Mixed fortunes on day one of worlds
24 August 2015
Anyone who thinks that the saying that it is always raining in England is just a joke should have come to Plas Heli, the new yachting centre at Pwllheli, North Wales. It didn't just rain, it poured, but at least enough wind arrived for Day One of the Gul 2015 Fireball World Championships to get under way.
As seems to be the routine at this Championships, the fleet wants to take several attempts to get under way, despite the line being a full 700m long. The Black Flags caught out a number of boats, including Georgia Booth, the top lady helm from last week's National Championships. More importantly, she was joined on the BFD list by the overall winner of last week's event, Tom Gillard and Richard Anderton. In the post recall confusion, a Czech boat would be seriously holed.
When racing started, it would be Christian Birrell and Sam Brearey who would win the 1st race, though Gillard would bounce back strongly to take Race 2, despite having a second nightmare start. Dave 'DJ' Edwards, Ian Dobson and Switzerland's Claude Mermod also enjoyed a good day's racing in the rain.
It should be drier tomorrow, but with a lighter North Westerly wind , conditions that could well favour some of the European boats, particularly the French, Czechs and Swiss.
http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/185162/Gul-Fireball-Worlds-at-Plas-Heli-day-1
Yachts and Yachting/Plas Heli/Pwllheli
