World Champs win

The New Zealand 420 World Selection Trials have come to a close in Takapuna

Carl Evans and Peter Burling have continued their winning streak taking out the Open division of the first series of selection trials for the New Zealand 420 World Championships team. The four day series finished at Takapuna yesterday afternoon.

Conditions for the final day ranged from two to three knots north easterly at the first race building during the afternoon to over 18 knots with a lumpy sea.

As current world champions, Evans and Burling have automatic entry to sail at the 420 World Championships which start on 3 January in Takapuna. Despite this they made the most of the opportunity for venue preparation time and won the trials with a 15 point margin over Simon Cooke and Scott Illingworth in second place. They finished in the top three in all but two of the twelve races, crossing the finish line first six times.

A further 14 crews now have a confirmed place in the New Zealand team following the conclusion of this first selection regatta.

Top qualifiers in the women’s fleet were Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie who have climbed into the 420 from their usual class, the single-handed Laser Radial, just for the coming World Champs at home. Sarah Bilkey and Rosie Sargisson were second in the women’s division.

The top seven finishers, excluding Evans and Burling, in both the Women’s and the Open division can now represent New Zealand next month. Finishing fourth in the Open fleet, Daniel Willcox and Matthew Jones, while eligible to sail for New Zealand have chosen to represent their Spanish Yacht Club, paving the way for a confirmed spot for the crew that finished ninth overall in this selection regatta.

The following have been named in the New Zealand team for the 420 World Championships 2007. 14 more spots in the New Zealand team are up for grabs, to be decided at the Pre-Worlds next week.

New Zealand 420 Team:

Men

1-Carl Evans and Peter Burling (automatic entry)
2-Simon Cooke and Scott Illingworth
3-Rowan Swanson and Bruce Kennedy
5-Paul Snow-Hansen and Chris Dawson
6-Alistair Thompson and Jason Saunders
7-Thomas Olds and Martin Pike
8-Derek Scott and Jamie Hunt

Women

1-Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie
2-Sarah Bilkey and Rosie Sargisson
3-Shelley Hesson and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher
4-Georgina Hill and Nichola Trudgen
5-Sarah Berry and Emma Berry
6-Stephanie Hazard and Cindy Hazard
7-Susannah Pyatt and Danielle Bowater