British Team Dominates Challenging Fifth and Sixth Championship Races at 2024 Fireball Worlds

14th February 2024

Afloat.ie Team

Ben Garner and Sam Williamson racing Tabu Soro at the 2024 Fireball Worlds in Geelong, Australia Credit: Down Under Sail

The fifth and sixth championship races of the 2024 Fireball Worlds were held on what was supposed to be a lay day, in switchy and gusty southerly winds. The conditions were challenging, with big shifts, big gusts, and some of the headers up to 40 degrees at one point. Even so, the British team of Tom Gillard and Andy Thompson (from East Antrim Boat Club) had another tidy day, scoring 2,1 and putting them four points clear with one discard in play.

Currently tied for second place overall are the local Royal Geelong Yacht Club sailors Brendan Garner and Ben O’Brien on Black Pearl, and the British team of DJ Edwards and Vyv Townend on Mondo. Garner and O’Brien’s 5,4 scorecard was enough to keep them in the mix, but Edwards and Townend’s 1,2 made it a top day for the British teams and further reinforced their consistency and experience in the class.

DJ Edwards and Vyv Townend on Mondo are in the mix after six races sailed at the Fireball Worlds in Geelong, Australia Photo: Down Under Sail

The conditions were extremely challenging, and Townend mentioned that they reminded him of his sailing back home in the United Kingdom. There were even some people who capsized on them, he said. But despite the difficulties, the Mondo team managed to salvage a good result in one of the races, after rounding the windward mark in about 15th place.

Tom Gordon and Jack Fletcher sailing Cletus at the 2024 at the Fireball Worlds in Geelong, Australia Photo: Down Under Sail

Ben Schulz and Angus Higgins on Riptide had another consistent day, putting them in fourth overall heading into the final four races of the regatta. Higgins said there were a lot of shifts on the race course and that sailors “had to keep an open mind and just try to think ahead”.

Ben Schulz and Angus Higgins sailing Riptide are currently in fourth overall at the Fireball Worlds in Geelong, Australia Photo: Down Under Sail

With lighter and more challenging winds forecast for the next two days, consistency from here out will be key for the top two teams of Gillard/Thompson and Garner/O’Brien, who are currently discarding an 18th and 16th respectively. Meanwhile Mondo and Riptide are yet to fall outside the top six, which could play into their hands late in the regatta.

The second discard will be applied after the completion of Race 9. For up-to-date results, please see below.

Race Results

You may need to scroll vertically and horizontally within the box to view the full results

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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).