A few weeks past, the Fireball Class gathered at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour to celebrate the 2022 season, to recognise the superb effort that so many people put into the Fireball Worlds in Lough Derg in August and to award prizes for the summer just past. Joined by a number of past members, there was good turnout of current members on the night which left plenty of opportunity to reminisce on the success of the Worlds.
Class Chairman Neil Cramer (Skerries) opened the proceedings by giving a precis of the season just past, noting that while the turnout at some of the domestic regattas was modest there had been a big turnout of Irish boats at the Worlds – 29, exceeding the number at the Sligo Worlds of 2011, when it could be argued that the fleet was a good deal healthier in terms of numbers. Neil also recorded the fact that for the first time in a number of years the Fireball Class had a representative at the Champion of Champions regatta and could have had two, potentially, except that the National Champion couldn’t make the regatta.
In addition to the perpetual trophies that the Class awards, the evening recognised excellence on the water as confirmed by the Travellers’ Trophy, which scores the domestic regattas on aggregate throughout the season.
Travellers’ Trophy
Gold Fleet
1st Chris Bateman & Thomas Chaix 14750, 11pts
2nd Ed Butler (Jnr) & Fionn Conway 14969, 13pts
3rd Noel Butler & Stephen Oram 15061, 16pts
Silver Fleet
1st Brenda Nash & Glen Fisher 14663, 83pts
2nd Cariosa Power & Marie Barry 14854, 87pts
3rd Jim Ryan & David Tanner 14584, 88pts
Perpetual Trophies
- 1st Lady: Louise McKenna & Hermine O’Keeffe 15016, 5th Overall, Gold Fleet, 30pts
- India Trophy: Most Improved; Alastair Court & Gordon Syme, 15167, 8th Overall, Gold Fleet, 43pts
- Asterix Trophy: Significant Contribution; The Irish Fireball Class Members – for their support and work for the Fireball Worlds.
- (Dun Laoghaire) Class Captain’s Prize: [Owen Sinnott] – Awarded to Glen Fisher for his efforts to get multiple Fireballs back on the water – he owns nearly 10% of the registered fleet, 3 No.
- Bradley Trophy – Awarded to Owen Sinnott for his management of the measurement process at the Fireball Worlds – with a newly International Class Measurer in attendance.
- Neil Cramer made a presentation to Cormac Bradley to recognise his ongoing efforts on behalf of the Class and his representation at Fireball International.
A presentation was also made to Ian O’Keefe for his work on all the merchandising for the Fireball Worlds in Lough Derg. It had started with a T-shirt and ended up as T-shirts, Polo shirts, caps and banners for the event.
All photos below by Frank Miller.
Class Chairman, Neil Cramer about to get proceedings underway...
...and starts with a special presentation to Ian O’Keeffe for designing the merchandising for the Lough Derg Worlds
Thomas Chaix, Winning Crew, Gold Fleet, Fireball Travellers’ Trophy
Ed Butler (Jnr), 2nd Placed Helm, Gold Fleet, Fireball Travellers’ Trophy
Stephen Oram (L) and Noel Butler (R), 3rd Place’ Gold Fleet, Travellers’ Trophy
Glen Fisher & Brenda Nash, Silver Fleet Winners, Travellers’ Trophy
Cariosa Power (L) and Marie Barry (R), 2nd Place, Silver Fleet, Travellers’ Trophy
Louise McKenna (L) and Hermione O’Keefe celebrate winning The Ladies Trophy
Alastair Court, India Trophy Winner with Gordon Syme
Class Chairman Neil Cramer announces that the Irish Fireball Class Members have won the Asterix Trophy
Cormac Bradley (L) presents the Bradley Trophy to Owen Sinnott
Class Chairman Neil Cramer makes a presentation to Cormac Bradley
Louise McKenna closed out the speeches (nearly) by responding to the award of the Asterix Trophy to the membership of the Class by paying tribute to the principal parties involved in bringing the International Fireball World Championships to Lough Derg Yacht Club. By popular acclaim the regatta had proven to be a huge success, by way of total entries, 79 boats, the social side of the regatta and the catering undertaking. Considering the circumstances at the time, and the perceived risk of trying to organise the event at such short notice, it was a tribute to Neil Cramer (Management and Overall Financial Control), Frank Miller (Marketing & Meetings), Owen Sinnott (Measurement) and Marie Barry (Catering) that the event had been such an enormous success. She then revealed a secret plot to have a further dinner to celebrate the success of the regatta and to recognise the contribution of the four named individuals by way of an invitation for them and their partners to attend. A fund has been initiated for the dinner which will take place in February 2023.
