Armstrong Stowell 3rd after first day of 470 Worlds

by Darren Dunkly-Smith Int 470 Vice President. on 6 Sep 2002 Mixed fortunes across the fleet leaves most crews with big hopes to take into the second day of competition at the 2002 Int 470 Class World Championships at Yacht Club Cagliari, Sardinia.

On a typically Sardinian day with warm sun and warm breeze (and too many bikini’s on the beach to count) familiar and some might say ‘Old’ names top atleast the men’s fleet results. With results of 1st & 2nd from 1st & 2nd races Paul Forester and Kevin Burnham are clearly ahead of the fleet. They were be the first to admit “Its a long way to go.”

Forester & Burnham have no less than 3 Olympic Silver medals between them and put their day down as “Fast Upwind in the first race and slow down hill then slow upwind and fast downhill in the second” so Paul says “we are learning”. The two only sailed together for 3 days prior to starting the Worlds here in Italy.

Both Women’s and Men’s fleets, even though on 2 separate courses, got mostly the same breeze, a testing 6-10 knots in the first race and then starting in a freshening 10-11 knots before the shorelines disappeared behind the seamist and thermal developed.

The change of direction was enough for both race committee’s to stop the first beat and restart... “that was good for us” said Forester..” we were on the wrong side and I couldn’t see it coming back”. In the other groups of men, Australian’s Dan Belcher and his brother were in front and the World Ranked #6 Wilmont/Page were in front before the cancellation, World 1# ranked Women team , Armstrong/Stowell “Got out of Jail” with the restart..

A truly beautiful 13-15 knots met the fleet for the restart that saw the first raising of the Yellow flag by the race committee and big smiles from the sailors...

In the 470 Class the Yellow flag allows the sailors unlimited Pumping of sails and body work to get the most out of the waves, wind and boat. Even the International Jury Chairperson Barbera Farquhar commented on the Smiles and ability of the 470 sailors with the Rule 42 rule restrictions lifted.

Spain’s Natalia Via-Dufresne & Sandra Azon made a good start to setting history by holding two World championship titles in Olympic Classes at the same time by registering a 7th and a 2nd today and just sits behind Russian sailoress Vlada Ilienko and Diana Krutskih in the early regatta lead.

Sydney Gold Medallists team Armstrong/Stowell sit in 3rd and arch rival and pre-Olympic Champion sitting in 50th with a 16th and a OCS.. She was also seen near the protest room.

The men’s results make great reading for the French, it has been years since the FRA’s held 3 of the top 5 places. Gildas Phillippe the ex World Champion holds 2nd, the (Still Junior) Nicolas Charbonnier who is the current European Champion holds 3rd and then the up and coming Bonnaud brothers are 4th . All chased hard by the New Zealanders Cooke/Nicholas then the Australian’s and then the Greek ex-World Champions.

It is tight at the top of the fleet.. but that’s been the same all year in the Men’s and Women’s Double handed dinghy class... the 470.

Racing continues tomorrow from 1100 hrs with the provailing mistral and thermal roundabout set to stick in for the remainder of the regatta.


After 2 races on day one, the Australian results are:

Men’s (Overall placings)

6th – Nathan Wilmot (AIS/NSWIS) & Malcolm Page (AIS/NSWIS) – 2, 5

25th – Mathew Belcher (QLD) & Dan Belcher (QLD) – 4, 16

40th – Shane Smith (QLD) & Matthew Chew (QLD) – 19, 9

45th – Mark Padgett (TAS) & Nick Behrens (TAS) – 11, 23

Women’s (overall Placings)

3rd – Jenny Armstrong (AIS/NSWIS) & Belinda Stowell (AIS/WAIS) – 10, 1

22nd – Lisa Charlson (QLD) & Sarah Wilmot (NSW) – 20, 20

Full results, stories and photos can be found on the regatta web site at -
http://www.yachtclub-cagliari.com/eng/index470.htm