Fireballers don't hang up their dinghy boots for winter in Ireland...the weekend just gone saw some close racing both in the Monkstown Bay SC Winter Series in Cork Harbour and in the Viking Marine DMYC Frostbites series in Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay.
The Monkstown series is being led by Colin Barry and Ronan Kenneally on a tiebreaker.
In the Frostbites series at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club nine Fireballs competed out of the twelve Fireballs entered in the event. Louise McKenna & Hermine O'Keeffe are leading the Fireball division after scoring 2,1 over Frank Miller & Neil Cramer who scored 1,4. Very close racing took place in light to medium winds inside the harbour and the inaugural day of the series was notable for the new talent seen out on the water. Nicole Hemeryck sailing with Michael Keegan came very close to winning both races and only minor errors and clever tactics by McKenna kept her from the podium.
Frank Miller & Neil Cramer (14915) and Alastair Court and Gordon Syme (15167) contesting first place in Race 1, 3rd November at the Viking Marine DMYC Frostbites at Dun Laoghaire Photo Ian Cutliffe
Last year's winners Alistair Court and Gordon Syme were just slightly off their usual pace and are lying 4th. Alan Blay & Hugh McNally were right up near the front in their first competitive outing in their boat. Jack McNaughten sailing with Megan O'Dowd was finding his settings in his new boat - the former Louis Smyth vessel "Licensed to Thrill" while Sailing In Dublin Club was really well represented with two SID boats taking part in the action and SID veteran Paul ter Horst sailing his own boat with Colm Breen. SID has acquired a new competive boat "Blind Squirrel " and will soon have three Fireballs in its dinghy fleet. Anyone seeking a cheap and hassle-free entry point into Fireballs should consider joining SID to sample the excitement of Fireball racing.
