Record Participation at Fireball World Championship 2025 in Italy

21st August 2025

Afloat.ie Team

Record participants will set sail at the Fireball World Championship 2025 on Lake Garda, Italy Credit: Elena Giolai

The Fireball World Championship 2025 is set for Lake Garda, Italy, from 24 to 29 August. Organised by Circolo Vela Arco, the event has attracted nearly 140 crews from 15 nations, marking record participation.

The 136 pre-registered crews are the largest ever recorded outside the Anglo-Saxon countries in the class's 60-year history. Competitors hail from Australia, Canada, Kenya, South Africa, Great Britain, France, and more.

“The Fireball, although a mature boat, is great fun because it’s so technical,” said Italian sailor Pietro D’Alì. He is among the elite competitors in this year’s championship.

20 sailors will be competing under the Irish flag.

The competition promises a high technical level with accomplished names such as Swiss sailors Yves Mermod and Maja Siegenthaler, and Australian champion Ben Schulz.

The championship will not only focus on the competition but also on camaraderie. The event fosters friendships among sailors, creating a community of enthusiasts.

Festivities begin with measurement checks and practice sessions before the races start on Sunday, 24 August, at 13:00. A skipper’s meeting will precede the first race at 10:00.

The new clubhouse at Circolo Vela Arco was officially opened on 19 August. This has been a long-cherished dream for the founders and current club members.

About The Author

Afloat.ie Team

Email The Author

Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.

Have you got a story for our reporters? Email us here.

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven't put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full-time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.

You might also want to read...

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).