Fireball Dinghy Sailing Championships

Winning pair Chris Childs and Al Bush in action. Runners-up John Trundell and Oli Rudd.

The annual Fireball Dinghy Sailing Championships took place in Kilifi in July and a good number of Muthaiga Members competed in what were thrilling conditions. Although Chris Shaw is well-known for declaring every year that the event has been the windiest ever, this year he was quite right, with wind speeds of 30 knots and gusts a great deal higher. (30kts is about 55kph and international races never normally start if the wind is above 25kts. But, as the race organiser announced before the start: ‘This is not an international event...’)

Capsizes were frequent and even the veteran John Trundell (who first won the event as a teenager in 1979) was seen clambering over the hull of his boat, while his crew, Oli Rudd,

‘Grand Master’ Shaw and Daniel Francis defied the 100+ years between them to finish in third place.

Fireball Dinghy Sailing Championships

dived to keep the tip of the mast off the floor of Kilifi Creek. There were some epic bruises on display and sailors were shattered by the end of the three-day event.

Twelve crews took part in six Fireballs, with Tom Morton’s family making up nearly a quarter of the competitors. ‘Grand Master’ Shaw and Daniel Francis defied the 100+ years between them to finish in third place, Trundell and Rudd were runners-up, while Chris Childs and Al Bush came first by (nautical) miles, winning every one of all 12 races.

Cameraman Terry Childs monitored events from the ‘Committee’ boat, and we are grateful to him for some fine photography.

Fireball teams

Chris Childs and Al Bush came first by (nautical) miles, winning every one of all 12 races.