Swiss and British Crews on Equal Points as Fireballs Europeans Heads for Friday Conclusion in Slovenia

21st September 2023

Afloat.ie Team

After days of no wind in Portoroz, Slovenia, the Fireball European Championships on day four were sailed in champagne conditions - warm winds of 18 knots and gusting. Scroll down for a photo gallery Credit: Urs Hardi

After five races sailed at the Fireball European Championships in Portroz, Slovenia – and three sailed today – Vince Horey and Dave Wade UK are on equal points with event leaders Claude and Ruedi (Sui).

Tim Gillard and Andy Thompson (UK) are very much back in the frame, with three bullets from today's races lifting them to third overall.

Download the overall results below as a PDF file

As Afloat reported previously, top-ranked Irish duo, Josh Porter and Cara McDowell are in eighth overall after two 10th places from today's races.

Race one was sailed in champagne conditions - warm winds of 18 knots and gusting. Race two started in medium winds but dropped light, especially on the final run. The last race was sailed in light airs with massive and frequent shifts on the first beat and many very super-light patches.

The race officer did exceptionally well and rightly waited for two weather systems to blow through before attempting the third race of the day.

With the forecast for the final day of racing tomorrow, Friday, promising decent breezes all is still to play for, and Tom Gillard & Andy Thompson will be fighting hard to make it to the top of the podium.

Fireball European Championships 2023 (Day Four) Photo Gallery by Urs Hardi

Downloads

Races1-5.pdf (104 Downloads)

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Fireball: 60 years of history

Designed in 1962 by British naval architect Peter Milne, the Fireball is a two-person dinghy with spinnaker and trapeze, combining simplicity of construction, high performance and accessibility. Over the years, it has been a training ground for generations of sailors, developing skills in tactics and technique, and producing champions who later moved on to Olympic and offshore challenges. More than half a century later, it remains one of the most vibrant and passionate classes, also thanks to initiatives such as the Under 25 category, designed to engage new generations and keep the tradition alive.

At A Glance – Fireball Dinghy Specs

Crew 2 (single trapeze)
LOA 16 ft 2 in (4.93 m)
Beam 4 ft 6 in (1.37 m)
Hull weight 175 lb (79 kg)
Mast height 22.3 ft (6.8 m)
Mainsail area 108 sq ft (10.0 m2).
Jib / Genoa area 35 sq ft (3.3 m2).
Spinnaker area 140 sq ft (13 m2).