A strong turnout for the Fireball class at the Steve Nicholson Trophy was sure to leave sailor of other classes feeling slightly emasculated. As the build-up for the 2015 Pwllheli World Championships gathers pace, plenty of teams chose the short course inland venue of Northampton Sailing Club as a key winter training event.
Although not entirely classic Fireball conditions, the strength and depth of the class shone through with Fireballs peppering the Top 10.
In race 1, three boats rounded the first mark in very quick succession- An RS 800 straddled by the Fireballs of Dave Hall/Paul Constable and Ian Dobson/Dan Scheiber. Reigning World Champions Birrell/Brearey chasing closed behind. The tussle continued until Dobson/Scheiber escaped the grasp of Hall/Constable after numerous laps. Dobson/Schieber notably finishing the race only seconds behind the familiar pair of Gillard/Anderton (Sailing a 505), showing that defection gleans no reward.
Race 2, sailed in slightly less breeze, began with a dogfight at the pin end of the line. Dobson could be seen grinning from ear to ear as he managed to cut through the fleet leading the port tack towards the top mark, subsequently rounding ahead of the fleet. After a 49er stopped on the mark, the front of the race soon stretched out, with 4 fireballs battling in the front pack.
The event ended with Dobson/Scheiber taking the win in the double-handed class, with Hall/Constable in 4th place Taylor/Saunders in 7th and Hope/Thorne in 8th. Notably the most consistent scorecard came from Birrell/Brearey taking home the full points of two BFDs.
See you all at the Tiger Trophy- a typical Fireball stomping ground.
Rank | Classtype | Sail No | Helm | Crew | PY | SNT1 | SNT2 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | Fireball | 15089 | Ian DOBSON | Dan SCHREIBER | 963 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
2nd | Merlin Rocket | 3761 | Dave Wade | Ben Rayner | 973 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 7.0 |
3rd | Mirror | 70784 | Nigel THOMAS | - - | 1385 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 9.0 |
4th | Fireball | 15122 | David HALL | Paul CONSTABLE | 963 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 10.0 |
5th | Merlin Rocket | 3707 | Alex JACKSON | Fran GIFFORD | 973 | 13.0 | 2.0 | 15.0 |
6th | Scorpion | 2022 | Pete Gray | Racheal Rhodes | 1032 | 7.0 | 9.0 | 16.0 |
7th | Fireball | 15046 | Alex TAYLOR | Tim SAUNDERS | 963 | 14.0 | 7.0 | 21.0 |
8th | Fireball | 15050 | Kevin HOPE | Russell THORNE | 963 | 11.0 | 10.0 | 21.0 |
9th | Scorpion | 2017 | Tom JEFFCOATE | Tom PYGALL | 1032 | 3.0 | 19.0 | 22.0 |
10th | Merlin Rocket | 3733 | Tom STEWART | Phil DALBY | 973 | 9.0 | 16.0 | 25.0 |
11th | National 12 | 3540 | Jon IBBOTSON | Charlotte STEWART | 1055 | 12.0 | 17.0 | 29.0 |
12th | National 12 | 3527 | Kevin ILES | Lindsey Iles | 1055 | 10.0 | 24.0 | 34.0 |
13th | Enterprise | 23349 | Ann JACKSON | Alan SKEENS | 1139 | 19.0 | 15.0 | 34.0 |
14th | Merlin Rocket | 3746 | Dan WILLETT | Pete NICHOLSON | 973 | 8.0 | 28.0 | 36.0 |
15th | Enterprise | 23089 | Jonathan WOODWARD | Karen ALEXANDER | 1139 | 24.0 | 13.0 | 37.0 |
16th | National 12 | 3519 | Jeremy HARTLEY | Luke HARTLEY | 1055 | 15.0 | 22.0 | 37.0 |
17th | Merlin Rocket | 3658 | Chris JENNINGS | Pete HORN | 973 | 18.0 | 20.0 | 38.0 |
18th | 505 | 9117 | Thomas GILLARD | Richard ANDERTON | 888 | 39.0 | 3.0 | 42.0 |
19th | Merlin Rocket | 3709 | Tom LONSDALE | Alice MARKHAM | 973 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 42.0 |
20th | Flying 15 | 4013 | Chris BOWEN | Marion BOWEN | 1020 | 20.0 | 23.0 | 43.0 |
21st | Merlin Rocket | 3564 | Rob KENNAUGH | Colin ANDERSON | 973 | 16.0 | 29.0 | 45.0 |
22nd | Albacore | 8158 | Matthew METCALFE-SMITH | Matthew LUXTON | 1055 | 32.0 | 14.0 | 46.0 |
23rd | National 12 | 3526 | Christian DAY | Sophie DAY | 1055 | 29.0 | 18.0 | 47.0 |
24th | Merlin Rocket | 3673 | Chris GOULD | Ian SMITH | 973 | 40.0 | 8.0 | 48.0 |
25th | National 12 | 3528 | Nick COPSEY | Jonathan GARFITT | 1055 | 17.0 | 33.0 | 50.0 |
26th | Enterprise | 22901 | Paul YOUNG | Nancy GUDGEON | 1139 | 25.0 | 27.0 | 52.0 |
27th | Fireball | 14967 | Steve LENEY | Paul KEELING | 963 | 22.0 | 32.0 | 54.0 |
28th | National 12 | 3543 | John MEADOWCROFT | Oliver MEADOWCROFT | 1055 | 6.0 | 52.0 DNC | 58.0 |
29th | Enterprise | 22758 | Richard PRYKE | Amelia PRYKE | 1139 | 28.0 | 30.0 | 58.0 |
30th | National 12 | 3492 | Sam METTAM | Maria RICHARDS | 1055 | 23.0 | 37.0 | 60.0 |
31st | Flying 15 | 3631 | Chris WRIGHT | Nicky HOOPER | 1020 | 27.0 | 34.0 | 61.0 |
32nd | Merlin Rocket | 3765 | Richard DEE | Matt SMITH | 973 | 31.0 | 31.0 | 62.0 |
33rd | Merlin Rocket | 3758 | Jasper BARNHAM | Sam BINES | 973 | 52.0 DNC | 11.0 | 63.0 |
34th | Fireball | 14886 | Simon MASKELL | Thomas MASKELL | 963 | 52.0 DNC | 12.0 | 64.0 |
35th | Icon | 16 | Martin HATTERSLEY | Nicola HATTERSLEY | 990 | 26.0 | 38.0 | 64.0 |
36th | Enterprise | 23313 | John BERRY | Neil BAWDEN | 1139 | 35.0 | 35.0 | 70.0 |
37th | Icon | 4 | Mike BELL | Sam PARKINSON | 990 | 30.0 | 42.0 | 72.0 |
38th | 420 | 49399 | Alex HUGHES | Tom SMITH | 1070 | 37.0 | 36.0 | 73.0 |
39th | Fireball | 14229 | Geoff HOLDEN | Sophie HOLDEN | 963 | 34.0 | 40.0 | 74.0 |
40th | Flying 15 | 3765 | Chris WHITE | Roger LEPLA | 1020 | 36.0 | 39.0 | 75.0 |
41st | Fireball | 14836 | Nigel POTTER | Andrew STEWART | 963 | 52.0 DNC | 25.0 | 77.0 |
42nd | Enterprise | 23347 | Stephen GRAHAM | Alex HALLIWELL | 1139 | 52.0 DNC | 26.0 | 78.0 |
43rd | Scorpion | 2015 | Ian DOOLEY | Jo MAHY | 1032 | 38.0 | 41.0 | 79.0 |
44th | Scorpion | 2033 | Steve WALKER | Jerry HANNABUSS | 1032 | 33.0 | 52.0 DNC | 85.0 |
45th | 505 | 8035 | Ollie WILSON | Max BURROWS | 888 | 52.0 RET | 43.0 | 95.0 |
46th | Enterprise | 23169 | Sam WOODS | Laura RICHARDSON | 1139 | 52.0 DNC | 52.0 DNC | 104.0 |
46th | Fireball | 15107 | Christian BIRRELL | Sam BREAREY | 963 | 52.0 OCS | 52.0 OCS | 104.0 |
46th | Firefly | 2246 | Alexander BAXTER | Olivia BALFOUR | 1190 | 52.0 DNC | 52.0 DNC | 104.0 |
46th | GP14 | 13146 | Steve WARD | Anna MASON | 1130 | 52.0 DNC | 52.0 DNC | 104.0 |
46th | Merlin Rocket | 376 | Simon POTTS | Ben HOLLIS | 973 | 52.0 RET | 52.0 DNC | 104.0 |
46th | National 12 | 2993 | Chris TROTH | Laura TROTH | 1055 | 52.0 DNC | 52.0 DNC | 104.0 |