#fireball – Four races were sailed at the Irish Fireball Nationals on Lough Ree today in light conditions and as usual when it goes light, not to everyone's satisfaction writes Cormac Bradley.
The day's honours go to Kenneth Rumball & Finn Bradley (15058) with a 3, 3, 1, 1 day. This leaves them in third place overall, a point behind Noel Butler & Stephen Oram (15061) who had a 5, 2, 2, 2 day. In the front of the fleet are Barry McCartin & Conor Kinsella (15114) who were a little off the pace, by their standards, and scored a 7, 1, 3, 3. With the first discard kicking in their points cushion is 4.
For the rest of the fleet the most encouraging result of the day was the win in the first race by Neil Colin & Margaret Casey (14775). They hit the biggest right hand corner I have seen for some time and rounded the top mark with a huge lead that they extended during the race.
The perennial debate of sailing four races to try and get the full suite completed tomorrow raised its head again. Do you persist with races in light conditions or sail three and run out of time tomorrow to get in the third race of the day. Who'd be a Race Officer?
In fourth place overall is Team Clancy, Conor & James (14807) who scored 2, 5, 7, 4 today. This gives them a 3 point cushion on Niall McGrotty & Neil Cramer (14938) who, as usual, are sailing very consistently (3, 7, 2, 4, 4, 5). There is then a huge 14 point jump to 6th overall where we find Colin & Casey (37pts). 7th place is filled by the father and son combination of Michael & James Murphy (14908) (38pts), 8th goes to the all-lady team of Louise McKenna & Hermine O'Keeffe (45pts), 9th to Louis Smyth & Cormac Bradley (15007) (51pts) and the top ten is closed out by Mick Creighton & Hugh Johnson (14698) (55pts).
Sunday will see two races attempted to give the Fireballs a 9-race series and the prospect of a second discard.
Cormac.
