If this were any normal year the majority of the Fireball fleet would be dusting the cobwebs off their boats for the first sea event of the season at Hayling Island this weekend.

However, this is not a normal year. August sees the Fireball’s World Championship coming to Teignmouth in Devon and, for many, preparations began back in the winter months. It is no co-incidence that Fireball’s won many of the premier winter handicap events including the Bloody Mary, the Grafham Grand Prix, the Steve Nicholson Memorial Race and the Hoo Freezer as the class’s leading proponents used these events to kick off their world championship campaigns.

So far there are over 140 entries, including boats from the USA, Australia, France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Canada, Ireland, South Africa and Kenya. As well as the usual mix of past and present Fireball Champions the event has attracted quality sailors with successes in other classes including:

Brett Young (AUS) – Australian 420 National Champion and Tasar World Champion

Chips Howarth (GBR) – RS800, RS200, and Laser 4000 National Champion, Musto Skiff European Champion and Enterprise World Champion

Richard Estaugh (GBR) – Merlin Rocket National and Enterprise and GP14 World Champion

Dave Wade (GBR) – Scorpion National Champion

David Edwards (GBR) – RS200 National Champion

Tomas Musil (CZE) – Czech 470 National Champion

Noel Butler (IRL) – Laser 2 World Champion