SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - It was a case of goodness, gracious, great balls of ... water, not fire, at the start of the World Fireball Championships in Mossel Bay early this week.
The weather was "terrible" admits regatta secretary Andrew Finn of Knysna Yacht Club.
But this meant incredibly exciting sailing. Yachts capsized and there were many breakages: rudders, masts, holes in boats and torn sails, which were replaced or repaired overnight. The Worlds started on Sunday, 11 December, and the first three races were sailed in strong winds, but by Tuesday the weather had improved dramatically.
Sailing started at 12:00 each day, "Because in Mossel Bay the weather doesn't settle until 12:00," Finn noted. By Tuesday the regatta was one race behind schedule.
Ten races were to be sailed over five days. At the time the Mossel Bay Advertiser went to print, after the day's sailing on 13 December, current Fireball world champion Thomas Gillard and his crewman Richard Anderton were in first place.
Yogi Divaris, the youngest sailor in the championships, from George Lakes Yacht Club, and his crew, the experienced Ferdinand Holm, also George Lakes, were in an impressive sixth place.
Husband and wife team Anthony and Diane Parker (George Lakes) were in 12th place, Southern Cape sailors Dave Laing and Chris du Toit were in 16th place, and Cundle Statt (Knysna) and Rory Laing (George Lakes) were in 17th place.
There are 25 boats in the field. Nine of them are South African. The championships were due to finish on Friday. Wednesday was a rest day.
There were five jurors at the event, two from South Africa and three from abroad. For more information, see: www.facebook.com/fireballworlds2016/.
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