Brits hold top spots

Jonathan Bale reports from the Fireball Worlds

Day three and the fleet launched in a 20+ knot breeze. The race officer opted for a trapezoid course for the first race. After one recall the race got away. It was Andy Smith and James Meldrum that made the best start at the pin end of the line. In the strong breeze they hit the left hand lay line, crossed the fleet and the race for first place was effectively over as their lead was never challenged.

With the wind still increasing to over thirty knots the race officer decided that it was now getting to windy to hold a second race.

And now a few tips for coping with these breeze conditions.
1 - Maybe your side tank is not the best place to keep your sandwiches.
2 - If you do keep you sandwiches in the side tank, then holding the hatch cover up in the wind so it can be blown out of your hand is perhaps not a great idea!
3 - Jumping out of the boat to swim after the hatch cover and letting the boat capsize is also perhaps not a great idea!!
4 - If you were a British boat that did all these things you may wish to try and keep this quiet?

The top six positions over all after day two are:
1st GBR 14809 Dave Wade & Richard Wagstaff
2nd GBR 14801 Andy Smith & James Meldrum
3rd AUS 14849 Brett Young & Allen Blekle
4th GBR 14855 Richard Estaugh and Simon Potts
5th AUS 14814 Greg Allison & Richard Watson
6th GBR 13945 Malcolm Davies & Russell Thorn

To tonight is UK Night where the UK Fireball Association are hosting an evening to promote the 2005 Fireball World Championships in the UK. There will be free Gin & Tonics courtesy of the UK Association and the club will be providing good old traditional Bangers and Mash.