Switzerland's Claude Mermod and Ruedi Moser won the Fireball European Championship at Maccagno, Italy after three races on the final day of the event. The overnight leaders and until today the dominant team at the event, DJ Edwards & Vyv Townend, finished up second overall, two points adrift of the Swiss winners. Third overall were father and son team Martyn and Daniel Lewis.
DJ Edwards & Vyv Townend Photo: Frank Miller
Racing on Friday started very early, at 8 am to be precise, with the intention of capturing most of the morning breeze before it faded close to lunchtime. Conditions for races seven and eight were decent enough medium/light airs. Again, the left side appeared favoured, but a number of shifts confounded that direction. Claude & Reudi won race seven with overnight leaders DJ and Vyv scoring an 11th. Claude and Ruedi scored a 2nd in race eight while DJ and Vyv carried a 26th in shifting breezes. Race 9, the final race of the event, saw the wind soften during the race and then fade to absolutely nothing, leaving several boats timed out, unable to reach the shortened finish line.
Martyn and Daniel Lewis Photo: Frank Miller
Claude and Reudi scored a 24th (their second discard), while DJ and Vyv retired when they found themselves near the back in almost no air. Thus, the final day of racing saw a big reversal of fortune, and the veteran Swiss team of Claude Mermod and Reudi Moser emerged victorious.
