The 420 Spring Series comprised this year was held later than usual and comprise three weekend events at Weymouth, Warsash and Brixham in April and May. In a normal year this would be held in March and April, culminating in the Youth Nationals but with 2020 having been a wash out, 2021 is clearly no ordinary year!
It was great to see a number of new pairings transitioning to the Class and they got some great experience in what were frequently challenging conditions. It was overall a windy selection series starting off with a windy event at Weymouth which was highly attritional and dominated by the more physical and experienced teams. Consistency paid off for Jamie Cook and Will Martin who won the event with a very consistent scoreline although only winning one race ahead of Kuba Staite and Joey Taylor. Things evened up at Warsash where Lizzie Beardsall & Emmy Walker showed speed and local knowledge of the Solent in abundance, but Jamie and Will still popped in a couple of race wins to take the event. In the final event at Brixham Callum Davidson-Guild and Syzmon Matyjaszczuk won a tight series with three bullets in the last three races ahead of Ollie Meadowcroft and Oscar Cawthorne.
Overall Jamie Cook and Will Martin put in a dominant performance to win the selection series and they will lead the UK challenge for the World Championships this year. 30 boats competed in the series and from the results places have been offered to sailors to represent the UK in the 420 World Championships in Italy in July and the 420 Junior Europeans in Italy in August. Unfortunately the latter event clashes with the RYA Youth Nationals in Plymouth and sailors have chosen to attend that in preference.
The RYA, the Class and parents are pulling out the stops to try and make sailing happen, dealing with the challenges of potential quarantine and moving trailers across borders post Brexit. The Italian Olympic Committee is involved in the preparation for the 2021 World Championships and is exempting qualified sailors and team officials from mandatory quarantine on arrival which is facilitating our participation. Just getting the entire team and boats across to Italy and back will be a challenge.
Mixed/Mens Team
Jamie Cook / Will Martin, Cardiff Bay YC
Calum Davidson Guild / Syzmon Matyjaszczuk / Trearddur Bay SC / Welsh Harp SC
Ollie Meadowcroft / Oscar Cawthorne; Upper Thames SC / Shustoke SC
Kuba Staite / Joey Taylor; Hayling Island SC / Blackwater SC
Alice Davis / Oliver Rayner; Great Moors SC / Yorkshire Dales SC
Henry Heathcote / Hector Bennett; Royal Lymington YC
Ollie Hale / Tom Clayton; Poole YC
Ladies Team
Julia Staite & Bee Harris; Hayling Island SC / Bristol Corinthian YC
Megan Farrer & Ellie Rush; Emsworth SC / Notts County SC
Lizzie Beardsall & Emmy Walker; Warsash SC
Kt Byne & Lia Horne; Draycote Water SC
Ella Lance & Matty Evans; Hayling Island SC / Blackwater SC
Scarlett Cawthorne & Cally Terkelson; Shustoke SC / Stone SC
U17 Team
Harry George & Arlo Braund; Lymington Town SC & Oxford SC
Freya Sewell & Molly Dowson McGill; West Kirby SC & RLYC
Amber Hale & Gabrielle Burlton; Poole YC & Royal Southern YC
For those not selected for the Worlds there are plenty of excellent alternatives in the UK to get sailing too
For sailors transition to the 420 from Junior Classes – we will provide the boats
- Feva Sailors @ Hayling Island on 29/30 May
- Topper Sailors @ Poole on 5 June
- Optimist Sailors @ WPNSA on 1 to 3 August
Class Open Training Events
- Pwllheli on 3 to 6 June
- Ullswater on 12/13 June
- WPNSA on 26/27 June – training alongside RYA Performance Squad
Racing events
- Welsh Nationals on 19/20 June at Cardiff Bay YC
- RYA Youth Nationals on 9 to 12 August
Additionally the GBR 420 classes has two competitive boats available for sailors to try in advance of making a commitment to the Class. For more details about these contact 420classoffice@gmail.com
For more information about 420s visit our website at gbr420.uk
