Fireball Pre Worlds - Day 3 - Thailand

Day 3 2008 Fireball International Pre-Worlds – Thailand

The third day of sailing for the pre worlds was sailed in a beautiful 14-15 knots in the lovely warm waters of Pattaya. The tide was running against the wind in the first race, which caused 3 general recalls before the fleet got away on the black flag. Three boats were still over at the start including 2006 World Champions Erich and Ruedi Moser(SUI). Robin Inns/Joel Coultas(AUS) were first to the first mark just ahead of the regatta leaders David Wade/Ben McGrane(GBR), and these two stayed in this position until the end. Current World Champion, Richard Estaugh/ Rob Gardener(GBR) finally ventured out on to the race course and showed they are still competitve and finished third.

The second race was slightly less wind lighter and the tide had turned to hold the fleet back from the start. Finally the Czech Champion Tomas Musil/Jan Stantejsky in the brand new boat built by Xtreme Sailing Products broke clear on the first beat and was first to the first mark ahead of R.Inns/Coultas(AUS) and Nathan Stockley/Sam Muirhead(AUS). Stockley/Muirhead managed to get ahead of Inns/Coultas on the second beat to get a second.

Matt Mee/Richard Wagstaff(GBR) broke their mainsheet in the first race and were unable to finish, but climbed to 4^th in the second race. The smaller Swiss crews Kurt Venhoda/Sonja Zaugg and Adrian Huber/Brigitte Mauchle didn’t have the power through the windier conditions and have dropped out of the top ten, leaving it to Team GBR, the lone Czech and the top Australians. The top Thai boat Sutee Poonpatt/Voravit Vorasaen also struggled in the stronger conditions and have slipped to 21^st.

With one day (2 races) and 9 points separating the top 6, it is all to play for.

After the pre worlds there is a lay day with the World Championships starting in earnest on Sunday 16^th March.

See all the details at:

