Chris Bateman and Lisa Flynn are the new Fireball Open Champions after six close-fought races on Galway Bay over the weekend. The event was shared with the 420 class who had several days of coaching at Galway Bay Sailing Club in advance of their own Connaught Championship. Bateman and Flynn didn’t have things all their own way with Josh Porter and Cara McDowell pressing them hard on occasion in the sixteen-boat fleet.
After three races on the Saturday Bateman & Flynn led by a narrow margin with Porter & McDowell close behind and along with Niall McGrotty & Neil Cramer all scored race wins. Conditions on Saturday varied between medium and light winds and courses were Trapezoid and Olympic Triangle. Josh Porter and Cara McDowell were second at the Fireball Open on Galway Bay While the forecast for Sunday didn’t look promising in fact a decent breeze built throughout the morning and three very good races were achieved.
Porter & McDowell won race four keeping the competition very much alive. And snapping at their heels in second were the young David Evans and crew William Draper. The latter youth team continue to improve on every outing whether in Fireballs or GP14s and are a pair to watch for the future.
Bateman & Flynn won race five race and with Porter & McDowell in fourth that pretty much consolidated their overall lead. In second were Franco Cassidy helming for Stephen Oram. The youth team of Evans & Draper took third.
Always in the mix were Adrian Lee and Ossian Geraght.
