Fireball World Championship at Pointe Claire Yacht Club - Day 2

Fireball World Championship at Pointe Claire YC day 2 prize giving © Derian Scott

Fireball World Championship at Pointe Claire YC day 2 prize giving © Derian Scott

Race 3 and 4 of the Fireball Worlds in Pointe Claire Yacht Club in Montreal, Canada, were sailed in light easterly winds that proved challenging for both the sailors and the race officials alike.

The wind direction meant that there was the St Laurence River current was pushing boats over the line, making the starts difficult, and also making the final running leg of the triangle sausage course extremely long and tricky.

After three postponements and a few general recalls race 3 got away with the right hand side paying and Claude Mermod and Ruedi Moser (Switzerland) leading the charge. They held this lead throughout the race with the battle for the minor places swapping around during the race.

Ultimately Ludovic Collin and Remy Thuillier (France) finished second and Heather Macfarlane and Chris Payne (Australia) third with class commodore Christina Haerdi and Cedric Landerer (Switzerland) fourth.

The second race of the day started in similar conditions, but there were some lifting puffs on the left hand side that meant that side was favoured on the first beat this time around. Heather Macfarlane and Chris Payne started at the pin end and after a short time found they were able to tack and cross the whole fleet and were never headed.

Claude and Reudi, who were series leader at the time, tried the right hand side, (which had proved so successful for them the race before) and ended up buried at the first mark and had to work hard to wriggle their way up to 10th by the finish.

A pack of four to five boats tussled it out behind Heather and Chris with ultimately Ludovic and Remy finishing second again, with Ian Dobson and Richard Wagstaff (UK) third.

The consistency of Heather and Chris now mean that they lead the series going into the third day with 1, 3, 3, 4 results, from Ian and Richard, and Ludovic and Remi.

Unusually for Fireballs, the top five boats are from different countries and this bears out the truly international nature of the event.

Tomorrow's forecast is similar, with two races scheduled, but there is hope of stronger breezes after the lay day later in the week.

Results after Day 2: