New faces

Excellent conditions for the 420 Royal Lymington Youth Regatta

Following the record entry of 96 boats at the previous weeks National Championships, a large, good quality fleet of 30 420’s still had the energy to enjoy hot, sunny and breezy conditions at the Harken sponsored Royal Lymington Youth Regatta. With the 420 GBR 2005 World and European teams well represented and plenty of new names and helm/crew combinations joining the resurgent 420 class, this was a good opportunity to see who might be moving up to the front of the fleet over the coming months.

Race one started on Saturday afternoon in a firm force four to five Easterly over a trapezoid course with ISAF Youth Worlds bronze medallists Tom Mallindine and James Clarke taking an early lead, which they extended throughout the race. Cadet World Champion James Rusden crewed by his brother Will claimed second followed by Maria Stanley and Jess Savin.

Tom and James looked set for a repeat performance as they took an early lead in race two followed by Charlotte Lawrence and Poppy Husband. However James and Dan Ellis took advantage of a sudden 30 degree windshift on the second lap to win the race from Tom and James and James Goss and Elliott Parsons.

David Brewer and Oren Richards led the third race followed by Tom and James and Sam Pearson and Niss Booth. These three broke away from the pack into a large lead with Tom and James passing David and Oren to take their second win of the day

A further two races were held on Sunday morning in a force three to four easterly wind. James Goss and Elliott Parsons brilliantly read the changing tide to sail away into a huge lead and were never challenged in race four, followed by Junior European silver medallists Richard Mason and Dan Schieber with Tom Mallindine and James Clark taking third to win the regatta with a race to spare.

With the wind dropping and the spring ebb building, race five was a hard slog against the tide. James and Will Rusden led at the weather mark followed by Charlotte Lawrence & Poppy Husband and James and Dan Ellis, who passed them on the last run to take second place. The fleet returned to shore to enjoy generously donated Harken prizes and a filling ‘Lymington Tea’

Although David Brewer and Oren Richards in fifth overall were the only youngsters to break into the leading group of experienced sailors, there were plenty of excellent performances by 420 newcomers, notably the Rusden brothers in eighth overall and Stephen Tiernan and Jamie Crapnell in tenth.

Results:

1-Tom Mallindine and James Clark
2-James Ellis and Dan Ellis
3-Richard Mason and Dan Schieber
4-James Goss and Elliott Parsons
5-David Brewer and Oren Richards
6-Sam Pearson and Niss Booth
7- and first Ladies Charlotte Lawrence and Poppy Husband
8-James Rusden and Will Rusden
9-Sophie Ainsworth and Jasmine Husband
10-Stephen Tiernan and Jamie Crapnell