420 UK National Championship at Plas Heli - Runners & Riders

by John Meadowcroft 22 Sep 2021 15:02 BST 25-26 September 2021

The first UK 420 National Championship since 2019 will be held at Plas Heli, Pwllheli on 25 and 26 September. With a number of new sailors into the Class and others leaving to go into higher education there are a number of new partnerships being thrown into the mix.

Others are coming just to be at the not to be missed event. And then there are some of the Class Coaches, providing the real barometer of the progress that the young sailors have made. So there is a 42 boat fleet, but who might win?

• Julia Staite and Bee Harris
  Our 2021 women's Youth Worlds representatives. Pressure is off this weekend, nothing to qualify for, just sail fast and see what happens?

• Ella Lance and Will Martin
  A new combination with a couple of weekends practice behind them. They won the recent GP at West Mersea but the conditions here will be different. But will the magic be the same? Will, crewing for Jamie Cook, won the Youth Nationals and is off to the Youth Worlds in December. Jamie is not going to be at Pwllheli.

• Alice Davis and Oliver Rayner
  Alice and Oliver pushed Jamie and Will hard at the Youth Nationals and will be hopeful of being able to go one better this time. Expect them to be highly prepared and always up there. Beware the socials!

• Ollie Meadowcroft and Oscar Cawthorne
  These boys like breeze more than anyone else and are improving their skills in the lighter conditions too. They are well practiced on and off the water, and as ever will be confident, but will this be enough?

• Henry Heathcote and Hector Bennet
  If they can see beyond their fringes then they have a very very good chance. Results improve every time they race, only coming second at the last GP on tie-break. Heathcote is a popular name on the 420 trophies. Could it be them?

• Lizzie Beardsall and Emmy Walker
  Could this be their last event together? If so watch out. If they get back to their race winning form from Warsash it could all be over by Saturday evening.

• Callum Davidson Guild and Alicia Condie
  Putting a tough Youth Nationals behind him, this is the final fling. Previous crew Szymon has been discarded and now sailing much lighter.

• Santi Sesto Cosby and Szymon Matyjaszczuk
  2020 Optimist National Champion Santi has flirted with 29ers. Crewing legend Szymon has shown he can get anyone round the course at the front. Except Callum. Beware.

• Megan Farrer and Ellie Rush
  Noisy at times. But highly effective. Megan has had a busy summer in the Waszp and the 470 too. This team are ready to win.

• George Creasey and Oliver Bromilow
  Looking to be the leading U17 and push the leaderboard overall too. These chaps have been mixing it this summer.

• Jo Warwicker and Hugo Valentine
  Jo and Hugo are not going to allow the U17s to be a walkover though, they will get results and their luck has to be better than it was at the Youth Nationals.

• Harry George and Ralph Cawthorne
  And these chaps are U17 too. Only got together last month, but oh would these boys so much like to be the first Cawthorne. A brand new Lemon 420 could make the difference?

• Marsbar Marsden and Matty Evans
  With 75 years of trying to win the 420 Nationals Neil's got the experience and the skills and Matty has got the brains. Watch out. A power combination.

• Jess Lavery and Charlotte Beardsall
  If Marsbar is the Jedi master of the UK 420 fleet then Jess is our R2-D2. Seriously whilst vertically challenged Class Head Coach Jess has the skills to pay the bills and will be pumped. Wicked.

Apologies to the other 28 teams sailing who have not been mentioned. Hope you have a great weekend's racing, indeed one of you may well win, and have fun off the water too.