#fireball – For the first time in a very, VERY long time there are more letters than numbers on the first day score sheet of the Fireball Leinsters being sailed out of the National Yacht Club in tandem with the Flying Fifteens writes Cormac Bradley.
A strong westerly clearly took its toll on the fleet so that by the time the third race started only seven of the seventeen registered entries were left on the water. A plethora of "DNCs" marked the bottom end of the score sheet with some boats not getting wet at all.
IRO Jack Roy managed proceedings for the Fireballs and the Fifteens of which there were 24 contesting the last race of the day - sailing their Eastern Championships.
Two Windward-Leewards started proceedings and in the conditions even these were challenging. An easing of the wind meant that the last race reverted to an Olympic configuration.
While an alphabetic rather than a numeric theme to the score sheet was unusual, the names at the head of the points log weren't.
Barry McCartin & Conor Kinsella (IRL 15114) lead with 5pts courtesy of a win and two seconds.
Noel Butler & Stephen Oram (IRL15061) are in second place with six points (2, 1, 3).
Kenneth Rumball & Finn Bradley (IRL 15058) occupy third place on eight points (5, 3, 1).
Though this correspondent wasn't sailing the reports were that the action was fast and furious.The individual race wins were comfortable for each of the crews who took that honour. However, Finn Bradley indicated that they had a good "dice" with McCartin & Kinsella in the last race. By that stage they had gone down to medium setting.
After racing the Class AGM was held, attracting an attendance of 20 people. The incumbent committee will remain in place for another year with Marie Barry retaining the Chair, Margaret Casey staying as Secretary and (though he was absent) Conor Kinsella retaining the Treasurer's portfolio.
A further three races are scheduled for today, Sunday. From my bedroom window the wind appears to have eased but the RTE weather forecast on the radio at 09:00 suggests it may be returning with a vengance as the day progresses.
Fireballs Suffer 'DNCs' as Winds Take Toll At National Yacht Club Leinster Champs
5th October 2014
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