Mills and Webster take World title

The 420 Ladies European Champions have added the World title to their list

The International 420 Class Open and Ladies World Championships came to a close today, Sunday, 6 of August, in a last exciting racing day. The Worlds started on the previous Saturday and have been taking place in the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria under the organization of Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria.

The prediction was fulfilled in the Open Gold finals as the title went to the crew of Carl Evans and Peter Burling from New Zealand who did not compete in the last race as they led with a big difference of points over the rest of the competitors. Second placed Simon Cooke and Scott Illingworth (NZL) also scored a DNC in the second race.

Fernando Lodos out of Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria, participated with the French team, sailing with Julien Pulve as crew who took a third place. They were followed by the crews out of the Race Team of Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria, José Antonio Medina and Antonio del Catillo-Olivares and Francisco Cárdenes and Juan Manuel Cerezo.

It was not the same with regards to the Ladies fleet, who's competition went down to the wire. The title finally went to the British crew of Hannah Mills and Peggy Webster, after a second and a third place in the two last races. Mills and Webster are also the current 420 Junior Ladies European champions, and they will compete in Tavira (POR), next week to fight for that title again.

Tara Pacheco and Elena Barambio out of Club de Regatas del Suroeste de Mogán, who were leading until Saturday, lost their possibility to obtain the title gaining only a sixth and a seventh place. They finished, however, as second World champions.

The organization was able to hold the 17 races scheduled for the whole week as the trade winds coming out of the north kept being steady, starting on Monday with a force five and ending on Sunday with a force two. It was much the same with the sea conditions, commencing with big waves and ending with a waveless sea.

These Championships have been possible thanks to the support of the Government of the Canary Islands, Cabildo de Gran Canaria, City Town of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and also to the support of a wide number of public institutions and private companies.

Results:

Open Fleet

1-Carl Evans and Peter Burling, 30
2-Simon Cooke and Scout Illinworth, 55
3-Fernando Lodos and Julien Pulve, 76
4-José A. Medina and Antonio Castillo-Olivares, 86
5-Francisco Cárdenes and Juan Manuel Cerezo, 89
6-Richard Mason and Dan Schieber, 89
7-Marcos Adler and Bruno Leal, 131
8-James Rusden and Will Rusden, 132
9-Max Doce and Max Ziegelmayer, 142
10-Antonie Guillou and Vicent Guillarm, 153

Ladies Fleet

1-Hannah Mills and Peggy Webster, 49
2-Tara Pacheco and Elena Barambio, 54
3-Benedetta Danti and Elisa Cecconi, 67
4-Katerina Koutsougera and Eugenia Kofina, 70
5-Marie Lumeau and Claire Bossard, 70
6-Eugenia de Giacomo and Lisa Lardani, 78
7-Águeda Suria and Marta Martínez, 79
8-Sophie Weguelin and Katrina Hughes, 95
9-Shellye Hesson and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher, 102
10-Anais Gaboriau and Zoe de Kerangat, 106