420 GP2 at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club

Harry George & Olivia Creasy win 420 GP2 at Lymington © British 420 Class

Joe Warwicker & Hugo Valentine finish 2nd in 420 GP2 at Lymington © British 420 Class

Noa Moskovitch & Gabs Burlton finish 3rd in 420 GP2 at Lymington © British 420 Class

The 420 GP 2 was held at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club on the 29th and 30th April 2023 and, much like what we have done with other fleets such as the Cadets, this was a joint event with the 29er fleet.

Unfortunately, due to exams there were not many people who were able to go to this event, however, this did not stop the racing from being competitive and tight. The 420s and 29er were being raced on the same course but on different lines with the 420s starting first and doing an outer loop.

Saturday brought hot, light winds conditions with a forecast to be shifting right throughout the day. When we first got out to the course the wind was coming from the Northeast but this shifted and caused the wind to drop for around an hour and a half before the wind shifted to the Southwest and built to 5 to 8 knots.

Race one start only had one boat over which was Noa Moskovitch and Gabs Burlton who had to go back through the line. Most of the fleet sailed out to the right with Harry George and Olivia Creasy having a strong lead across the reach and at the start of the run. At the top of the downwind the wind died and shifted 180 degrees meaning that we were doing an upwind on the downwind resulting in the 420s getting finished at the gate with Joe Warwicker and Hugo Valentine winning the race with Emma Breese and Joe Jones coming second.

Once the wind had built back up again race 2 started with some of the fleet starting at the pin end and immediately tacking onto port out the line to go inland where the growing tide was weaker. All the boats were close together making it a competitive reach, downwind and second beat but Harry and Olivia managed to stay in first place throughout. As the tide was getting stronger and the outer loop was near the channel it was important to get the lay-lines correct on the downwind as if anyone went too far to the sides it would be difficult to get to the gate.

Races 3 and 4 saw a double win from Harry and Olivia with Arthur Greaves and Angus McEwen coming second in one and Joe and Hugo came second in the other with an increasing sea breeze. Uncommonly for the 420 fleet we did a 5th race on Saturday as it was unsure what the wind would be like on Sunday. Like the other races in the day, most people started at the pin end and tacked out as soon as they could. By this point the wind was still increased at around 10 knots with a growing lead throughout the race by Noa and Gabs who won the final farce of the day and Arthur and Angus coming second.

Sunday had a mix of forecasts with anything from 5 to 14 knots, the fleet launched with 3 races scheduled for the day to make it an 8-race event. When the 420s initially went out the wind was up at around 12 to 14 knots which held for the first race of the day where Joe and Hugo along with Harry and Olivia were battling out first and second throughout the race as they played the right side of the beats. As the tide was going out for most the day, most of the sailors straight set to go downwind and then gybed not long after to lay the gate. All 3 races on Sunday were O3s which gave a lot of time for positions to change but race 6 was won by Joe and Hugo with Harry and Olivia taking second.

By race 7 the wind had died down to around 5 knots along with the strong tide making it difficult sailing. Throughout this race the top 4 were constantly changing with Emma and Joe rounding first at the windward mark but by the time we were at the gate Harry and Olivia were leading. The next lap saw this change again whereby the second gate rounding Noa and Gabs were leading. The beats were shifty with slight patches of wind and a slight chop making it important to tack at the correct time and not too quickly as this could result in the boat stalling. This race was won by Noa and Gabs but 2nd, 3rd and 4th were contested until the finish line, however 2nd place was taken by Emma and Joe.

The last race of the event was still light and shifty, but the tide was slowly getting weaker to be almost slack by the end of the race. Once again Harry and Olivia showed everyone their rapid speed and won the race with Henry Heathcote and Duncan taking second.

It was a great to be sailing with another youth class and having a joint social on Saturday evening and will hopefully be something the 420 class does again with the 29ers. Congratulations to Harry and Olivia who won the event and to Joe and Hugo for coming second.

Overall Results: