420 Worlds Selector at Largs Sailing Club

4-5 April 2009
By Miles Palmer 08 Apr 2009 07:40

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Photo © Alan Henderson / www.fotoboat.com

High wind blasting during the 420 Selector at Largs
Photo © Alan Henderson / www.fotoboat.com

High wind blasting during the 420 Selector at Largs
Photo © Alan Henderson / www.fotoboat.com

High wind blasting during the 420 Selector at Largs

With a forecast of brisk but manageable 18 knont North Westerly, 43 intrepid 420 sailors launched and sailed to the race course, north of Cumbrae Island. PRO Donald McClaren set a trapezoid course with 2 outer loops, after a couple of false starts the fleet got away. Almost immediately the breeze started to pick up and by the time the fleet rounded the windward mark was at a steady 25 knots. Ben Palmer and Konrad Weaver rounded first and chose to 2 sail the reach, setting the tone for the rest of the fleet. By the next windward mark Phil Sparks and Ben Gratton had taken the lead with Palmer/ Weaver struggling on the wrong settings as gusts of up to 30 knots came through the fleet. By the end of the second loop the leaders were lapping the back markers as many were struggling with the conditions. The first race finished Sparks/Gratton, Matt Rainback and Simon Foskett with Palmer/ Weaver third.

Once the first race was completed the fleet were ushered into the relative calm waters of the Largs channel, and with the wind moderating to 22 knots the course was set up, this time with one loop. Sparks/Gratton lead from the first mark to the finish, with Palmer/ Weaver and Rainback/Foskett tussling for second, with Rainback/Foskett getting the upper hand. The fleet had now got to grips with the conditions and race three got underway with the minimum of fuss. As the fleet approached the first windward mark Mike Wood and Hugh Brayshaw took full advantage of a left shift, helping them to lead the fleet across the top reach, followed by top Irish female paring of Jane Butler and Jenny Andreasson and Josh Pistol and Piers Strong. Palmer/ Weaver made the strongest come back to take third behind Wood/ Brayshaw and Buttler/Andreasson.

With the conditions still holding and the course set the PRO decided to complete the scheduled racing by laying on a fourth race. The wind moved left during the start sequence making the port end most favoured. Palmer/Weaver tacked on the gun and lead to the windward mark, followed by Sparks/Gratton and Rainback/Foskett it remained that way to the end. Over night Sparks/Gratton lead the fleet on 4pts with Palmer/Weaver and Rainback/Foskett tied on 7pts.

With just two races scheduled for the Sunday the fleet launched in a pleasant, sunny 16 knots from the South East to sail once again in the Largs Channel just across from the sailing club. The first start produced a general recall, but with a lengthened line the fleet got away cleanly at the second time of asking. Rainback/Foskett lead at the windward mark form Palmer/Weaver and Sparks/Gratton. On the second beat Sparks/Gratton got into second as Palmer/Weaver struggled with a spinnaker sheet over the bow dropping them down to 5th. On the final reach Palmer/Weaver with their spinnaker flying powered under a couple of 2 sail reaching boats to come back to 3rd.

The final race of the event saw Wood/Brayshaw battling with Sparks/Gratton and Rainback/Foskett tussling with Palmer/Weaver with the final result being 1st Sparks/Gratton, 2nd Rainback/Foskett and 3rd Wood/Brayshaw.

The overall weekend winner was Sparks/Gratton, 2nd Rainback/Foskett and 3rd Palmer/Weaver. First Ladies were Imogen and Hermonie Stanley and first overseas boat was Buttler/Andreasson.

The current overall positions in the Selector series are 1st Sparks/Gratton, 2nd Palmer/Weaver, 3rd Rainback/Weaver, In the Ladies lying 1st is the Stanleys, 2nd Anna Burnet and Flora Stewart, 3rd Joanna Freeman and Hannah Mitchell, a full set of selector results can be found at www.420sailing.org.uk

Miles Palmer, 420 sailing Secretary, thanked Largs Sailing Club for putting on a great event in challenging conditions. Donald McClaren complemented the sailors for making the most of the conditions. The final selector is at Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club on the 2nd and 3rd May.

Overall Results:

More Information:

• YachtsandYachting.com 420 Page

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