http://www.fireball-international.com/php/thailand_2008.php

Day 2 Results

NCA SAIL No HELM CREW RACE 1 RACE 2 RACE 3 RACE 4 OVERALL
1 GBR 14976 DAVID WADE BEN McGRANE 8 11 6 4 29
2 GBR 14919 MATT MEE RICHARD WAGSTAFF 4 2 1 25 32
3 CZE 14879 TOMAS MUSIL JAN STANTEJSKY 6 9 2 18 35
4 GBR 14950 KEVIN HOPE RUSSELL THORNE 13 13 10 1 37
5 GBR 14920 VINCE HOREY ANDREW THOMPSON 2 15 15 5 37
6 AUS 14812 PETER INNS CHRIS WENT 1 21 8 7 37
7 SUI 14897 KURT VENHODA SONJA ZAUGG 14 5 17 3 39
8 AUS 14971 GREG ALLISON RICHARD WATSON 7 4 22 14 47
9 AUS 14782 ROBIN INNS JOEL COULTAS 23 3 3 24 53
10 AUS 14943 HEATHER McFARLANE CHRIS PAYNE 5 24 7 20 56
11 AUS 14786 JOHN HEYWOOD BRETT LITTLEDIKE 28 17 5 8 58
12 AUS 14936 IAN RAVENSCROFT PAUL GRANT 12 10 19 22 63
13 AUS 14587 NATHAN STOCKLEY SAM MUIRHEAD 29 27 9 2 67
14 JPN 14808 TAICHI IMURA MASARU OGAWA 24 12 25 11 72
15 THA 11 SUTEE POONPAT VORAVIT VORASAEN 15 22 12 23 72
16 GBR 14973 PETER GRAY SIMON FORBES 11 1 20 44 76
17 THA 14519 KITIPONG KHAMBANG PACHARAPHON O-PUN 19 19 32 6 76
18 CAN 14680 JAMES COX SIMON PEARSON 22 23 21 12 78
19 AUS 14603 EMMA PERKINS JASON HERITAGE 3 18 23 34 78
20 AUS 14850 BEN SCHULZ BEN NEAYLON 17 28 11 28 84
21 IRL 14840 CONOR CLANCY FRANCIS ROWAN 9 14 28 35 86
22 GBR 14949 TOM JEFFCOATE MARK HOGAN 26 30 4 30 90
23 SUI 14799 ERICH MOSER RUEDI MOSER 20 7 24 39 90
24 AUS 14571 GREG SCHULZ JEFF SCHULZ 16 38 26 10 90
25 GBR 14887 STEVE GOACHER TIM EDLUND 21 31 16 29 97
26 IRL 14894 NOEL BUTLER SEAMUS MOORE 32 25 14 27 98
27 GBR 14969 RICHARD MASON SIMON HEXTALL 18 8 13 68 107
28 AUS 14414 GLEN PEVERELL SARAH BIGNELL 30 44 37 13 124
29 AUS 14745 JAMES SZPUNAR PHILLIP BOWLEY 45 36 18 26 125
30 AUS 14722 RICHARD McCULLOCH GLENN STUART 41 42 27 16 126
31 CAN 14828 ROBERT THOMPSON GARETH OWEN 27 26 31 43 127
32 JPN 14509 YUSUKE SHIMOTSUMA KOICHI TSURUMOTO 39 37 42 9 127
33 CAN 14968 JOE JOSPIE TOM EGLI 33 16 35 47 131
34 USA 14927 DEBBIE KIRKBY NED GOSS 35 20 29 50 134
35 CAN 7597 NOAH PURVES - SMITH MICHAEL LIETCH 25 29 33 48 135
36 IRL 14854 LOUIS SMYTH SUZIE MULLIGAN 37 35 44 21 137
37 CAN 14813 JOHN HENDERSON MARGOT HENDERSON 40 32 49 17 138
38 CAN 14156 FRANK CRAWFORD SEAN HOLMES SMITH 47 39 45 15 146
39 GBR 14755 CHRIS DANDO MICHELLE RYDER 31 34 34 51 150
40 SUI 14724 ADRIAN HUBER BRIGITTE MAUCHLE 10 6 68 68 152
41 CAN 14727 COLIN HUGGETT GEOFFREY HUGGETT 42 53 39 19 153
42 IRL 14877 FRANK MILLER MARGUERITE O'ROURKE 36 41 36 52 165
43 CAN 14481 MADDY PURVES - SMITH GREGG FURGUSON 55 33 46 31 165
44 THA 470 PREECHA DANGPATUM TODSAPOL JORNJAITRONG 37 51 47 36 171
45 CAN 14835 MIKE McEVOY JEREMY KENNEDY 34 50 43 49 176
46 AUS 14530 TONY SCHNAARS JOHN WEIGAND 44 52 38 46 180
47 CAN 14480 ROY TICHKOWSKY FRANK KORTBEEK 46 40 51 45 182
48 SHE 14636 JOHN MANSON IVAN FRASER 48 54 40 42 184
49 CAN 12934 LAURA TICHKOWSKY KEN TICHKOWSKY 56 45 53 33 187
50 CAN 11800 MARK CUMMINGS EVELYN CHISHOLM 43 55 54 37 189
51 SUI 14921 MAJA SUTER FRANCOIS SCHLUCHTER 51 43 55 41 190
52 AUS 14153 TIM NINNES DANIEL McLAREN 49 46 41 54 190
53 GBR 14872 BARBARA NEWSON GUY NEWSON 53 49 52 40 194
54 GBR 14791 PHILIP POPPLE STEVE CHESNEY 68 68 30 32 198
55 AUS 14814 ANDREW CROSSLEY PETER CROSSLEY 50 48 50 53 201
56 SUI 14961 DOMINIK MUELLER CHRISTINE MEBES 68 68 48 38 222
57 IRL 1489 JOHN CHAMBERS IAN McGONIGLE 52 47 68 68 235
58 IRL 14695 CIARAN HICKEY MARY HICKEY 54 68 68 55 245
59 NED 14069 ALBERT BADOUX ROELAND DE JONG 57 68 68 68 261
60 GBR 14964 DAVID GILES DAVID MASON 68 68 68 68 272
60 GBR 14948 RICHARD ESTAUGH ROB GARDENER 68 68 68 68 272
60 JPN 14947 YASUJI SHIMIZU MINORU KOSAKA 68 68 68 68 272
60 JPN 14902 HIROSHI KATO SADAHIRO KUMAGAI 68 68 68 68 272
60 CAN 14768 ROB LEVY STEPHEN WALDIE 68 68 68 68 272
60 IRL 14765 OWEN LAVERTY ED BUTLER 68 68 68 68 272
60 JPN 14751 YASUHITO TSUKAHARA YUICHI NAKAMURA 68 68 68 68 272
60 THA 14444 KEVIN WHITCRAFT BIRANUBONGSE BHANUBAND 68 68 68 68 272

