CLUBS & CLASSES

British duo snatch Fireball victory

The Fireball worlds at Pointe Claire YC in Canada saw Ian Dobson and Richard Wagstaff (GBR) winning a closely fought championship, decided only on the final race.

The pair took the first and last bullets of the championship and counted two more race wins, a second and three thirds in between, showing consistency across a range of conditions to win the title four points clear of mid-regatta leaders Heather Macfarlane and Chris Payne (AUS).

Heading into the final day, Macfarlane and Payne were only one point shy of Dobson/Wagstaff. The former took the first bullet of the day, while the race was more of a challenge for Dobbo and Waggers, seeing them capsize at the leeward mark, drop to sixth and then sail a spectacular beat to recover to second. The battle for the title was still on!

A full-on breeze for the final race had Fireballs reaching warp speed and bouncing over chaotic waves, with many taking the opportunity to inspect their slot gasket. But this time it was a bullet for Dobson/Wagstaff and the title was theirs. The French team of Ludovic Collin and Remy Thuillier took the third spot.

Vials & Turner take fourth world title

Graham Vials and Chris Turner of Derwent Reservoir SC sealed the Subaru Flying Fifteen World Championship title at Dun Laoghaire with a final-day horizon job in light airs.

The 72-boat fleet saw Vials and Turner sail off into the distance in their boat Floaty McFloat Face (newly named by Turner's children) to claim their fourth world title sailing as a team.

A number of regatta leaders trailed in quite deep. Andy McKee and Richard Jones (Dovestone) finished in 18th to claim second place overall and Richard Lovering and Matt Alvarado (Hayling Island) in 12th had to settle for third overall. Australia’s Mike Hart and Dean McAullay finished fourth overall, splitting up the dominance of the British fleet. First of the Classic boat division was the oldest boat in the fleet, GBR250 Fighting Fit, sailed by Nick Heath and Pip Chapman (Cam).

Fletcher pushed hard for Moth national title

Dylan Fletcher won the International Moth nationals at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy as ‘Weybiza’ delivered sparkling conditions for the final day.

A sea breeze filled in for three cracking races, enabling the closest racing of the championship as the fleet revelled in 12- to 14-knot winds and sunshine.

The event itself was