News / Nationals 2014 Final Report

Event Sponsored by Harken, Performance Penguin, fbm Holidays

Fireball Nationals 2014 - Tenby Sailing Club

Final day

 With the event already in the bag for Gillard & Anderton, the final day could have been an anticlimax and in terms of the podium places it probably was. However the Fireball Nationals always offers more, and with prizes to play for across the fleet there was plenty of action in the last 2 races.

Going into the day, the Canadian team of Joe Jospe & Tom Egli were leading the Silver fleet on 88 points from Nick Copsey & Andy Clarke, one of a number of strong teams from the growing fleet at Hayling Island who were on 95. The Bronze fleet had a clearer leader in Martin Walker and John Piatt from Shoreham who had been sailing really well all week.

Race 9 got underway on a gate start in a fresh Northerly breeze around 13 knots. Ian Dobson & Tim Linsell got off to a flyer and in lovely sunny conditions they went on to take a well deserved race win. The Swiss pair of Claude Mermod & Ruedi Moser joined them on the podium, with Alex Taylor and Tim Saunders notching a great 3^rd place.

For the final race of the series the wind freshened just before the start and the fleet enjoyed some champagne Fireball conditions to end the week. Gillard & Anderton displayed the form they had shown throughout and won it from Dobson & Linsell, with the Irish duo Barry McCartin & Conor Kinsella getting a well deserved 3^rd. In the Silver fleet, Simon Lomas-Clark and Rob Daniels had an absolute flyer, carding a seventh to bring them within one point of a fleet win. Oh so close!

The day ended with a prize giving that included gifts for the team at Tenby who have been superb throughout, and also for the event organisers Jeremy and Sue Hurst who have dedicated themselves to arranging the last 4 Nationals.

Thanks to Tenby SC for their efforts on and off the water, to Jeremy and Sue for pulling it all together, again, and to the sponsors, Harken, Performance Penguin, North Sails and P&B, especially the title sponsors Harken, for the amazing range of prizes that were distributed throughout the fleet.

The Winners were:

 Novice crew – Neil Ballard

Novice Helm – Tori Morley

Brixham Trophy – Christine & Graham Slater

1^st Classic Boat- Tony Godwin & Joe Ironside

2^nd Classic Boat – Tori Morley & Toby Hamer

Under 21 Helm – Nick Copsey

Under 21 Crew – Andy Clark

Lady Helm – Christine Slater

Lady Crew – Andrea Wilcox

Typhoon Perseverance – Barry Smith & Olivia Stodieck

Wheelchair Helm – Dave Hall

Wheelchair Crew – Russell Thorn

3^rd Bronze- Colin Snowden & Karen Hiles

2^nd Bronze – Dave Giles & Natalie Sansom

1^st Bronze – Martin Walker & John Piatt

3^rd Silver – Keith Walker & Rhys Pickett

2^nd Silver – Simon Lomas-Clark & Rob Daniels

1^st Silver – Joe Jospe & Tom Egli

10^th – Kevin Hope & Russell Thorn

9^th – Alex Taylor & Tim Saunders

8^th – Dave Winder & Simon Potts/Tom Castle

7^th – Dave Hall & Paul Constable/Simon Potts

6^th – Claude Mermod & Ruedi Mosler

5^th – Barry McCartin & Conor Kinsella

4^th – Dave wade & Tim Hartley

3^rd – Matt Burge & Simon Wheeler

2^nd – Ian Dobson & Tim Linsell

1^st – Tom Gillard & Richard Richard Anderton