Fireball Pre Worlds - Day 2 - Thailand

Day 2 2008 Fireball International Pre-Worlds – Thailand

The second day of sailing looked promising, with a light breeze blowing onto the beach. On the way out to the start the wind built to a lovely 14 knots, enabling all crews to be fully stretched. After two general recalls the black flag was flown and the fleet got off to an even start. The majority of the fleet went left with some intrepid sailors hitting the right hand corner. The regatta leader Matt Mee/Richard Wagstaff(GBR 14919) showed his form by rounding second at the windward mark, just behind Robin Inns/Joel Coultas (AUS 14782). During the race a thunderstorm lurked and swung the breeze by about 50 degrees to the left making for interesting racing amongst the leaders. Mee/Wagstaff slipped back a couple of times, but managed to slip through to win the race. Tomas Musil/ Jan Stantejsky(CZE 14879) snuck through to second.

The second race was much lighter with the thunderstorm moving on and the tide having increased dramatically. The start got away first go as the tide was against the fleet. Boats were sailing hard just to try and get across the line against the tide. This caused the fleet to split into two. The boats going left to get out of the tide, or right to get stronger wind. The local Thai boats got it right on the right hand side, and the boats on the left ended up a long way back. Unfortunately Mee/Wagstaff and Musil/Stantejsky were caught out, letting Yusuke Shimotsuma /Koichi Tsurumotousuke (JPN 14509) get to the first mark first ahead of Kitipong Khambang/Pacharaphon O-Pun (Tha 14519). Kevin Hope/Russell Thorne (GBR 14950) got past them on the second reach and went on to win from Nathan Stockley/Sam Muirhead (AUS 14587).

David Wade/Ben McGrane (GBR 14976) have now taken over the lead from Mee/Wagstaff on total points, but if drops were included then Mee/Wagstaff would be back in front.

