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Selector 1, Hayling Island SC, March 17th/18th. The first of three weekends to select the teams for the 420 Open and Ladies World Championships and Junior European Championship Selections was held at Hayling Island SC over the weekend of March 17th and 18th. This was relocated here because of the foot and mouth restrictions inland and the class thanks Hayling Island Sailing Club for stepping in at short notice and running an excellent event. 42 boats competed and 8 races were held, with racing taking place in the bay on Saturday and in the harbour on Sunday. Racing was extremely close throughout the fleet with much place changing at all levels. Saturdays weather was a chill force 3 to 4 from the north east. The fleet started the first race on a black flag after just 1 general recall. The course was 2 inner loops followed by the box to finish at the leeward mark. Nic Asher and Paul Davies pulled away to win from Paul Campbell-James and Dan Allin. The second race, sailed on the same course, was won by Alex Cherry and Paul Burgoine from Nic Asher. The 3rd race was switched to an outer loop. Athol and Eamon King were comfortably ahead but started a second and unnecessary loop letting Alex Cherry through to win his second race again from Nic Asher whilst Athol King recovered to 3rd. The 4th race was switched back to the double inner loop. Myles and Elliot Willis had a good lead after the first loop but lost count and set off on the box. Alex Cherry was again positioned to benefit from this and lead home from Paul Campbell-James. Sunday weather was still a north easterly wind but gusting up to 25 knots so with the near zero temperature a course was set in the harbour with the start line and leeward mark just yards from the shore at Sandy Point. Then with a triple inner loop before the box to the finish the clubhouse provided a perfect grandstand! Paul Campbell-James was the early leader of the 5th race but Ian Martin and Laurie Fitzjohn-Sykes pulled through to lead the Fleet the wrong side of the leeward mark on the way to the finish. With some crews spotting the error and returning to round it and refinish the race was eventually awarded to Paul Campbell-James with finishers in 2nd, 3rd and 4th and after a redress hearing 5th to all competitors who sailed through the finishing line incorrectly. Race 6 saw a return to the front for Nic Asher whilst Nick Cherry and Chris Evans worked their way from 6th early on to 2nd by the finish. Races 7 and 8 followed a similar pattern. Paul Campbell-James led at the first mark but Myles and Elliot Willis overhauled him to record 2 wins. In the 7th race Paul Campbell-James hung on to 2nd but in the final race Ben Field and Nick Hutton made it past him too. Overall Paul Campbell-James had done just enough to win by 1 point from Alex Cherry and Nic Asher who had equal points in 2nd and 3rd respectively. In a windy weekend the Ladies were not able to make the top placings but Gemma Farrell and Jo Allen in 10th place overall lead Charlie Odell and Katherine Hopson in the qualifications for the Ladies Worlds. Results: 1st Paul Campbell-James 13pts, 2nd Alex Cherry 14pts, 3rd Nic Asher 14pts, 4th Myles Willis 20pts, 5th Nick Cherry 27pts, 6th Ben Field 29pts, 7th Ian Martin 36 pts, 8th Athol King 38pts, 9th Tim Boon 49pts, 10th Gemma Farrell 53pts. Rob Martin 8 Races, 2 Discards
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This page was last updated on 17-Jun-2001 13:40. 420 UK Webmaster, Mike Greenland, [email protected] |