The 2025 Canadian Fireball Championships was all we’d hoped for and more! Jericho Sailing Centre greeted us gallantly with fine facilities. PRO Dominique Labrosse, backed by a solid race management and rescue team, gave us 12 efficient races on a variety of Fireball-friendly courses. And sailors arrived from near and far with 17 teams representing 10 clubs from British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec. Bright sunshine created 30° days priming a 10-15 knot thermal on three consecutive days. The end result was champagne sailing in a stunning setting of clean water and mountain vistas all shaken together in a Vancouver Vibe.

The talent went deep in this fleet with at least 5 previous Canadian champions on the water, including 2024 winners Pierre Carpentier and Tom Bird of Pointe-Claire Yacht Club, Quebec. On this occasion, it was the Calgary team of Debbie Kirkby and Gregg Ferguson who led the regatta post to post. Their skill of working the boat upwind in chop contributed to this success. Pierre and Tom put in a stellar effort in a borrowed boat to secure second. Their harmonious teamwork was evident in how perfectly flat they sailed the boat in a gusty and bumpy bay. Third was secured by Grant and Averil Lamont of North Vancouver’s Hollyburn Sailing Club. They also got the classic trophy for performing this feat in a 10-thousand series boat.

Saturday’s dinner was on Vancouver’s best ocean-view deck, with ‘small-but-useful’ door prizes provided by Richard, Eric, Vincent, Evelyn, Jericho Sailing Centre, and Trotac Marine. After 5 races on Sunday we had a Pizza Party on Locarno Beach, hosted by Liam, Rebecca, and Dee Kennedy. Sore muscles and bruises were forgotten in an evening of beach volleyball followed by watching the sunset from Jericho Pier. Special prizes were provided by Ron Hammerstedt (little wooden boats for first 15 registrants), and John Haley (3D-printed Fireballs for oldest, youngest, and all-woman team).

Notable memories were the appearance of several younger teams, some at Canadians for the first time; the all-woman team of Liz and Kate; two ‘URT’ Tichkowsky boats (Ken/Neil & Laura/Dan Hider) from Edmonton and Calgary, with Ken being designated the most learned elder of the fleet; and the battle of the Quinlan boats (Liam/Rebecca Schijns & Richard/Vincent Brocke) who were locked in a tie through most of the regatta.

One of the best outcomes of the organizers’ efforts was the match-making of several skippers, crews, and boats, enabling more to compete and encouraging friendships to begin. Evelyn Chisholm and Greg Desilets applied an Aussie-style handicapping system to determine the most improved sailors within the regatta time-period. Handicap winners were the youngest team of Arthur Taylor and Laura Vagnetti of Victoria in their beautifully refurbished wooden classic, with honourable mention to the teams of Eugene Dombrovskiy/Evelyn Gray and Ian Hern/Jeremy Krahulic.

Thanks to many people who contributed to this successful championship – Liam Quinlan as regatta chair, Dominique in giving us great racing, Julian Hannabuss for judging in an effective and educational way, current and former CFA executive members Eric, Greg, Richard, Evelyn, Liz, as well as volunteers like Dee, Rebecca, and several others.