Day 1 Results

NCA SAIL No HELM CREW RACE 1 RACE 2 SCORE PLACE
GBR 14919 MATT MEE RICHARD WAGSTAFF 4 2 6 1
AUS 14971 GREG ALLISON RICHARD WATSON 7 4 11 2
GBR 14973 PETER GRAY SIMON FORBES 11 1 12 3
CZE 14879 TOMAS MUSIL JAN STANTEJSKY 6 9 15 4
SUI 14724 ADRIAN HUBER BRIGITTE HUBER 10 6 16 5
GBR 14920 VINCE HOREY ANDREW THOMPSON 2 15 17 6
GBR 14976 DAVID WADE BEN McGRANE 8 11 19 7
SUI 14897 KURT VENHODA SONJA ZAUGG 14 5 19 8
AUS 14603 EMMA PERKINS JASON HERITAGE 3 18 21 9
AUS 14936 IAN RAVENSCROFT PAUL GRANT 12 10 22 10
AUS 14812 PETER INNES CHRIS WENT 1 21 22 11
IRL 14840 CONOR CLANCY FRANCIS ROWAN 9 14 23 12
GBR 14969 RICHARD MASON SIMON HEXTALL 18 8 26 13
GBR 14950 KEVIN HOPE RUSSELL THORNE 13 13 26 14
AUS 14782 ROBIN INNS JOEL COULTAS 23 3 26 15
SUI 14799 ERICH MOSER RUEDI MOSER 20 7 27 16
AUS 14943 HEATHER McFARLANE CHRIS PAYNE 5 24 29 17
JPN 14808 TAICHI IMURA MASARU OGAWA 24 12 36 18
THA 11 SUTEE POONPAT VORAVIT VORASAEN 15 22 37 19
THA 14519 KITIPONG KHAMBANG PACHARAPHON O-PUN 19 19 38 20
AUS 14850 BEN SCHULZ BEN NEAYLON 17 28 45 21
AUS 14786 JOHN HEYWOOD BRETT LITTLEDIKE 28 17 45 22
CAN 14680 JAMES COX SIMON PEARSON 22 23 45 23
CAN 14968 JOE JOSPIE TOM EGLI 33 16 49 24
GBR 14887 STEVE GOACHER TIM EDLUND 21 31 52 25
CAN 14828 ROBERT THOMPSON GARETH OWEN 27 26 53 26
IRL 14695 CIARAN HICKEY MARY HICKEY 54 DNF 54 27
AUS 14571 GREG SCHULZ JEFF SCHULZ 16 38 54 28
CAN 7597 NOAH PURVES - SMITH MICHAEL LIETCH 25 29 54 29
USA 14927 DEBBIE KIRKBY NED GOSS 35 20 55 30
GBR 14949 TOM JEFFCOATE MARK HOGAN 26 30 56 31
AUS 14587 NATHAN STOCKLEY SAM MUIRHEAD 29 27 56 32
IRL 14894 NOEL BUTLER SEAMUS MOORE 32 25 57 33
NED 14069 ALBERT BADOUX ROELAND DE JONG 57 DNF 57 34
GBR 14755 CHRIS DANDO MICHELLE RYDER 31 34 65 35
IRL 14854 LOUIS SMYTH SUZIE MULLIGAN 37 35 72 36
CAN 14813 JOHN HENDERSON MARGOT HENDERSON 40 32 72 37
AUS 14414 GLEN PEVERELL SARAH BIGNELL 30 44 74 38
JPN 14509 YUSUKE SHIMOTSUMA KOICHI TSURUMOTO 39 37 76 39
IRL 14877 FRANK MILLER MARGUERITE O'ROURKE 36 41 77 40
AUS 14745 JAMES SZPUNAR PHILLIP BOWLEY 45 36 81 41
AUS 14722 RICHARD McCULLOCH GLENN STUART 41 42 83 42
CAN 14835 MIKE McEVOY JEREMY KENNEDY 34 50 84 43
CAN 14480 ROY TICHKOWSKY FRANK KORTBEEK 46 40 86 44
CAN 14156 FRANK CRAWFORD SEAN HOLMES SMITH 47 39 86 45
CAN 14481 MADDY PURVES - SMITH GREGG FURGUSON 55 33 88 46
THA 470 PREECHA DANGPATUM TODSAPOL JORNJAITRONG 37 51 88 47
SUI 14921 MAJA SUTER FRANCOIS SCHLUCHTER 51 43 94 48
CAN 14727 COLIN HUGGETT GEOFFREY HUGGETT 42 53 95 49
AUS 14153 TIM NINNES DANIEL McLAREN 49 46 95 50
AUS 14530 TONY SCHNAARS JOHN WEIGAND 44 52 96 51
AUS 14814 ANDREW CROSSLEY PETER CROSSLEY 50 48 98 52
CAN 11800 MARK CUMMINGS EVELYN CHISHOLM 43 55 98 53
IRL 1489 JOHN CHAMBERS IAN McGONIGLE 52 47 99 54
CAN 12934 LAURA TICHKOWSKY KEN TICHKOWSKY 56 45 101 55
GBR 14872 BARBARA NEWSON GUY NEWSON 53 49 102 56
SHE 14636 JOHN MANSON IVAN FRASER 48 54 102 57
GBR 14964 DAVID GILES DAVID MASON 68 68 136 58
SUI 14961 DOMINIK MUELLER CHRISTINE MEBES 68 68 136 58
GBR 14948 RICHARD ESTAUGH ROB GARDENER 68 68 136 58
JPN 14947 YASUJI SHIMIZU MINORU KOSAKA 68 68 136 58
JPN 14902 HIROSHI KATO SADAHIRO KUMAGAI 68 68 136 58
GBR 14791 PHILIP POPPLE STEVE CHESNEY 68 68 136 58
CAN 14768 ROB LEVY STEPHEN WALDIE 68 68 136 58
IRL 14765 OWEN LAVERTY ED BUTLER 68 68 136 58
JPN 14751 YASUHITO TSUKAHARA YUICHI NAKAMURA 68 68 136 58
THA 14444 KEVIN WHITCRAFT BIRANUBONGSE BHANUBAND 68 68 136 58

