470 Form Guide- the teams to watch

by 470 media on 15 Jun 2002 Let's start with the top Girls teams

Sofia Bekatorou and Emilia Tsoulfa. GREECE

After an emotion stinging 14th place in 2000 Games, Sofia Bekatorou and
Emilia Tsoulfa have won every Major regatta in the 2001 season except for
Kiel Woche(3rd). A dominance that brought a ISAF Sailor of the Year
Nomination in 2001.

There is little doubt they are among the most determined Women's teams
on the Circuit, tough off the starting line with Boat Handling second to none.
2002 wins in the Eurolymp event at home and a windy and tough SPA
Regatta Holland have well prepared Sofia and Emilia for good performances in the 470 European Champs and the Worlds.

Jenny Armstrong and Belinda Stowell. AUSTRALIA

Sydney Olympic Gold Medallists and last years Worlds 2nd place getters are
Jenny Armstrong and Belinda Stowell.

September 2000 saw Armstrong and Stowell become the first Aussie sailors to
win Gold in 27 years , overnight success that was 10 years in the making.

Belinda was off the campaign for some time after the games with long
awaited shoulder surgery and despite their 2001 Worlds Silver Medal, it would
be true to say the girls have been self critical about the slow recovery from
hat enforced break. However their skills appeared to have returned with a win
in the French Spring Cup and a 4th in the 2002 Hyeres regatta.


Natalia Defresne and Sandra Azon. SPAIN Spanish hopes will lie with Sandra Azon and Natalia Defresne.

A Gold Medallist in Spain's Olympic domination of 1992, Defresne is on the
brink of World and Olympic breakthru's again 10 years later. With a Bronze
medal at last years 470 Worlds Azon and Defresne have stood in the top 3 on
ISAF Ranking list for more than 12 months.

Ingrid Petitjean and Nadege Douroux. FRANCE
The French team of Ingrid Petitjean and Nadege Douroux have come from
nowhere this season and may be the ones to watch at the 2002 470 Worlds.

The French spent their winter training against the Australian Men & Women
and are showing the results of all that hard work... Rising from 19th in ISAF
Rankings last year to break into the top 10 by mid euro '02 season.

Registering a 2nd place (to Armstrong AUS) at the French Spring Cup , a
tough 3rd place at the 2002 Hyeres regatta and 2nd place (to Bekatorou) at
windy SPA ensures the French girls will be at the front come September off
Sardinia .

The men's Team to watch



Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page. AUSTRALIA The Aussie team of Nathan Wilmott and Malcolm Page have taken off from where 2000 Gold Medallists King and Turnbull left off in Sydney. (Tom now retired, Mark skippering a 49er) Working extremely well with AYF Head Coach Kovelenko the 2 Sydney siders dominated the Sail Down Under series after their 3rd place at last years 470 Worlds. Splitting their 2002 European tour in two, Nathan and Malcom spent March, April and May 2002 picking up a 6th at the Princess Sofia before three straight WINS in the French Spring Cup, the French Nationals and Hyeres Regatta. Their new radical 'radial 470 sails' may well be the answer they need for the next step in 2002.

©Kovalenko

Andreas Kosmatopoulos and Kostas Trigonis. GREECE

1995 World Champions Andreas Kosmatopoulos and Kostas Trigonis of Greece
led the ISAF Ranking for the 12 months June '01 to June '02 by an average of
200 points, a testament to their consistency and dedication to their aim of Gold in 2004. They will be keen to improve on their 9th at last years Worlds and cement their ranking for the season and with a 3rd at the Princess Sofia regatta things are looking up.

Johan Moland and Martin Andersson. SWEDEN
Sweden's Johan Molund and Martin Andersson have won the last 2 SPA
Regatta's and were 5th in last years 470 European Champs and must be
considered a good chance of the Worlds title this year. Devastatingly fast in the
heavy airs , Moland has his eye's on the Olympic regatta but knows he has to
qualify his country first at this years Worlds and with a 2nd at Hyeres and a 1st
at SPA, the Swede's are in the right mood at least.

Eugene Braslavets and Igor Matvienko of the Ukraine

Past Gold Medallists and World Champions for 2001 , Eugene Braslavets and
Igor Matvienko of the Ukraine started the European season in strong form with a
win in the Princess Sofia. But have since failed to be consistent enough to
register another Major regatta win in 2002 , suffering untimely DNF's or OCS's in
critical races. 2004 may see the last appearance at Olympic level for the UKR's
most loved son's and '96 Gold Medallists, so this years Worlds will be an
important measure of how Eugene and Igor will bow out of competition.


Sven and Kalle Coster. HOLLAND

]The kids to watch in September are the Dutch 'Brothers in Arms' Sven and Kalle Coster. Classically both coming through the Cadet / Opti's to 420 and then 470 they got a huge reception in May 2002 while leading their 'Home' regatta SPA before having to accept 2nd place behind Molund/ Andersson. This backed up their 7th at last years SPA and an indicative 6th at the French Spring Cup earlier this year. An interesting battle to watch in September will be the one between the Dutch and Polish 'Quick Kids' Stanczyk & Jakubiak and Coster & Coster.