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29 May 2006
Swiss team Eric and Rudi Moser finally clinched a world title at CFSA Esquimalt, Victoria, Vancouver, Canada on Friday when the final two races of a total of eight were sailed in the Fireball World Championships. Second were Canadian team of Grant Lamont and Tom Egli and third were Aussie husband and wife team Heather MacFarlane and Chris Payne. The brothers scores included two firsts, a second, third and fourth. Their worst score which counted was an eighth, giving them an impressive twelve point lead over the second placed Canadians. The brothers showed remarkable consistency in very difficult light wind conditions, frequently in a strong and varied tide over the course. The victory was particularly sweet for the Swiss pair who have several times been runners-up in the Fireball Worlds. British Royal Navy team of Sam Mettam and Keri Harris had been leading the event before the final three races but poor first beats in these races left them playing catch-up and deprived them of a podium position. Generally Canadian teams, many sailing classic boats, coped well with familiar conditions which left international visitors frustrated. Swiss and German teams, used to lake-like conditions, also posted good scores. The first two days of the event passed without enough reliable wind to complete a race. French team of Franck Juin and Jean Francois Nouel (aka Cantana) who won the pre-event were found OCS in one race which cost them a podium position. British husband and wife team of Penny and Ian Gibbs sailed well but the frustrations of the light airs denied them enough consistently high scores to find a place on the podium.
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