RS:X and 470 World Championships – Action continues for British team

by Lindsey Bell on 21 Feb 2016 A packed month of Olympic Classes World Championship action continues for the British Sailing Team, with the RS:X Windsurfing World Championships and the 470 World Championships set to start this week (22-27 February).

A total of six British windsurfers will be in RS:X action in Eilat, Israel, and three British crews will feature at the two-person 470 Worlds at San Isidro, Argentina.

In addition to some fiercely anticipated world title fights across the two venues, some nations will have an eye on potential Olympic selections while, for others who’ve already finalised their Games berths, it will be a chance to check in with their international rivals and fine-tune preparation towards Rio 2016.

In the RS:X fleet, world number one and European Champion windsurfer Bryony Shaw has enjoyed a successful run of late, winning her past three regattas in Miami, Rio and Abu Dhabi. Rio-bound Shaw will be looking to continue her recent form, which also saw her claim a silver medal at the previous edition of the RS:X World Championships in Oman last April.

Also competing in the women’s fleet is world number 13 Izzy Hamilton, and Youth World Sailing silver medallist Emma Wilson, while double Olympic medallist and two-time World Champion Nick Dempsey will be aiming to make his mark in the men’s fleet off the back of silver medals at last month’s Sailing World Cup Miami and the Copa Brasil de Vela in Rio in December.

Kieran Martin, 17th at last year’s Worlds, and Podium Potential sailor Tom Squires will also contest the men’s event.

In Argentina, where the 470 World Championship venue of San Isidro has been plagued by a water hyacinth outbreak across the racing area, world number one duo Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark are expected to be among the leading contenders for the women’s world title.

The 2012 Olympic silver medallists, who also won the world title in 2012, were in close contention at the 2015 edition last October but had to settle for silver behind Austrian duo Lara Vadlau and Jolanta Ogar.

Mills and Clark have since turned the tables, beating the World Champions to win the Sailing World Cup Final and the Copa Brasil in Rio.

They’ll be joined in the women’s fleet by Amy Seabright and Anna Carpenter, while Luke Patience will be in action with Chris Grube in the 470 men’s event.

Racing in both Eilat and San Isidro gets underway on Monday 22 February, with the final medal races scheduled for Saturday 27 February.