Tricky conditions

Two races were completed today to start the Fireball World Championship

After a relatively light wind European Championship last week, Sunday morning dawned with a stiff force five breeze. 176 boat fleet set to sea for a one pm start.

Conditions proved to be very challenging for the race officer’s team as the committee boat dragged its anchor in the windy conditions and deep water. The first start was recalled due to the combination of shifting breeze and the committee boat dragging its anchor, the line became so biased that the fleet could not cross the line on starboard.

The second start got away cleanly. The 2003 Fireball World Champions Chips Howarth and Vyv Townend made a good start at the pin end of the line and lead at the windward mark. Following in second place were John Curzon and Peter Elver. Around the first triangle Sam Mettam and Richard Anderton claimed second from John and Peter while the 2004 European Champions Tomas Musil and Jan Stantejsky took third.

Time was now getting on but with a forecast of very light winds for the next few days the race officer was keen to get another race in. After a couple of general recalls, once again, the fleet eventually managed to get away. On the first beat the right hand side paid with all the leaders coming in on the starboard layline.

The 2004 Fireball World Champion Andy Smith and Johnny Mildred decided this was the race to show their form by taking the race win from last week’s winners DJ Edwards and Dan Newman. Showing that consistency was the order of the day were Tomas Musil and Jan Stantejsky who, with their second third place of the day, are now clear leaders at the end of day one.

In the evening we were entertained by the French as part of their promotional effort for the 2006 European Championships.

Results:

Pos	Sail Number	Country	Helm	Crew	R1	R2	Tot
1	14879	CZE	Tomas Musil	Jan Stantejsky	3	3	6
2	14895	GBR	Andy Smith	Jonny Mildred	13	1	14
3	14830	GBR	Chips Howarth	Vyv Townend	1	17	18
4	14834	GBR	Shane MacCarthy	Andy Thompson	5	15	20
5	14703	FRA	Franck Juin		9	13	22
6	14614	GBR	Guy Tipton	Chriss Tattersall	6	19	25
7	14682	GBR	Donald Smith	Matthew Richardson	14	12	26
8	14908	GBR	David Edwards	Dan Newman	25	2	27
9	14829	SHE	Brydon Leask	Ewan Stirling	19	8	27
10	14870	GBR	Vince Horey	Gavin Tillson	11	16	27
11	14899	GBR	Sam Mettam	Richard Anderton	2	26	28
12	14904	GBR	Richard Estaugh	Rob Gardner	24	4	28
13	14887	GBR	Steve Goacher	Tim Edlund	22	9	31
14	14791	GBR	Angus Hemmings	Steve Chesney	20	14	34
15	14820	GBR	Andy Pearce	Adam Broughton	16	18	34
16	14880	GBR	David Wade	Richard Wagstaff	32	5	37
17	14400	FRA	Ludovic Alleaume	Etienne Perdon	26	11	37
18	14863	SUI	Frédéric Duvoisin	Laurent Grob	33	6	39
19	14821	GBR	Chris Gill	Jonathan Bale	10	32	42
20	14892	GBR	Penny Gibbs	Ian Gibbs	41	7	48
21	14552	CZE	Martin Kubovy	Roman Rocek	21	28	49
22	14897	SUI	Kurt Venhoda	Sonja Zaugg	27	23	50
23	14827	CZE	Petr Koran	Pavel Winkler	43	10	53
24	14867	GBR	Veronica Falat	Ben Falat	31	24	55
25	14786	AUS	John Heywood	Brett Littledike	28	27	55
26	13945	GBR	Malcolm Davies	Ian Cadwallader	4	53	57
27	14857	GBR	Becky Priest	Tim Saunders	35	25	60
28	14864	GBR	John Curzon	Pete Elver	8	56	64
29	14652	GBR	Martin Cooney	David Cooney	29	35	64
30	14839	GBR	Kevin Hope	Russell Thorne	7	58	65
31	14853	GBR	Derian Chandler	Olly Goldsmith	23	43	66
32	14628	GBR	Simon Maskell	Jon Watkins	17	50	67
33	14903	GBR	Adam Whitehouse	Mike Woodward	37	30	67
34	14782	AUS	Robin Inns	Phillip Bowley	15	54	69
35	14851	GBR	Mark Jarred	Nick Collins	18	52	70
36	14761	GBR	Andy Willcocks	Andrea Willcocks	38	34	72
37	14780	GBR	Alex Piggott	John Rowell	45	29	74
38	14589	BEL	Kristof Woutters	Deca Jan	36	39	75
39	14818	GBR	Pete Badham	John Rohde	54	22	76
40	14801	GBR	Ben Baxter	Alyson Bowring	34	42	76