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AUSTRALIAN SAILING (^) + YACHTING
APRIL-MAY 2015 MYSAILING.COM.AU
2014 -15
AUSTRALIAN FIREBALL
CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2014-15 Australian Fireball Championships were held
December 28 to January 3 at Gosford Sailing Club, NSW.
The enthusiastic fleet experienced predominantly light to
moderate conditions with plenty of wind shifts to keep it
interesting. Racing was tight in all races with the overall
winners not decided until the final race.
NATIONAL SABRE CHAMPIONSHIP
Mark Soulsby from Adelaide has taken out
the Australian Championship in the Sabre
dinghy class.
Mark’s four bullets over eight heats in
Tr i g g e r P o i n t gave him a series score of
10.6 points. The championship saw some
extreme weather fluctuations following
the New Year’s Day lay day with the
abandonment of the race on January 2 due
to drifter conditions while the following day
the weather turned with a south westerly
front hitting the fleet midway up the first
beat causing about half the fleet to capsize
and working rescue crews overtime.
MANLY JUNIOR NATIONAL TITLES
After seven years the Manly Junior National Titles returned to
Middle Harbour 16 Foot Skiff Club. The first two days saw
very light winds only delivering a single shortened race. But the
race committee skills delivered a six race series within the four
days. Firefly (Hugo Taranto and Noa Grasse) took out the Open
Division and Junior categories (under 12 years) bringing the
trophy back to Manly Yacht Club, the founding MJ club, for the
first time since the inaugural championship 45 years ago.

1. Dreadlock Holiday, Robin Inns/Joel Coultas


2. Cletus, Tom Gordon/Jack Fletcher


3. Kiss, Michael Thomson/Richard Watson

FLEET: 12 Boats

RESULTS

MICHELLE THOMPSON

1. Trigger Point, Mark Soulsby, 10.6


2. Veen Machine, Tim Van Der Veen, 13


3. Artful Dodger, Fary McLennan, 21

FLEET: 86 boats

RESULTS

LANGDON HAMLYN

1. Firefly, Hugo Taranto/Noa Grasse


2. Shot Gun, Jake Barnabas/Liam Karunaratne


3. Thin and Crispy, Liam Hazell/Aidan King

FLEET: 32 Boats

RESULTS

NEIL PINNINGTON

Australian Fireball fleet at Gosford.

Racing at the Manly

Junior National

Championship.

Rounding the bottom mark at the

National Sabre Championship.