Fireballs ignite the waters

GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Sunday’s racing at George Lakes Yacht Club (GLYC) was the second session for the Millenium Trophy, and with a fresh southeaster of 15 to 20 knots blowing, the more experienced sailors got to show off their skills in good sailing conditions.

It was a day for the Fireballs on 21 January, with five of these speedy craft on the water. Other types of craft were sparse – James Hellstrom sailed just one of the three races on his Laser Radial, Hans Delport did two on his Hobie 14 and Luke de Villiers was the sole Dabchick in the field, doing three races.

The top team of Georgou Divaris and Ferdinand Holm were the masters of the conditions, extending comfortable leads at the front of the fleet, to be the race winners of all three of the races sailed.

At a respectful distance behind was the team of Anthony and Diane Parker, scoring a succession of second places. James Hellstrom scored third place on his Laser in the only race he sailed, pushing David Laing and Cundell Statt to fourth, but the latter could get third place in the other two races. In the lighter wind of race three, they caught right up to the Parkers, finishing five seconds behind.

The four regular Optimist sailors – Conrad Holm, Thomas Lawa, Tristan Boshoff and Kyle America – were there and went out for a short sail, but decided that the wind was too strong for them to take part in the racing.

The first session for the Millenium Trophy was sailed in September, also in a good wind, with two races being sailed.

The Divaris/Holm and Parker teams did not sail those, so have to include "did not compete" (DNC) points in their overall scores. Overall for this trophy, coming out ahead is the team of David Laing and Cundell Statt, as David sailed his Laser Radial in the previous session.

Malcolm Osborne and Matthew de Villiers getting their Fireball planing on a three-sail reach. Photo: Andrew de Villiers

In second place overall is the team of Malcolm Osborne and Matthew de Villiers. Osborne also sailed Laser Radial in the first session.– Malcolm Osborne

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Knysna's Anthony and Diane Parker crossing the finish line of race 3. Photo: Evelyn Osborne