“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Pinnel Doesn’t Have Things All His Own Way

By Richard Crockett

Last week I shared a newspaper report on the 1994 Fireball pre-worlds off Durban, and now follow that report with news on the World Championship.

I remember distinctly that most of the international competitors at the event simply loved the Durban offshore sailing waters, and expressed the view that we were incredibly lucky to have such awesome sailing waters. But there is always a day in every championship that simply does not get rave reviews.

Here’s what was said about one of those days: “Most competitors agreed that yesterday was the most difficult race so far in the Fireball world championship being raced off Durban this week, due more to the unpredictable winds than the wind strength which finally varied from 10 to 14 knots from the south east.

“Despite the winds, a total abandonment of the race after half a leg, and the fact that it took five starts to get the fleet away, race officer Ross Robson again gave competitors a perfect race yesterday.”

It was a day on which Ian Pinnel, the favourite to win overall, did not have
things all his own way.

READ MORE HERE:  1994 03 17 317 – S&A – OCR