Day 1 Unofficial report

It was a tough day on the water with bumpy waves and bits of plastic, but it was all worth it for the beer in the swimming pool during the team debrief :) !!

Mike Rogers, Race Officer for the regatta was awarded a "handbag" from the Jury for waiting for the 5th start before putting up the "Black Flag".

Noel Butler/Seamus Moore got a special mention for the crew falling into the spinaker in the water during the take down. Luckily the boat also fell over so he wasnt left stranded by himself.

Peter Inns proved that sailing with a hangover and lack of sleep only works for one race, and struggled in the second race. Maybe he wont go to the girly bars tonight...

The fleet isnt quite tuned up yet, and is struggling to get through the free beer at the yacht club after the race.

Pre Worlds Day 1 - the official story...

Day 1 2008 Fireball International Pre-Worlds – Thailand

After much preparation and hard work finally the first day of racing came with the 70 boats taking to the water in a beautiful 12 knots, ideal conditions for the lively Fireball class.

Even though this was only the pre worlds, and effectively a practise regatta for the worlds themselves, the racing was still intense. The first race took 4 general recalls before the fleet finally started cleanly under a black flag.

Peter Inns/Chris Went (AUS 14812) were first to the first mark, making the most of the shifts. Second around the top mark was Greg and Jeff Schulz (AUS 14571) with Vince Horey/Andy Thompson 3^rd (GBR 14920) quickly got passed the Schulz’s and the two front boats eased out to a good lead. The wind died to about 8 knots and the adverse current built so the race was shortened to the top mark with Emma Perkins/Jason Heritage (AUS 14603) taking 3^rd.

The second race started in about 10 knots with a strong incoming tide, which held the boats back from the start line. Richard Mason/Simon Hextall (GBR 14969) made the most of the tide and port tacked the start crossing the whole fleet.

Peter Gray/Simon Forbes (GBR 14873) led to the first mark from Mason/Hextall and Mee/Wagstaff.

Peter Gray/Simon Forbes (GBR14873) went on to win with Matt Mee/Richard Wagstaff(GBR 14919) climbing to second followed by Robin Inns/Joel Coultas (AUS 14782).

Overall the results are quite mixed, but Matt Mee and Richard Wagstaff are looking very comfortable overall. Team GBR seem to have the upper hand in the conditions with 4 boats in the top ten, but there is plenty of pressure so far from the Swiss, Czechs and Australian teams.

The current World Champion Richard Estaugh/Rob Gardener (GBR 14948) didn’t make it onto the water today, but the 2006 World Champions Erich and Reudi Moser (SUI 14799) struggled to a 20^th in the first race and a 7^th in the second, just one point behind the Australian Champions Inns/Coultas. Current British national champion Tom Jeffcoate/Mark Hogan (GBR 14949) had a bad day in the office today with a 26^th and a 30^th

Day One about to start...

Measurement is all done and a lot of the fleet got out for a sail yesterday. The conditions were perfect from about 10 knots building to 18 knots and everyone enjoyed sailing in the warm water.

Today the first racing session starts at 1PM Thai time, with two races expected. With big fleets from Canada, Australia and GBR and strong competitors from the other countries the interest will be to see who is going fast.

Hopefully we will have results and an update soon after the racing finished today ( well soon after we get out of the swimming pool anyway....)