Champagne sailing conditions greeted the 75-boat Fireball fleet for the opening of the European Championship at Maccagno, Italy, today (Sunday).
Earlier in the morning there was a steady twenty knot Northerly breeze up the lake. By the time the fleet were afloat that had dropped to about ten knots but with some decent gusts. After one postponed start the boats got away off the the line with a majority of the fleet bunched towards the pin as the better pressure appeared to be along the left hand shoreline. With a course of Triangle/Sausage there was a little overtaking on the reaches and on the run but those who went hard or middle left seemed to come out ahead.
Ultimately the race was won by DJ Edwards & Viv Townend with Vince Horey & Dave Wade second. DJ went middle left up the beat and found clear lanes to get through to the front. Third were Charles Lecalvex & Ludovic Collin. Fourth place were Ed Og Butler & Iso Inan. There were a sprinkling of UFD disqualifications under the U flag, the most tragic being Claude Mermod & Ruedi Moser who would have finished in the top three. After race one the wind lightened and went slightly north west and the race committee waited for a reasonable and steady breeze to settle but after an hour or more waiting the postponed flag went up and the fleet headed ashore.
The forecast for the rest of the event looks quite light and with that in mind an 8.30am start has been posted for first race tomorrow Monday to use the morning breeze.
