Ever sailed a 470?

Simon Hiscocks hadn't prior to this weekend's National Championship, but that didn't stop him winning...

Speaking to Simon Hiscocks over the phone you can almost hear the smirk on his face. Olympic silver medallist in the 49er 2000, now 470 National Champ 2001. Hiscocks had stepped in for Graham Vials' regular team mate Dan Newman, while he recovered from a recent operation to his elbow. Both Hiscocks and Vials prime objective for the regatta was to have a bit of fun and beat their girlfriends.

"I'd never sailed a 470 before" explained Hiscocks, somewhat rubbing the salt into the wounds of the other sailors, "I'm really pleased. It was marginal trapezing the whole weekend". Hiscocks is a good two stone heavier than any other regular 470 crew, but the extra weight obviously didn't phase them. "We were so slow," said Hiscocks, "but we were made up by the fact that we just kept winning."

So how does a crew feel when someone has jumped into their place having never sailed the boat before and gone on to win the Nationals? "I think it's brilliant" said Newman, adding "although I can't decide if it's a big complement to how good Simon is as a crew - how fantastic Graham is as a helm - or if it's that I'm really s**t and any one can step in and take over."

Vials admitted however he was surprised to have finished in first place with Simon on board. "It was really good fun. Simon is good fun in the boat - I was surprised at how quick he was. Dan's a lot better than him at crewing, but Simon was good at talking us around the race course."

Vials deduced that the fact they had very little pressure helped them to win the regatta. "Simon had never sailed the boat, he weighed at least two stone more than any other crew, and I had yet another attack of tonsillitis - peoples expectations weren't high"

2000 National Champs Nick Rogers and Jo Glanfield were competing to retain their title. "It was a surprise for Nick and Jo to lose, despite all the banter that went on before the racing there was no one really there to beat them" said Hiscocks, "It's funny because the prize for the event was a bottle of wine - Nick Rogers didn't bring the trophy because he didn't think they were going to have to give it up."

Most of the team have been tied up over the last few months tuning and tweaking with the new rig, but both Vials and Newman stress how important it is to sail and compete as much as possible. "Everyone was all out of race experience trying to get the new rig up together. It's important to concentrate on the bigger picture - race your way round the course." said Vials.

Vials and Newman both have the next few weeks to recover before settling down to some winter training while Hiscocks will go back to training in the 49er. Rogers and Glanfield I fear, have a few more months before Hiscocks will relinquish his smirk.