CurraDinghy 420 Spring Championship at Hayling Island Sailing Club

Robbie King and Ryan Orr heading up the second beat during the 420 Spring Championship © Tim Rush

420 Spring Championship prize winners © Mike Riley

Following hot on the heels of the Winter Championships, the British 420 fleet assembled at Hayling Island over the weekend of March 29th and 30th for the Spring Championships. This was also the second selector event for the 2014 World and Junior European Teams.

Around 20 knots from the South East with a strong ebb tide greeted the fleet on Saturday and, after a quick recce to make sure that the bar was crossable, PRO Paul Maxfield and his team called for the fleet to launch and they all headed out into Hayling bay.

Race 1 got underway in 15 to 21 knots, with Tim Riley and James Taylor establishing a lead that they held to win from Sarah Norbury and Mari Davies, with Max Clapp and Joe Burns in third place.

Race 2, after a black flag start, saw the same one-two, but this time with Ben Hazeldine and Rhos Hawes in third.

For the next race the black flag was again needed and the wind dropped to 12 to 15 knots. Tim and James established a big lead after winning the pin end and headed out left to the shore which seemed to be the way to go all weekend until the last race of the event. They scored another bullet, with Sarah and Mari second and this time Robbie King and Ryan Orr coming through to third spot.

Making the most of the champagne sailing conditions, the race team managed a fourth race in the dropping 10 to 13 knot breeze, and Tim and James completed a perfect day with another win, this time with Robbie and Ryan close behind them and Sarah and Mari taking third..

Day 2 dawned bright and early (after losing an hours sleep). There was much less wind, though still south easterly, and a strong flood tide when the fleet launched, so it took a while to get out to the race course.

Race 5 got underway in a light breeze which dropped to 2 knots at the end of the race and against a strong tide some pairs failed to make the time limit. Robbie and Ryan took the lead from the start after winning the pin end and just held off Max and Joe in a tense final beat and were followed by the consistent Sarah and Mari.

For Race 6 the course was moved closer to the beach, and changed to a Windward-Leeward format to make the most of the band of breeze along the shore. Max and Joe won this one, with James and Tim counting an important second which meant they had won the event with a race to spare and Robbie and Ryan continued a strong weekend with a third.

Race 7 got away in a slacking tide with some bands of wind coming in from the right had side of the course. After a few false starts and the reappearance of the black flag, there were a few transgressors who got to head back early. The race was won by Robbie and Ryan, whilst Scott Wallis and Luke Burywood were second and Max and Joe third.

The fleet returned ashore, fighting what was by now a strong ebb tide, and it is rumoured that the class chairman was ditched by the rib he was in and had to sail in aboard a 420 instead. Prizes were presented by Greg Lamb, HISC Vice Commodore Sailing, class chairman Marcus Lawson and new class sailing secretary Sue Kalderon.

Leading overseas crew, in 8th place overall, were Harry Whitaker and Grattan Roberts from Royal Cork. The top five overall were, in fifth place, Dan Whiteley and James Clemetson whilst Max and Joe were fourth. Third and top ladies were Sarah and Mari, and securing second place overall by one point were Robbie and Ryan. So, winning the event and becoming the 2014 CurraDinghy British International 420 Spring champions, were Tim Riley and James Taylor.

The sailors thanked the club for the excellent event, the PRO, his race team and the many and varied volunteers, and the sponsors for all their work and support. The fleet are now getting ready for the RYA Youth Nationals to be held at Weymouth over the Easter week. We'll be back at HISC in August for the UK Nationals, in the meantime there are open meetings and class arranged training, so keep an eye on the website at www.420sailing.org.uk for details.

Overall Results: