	ROUDEVITCH Alexandre	66	50	77	56	249	249
		ROUDEVITCH Olivier	66	50	77	56
66	FRA 14125	CORDELLE Frederic	DPI	57	65	41	250	250
		VERNET André	87	57	65	41
67	FRA 14334	CULERON Sylvain	43	BFD	64	54	251	251
		BOUCHARD Clement	43	90	64	54
68	FRA 14347	LEFRANC Quentin	72	61	73	46	252	252
		SUILLEROT Marc	72	61	73	46
69	GBR 14800	JORDAN Eugene	60	DNF	57	49	256	256
		COLLETT Graham	60	90	57	49
70	FRA 14267	RAMEZI Patrice	64	46	72	BFD	272	272
		HUGUEL Alain	64	46	72	90
71	GBR 14999	FESTING David	58	DNE	66	58	272	272
		FESTING Karen	58	90	66	58
72	BEL 14829	LERNOUT Bert	77	DNF	69	38	274	274
		BELIS Jeroen	77	90	69	38
73	FRA 13947	RECAMIER Etienne	65	54	67	DSQ	276	276
		MADDALUNO Domenico	65	54	67	90
74	FRA 14648	LECUYER Jean-Charles	70	58	80	68	276	276
		BROUDIC Bastien	70	58	80	68
75	ITA 14541	MINONI Andrea	73	BFD	60	55	278	278
		RONDELLI Lorenzo	73	90	60	55
76	FRA 14279	AVIGNON Alexandre	80	62	74	62	278	278
		WOILLEZ Tatiana	80	62	74	62
77	SUI 14921	SUTER Maja	61	DNS	49	BFD	290	290
		SCHLUCHTER Francois	61	90	49	90
78	GBR 14872	NEWSON Barbara	79	63	79	70	291	291
		NEWSON Guy	79	63	79	70
79	FRA 14124	ANDREYS Yves	67	DNF	75	60	292	292
		RIZET Jean	67	90	75	60
80	GBR 14887	HILL Gareth	68	---	76	59	293	293
		HILL Janet	68	90	76	59
81	FRA 10617	ROUILLE Michel	69	---	70	66	295	295
		GROS Bernard	69	90	70	66
82	GBR 14579	WALKER Martin	71	DNF	84	57	302	302
		CAPEY Suzi	71	90	84	57
83	FRA 14078	LE BOURHIS Daniel	DNF	65	83	65	303	303
		CERMAKOVA Eva	90	65	83	65
84	FRA 12584	JEANBRUN Francois	82	DNE	81	63	316	316
		JACQUIN Michel	82	90	81	63
85	GBR 14135	SCARFF Stewart	83	DNF	78	67	318	318
		SCARFF Lesley	83	90	78	67
86	FRA 14749	ENAUX Morgane	DNF	DNS	82	64	326	326
		MAURON Daniel	90	90	82	64
87	FRA 12251	MASNERI Patrice	84	DNS	85	72	331	331
		SIRIEIX Anne	84	90	85	72
88	FRA 9331	DEZILE Eric	81	DNF	---	71	332	332
		SUIRE Adil	81	90	90	71
89	FRA 13860	PAPONNAUD Gaelle	85	DNF	DNF	69	334	334
		MENARD Thomas	85	90	90	69