Team GBR in the 420 World Championship at Sail Newport - Days 3 & 4
by Hugo Fisher 14 Aug 2018 08:51 PDT
10-15 August 2018
Eleanor and Aaron approaching the finish during the 420 Worlds at Newport, Rhode Island © Gemma Keers
Conditions remained highly challenging for both days 3 and 4. Day 3 was again sailed outside Newport Harbour, in 80 degrees and breezes varying between 5 and 10 knots which meant very few people managed to keep large numbers off their scorecards, not least as the wind dropping in race 4 meant a number failed to make the race time limit.
For team GBR, Eleanor Keers and Aaron Chadwick staged an amazing recovery in race 1 and consolidated with a 9th in race 2. In the Under 17's, Bertie Fisher and Fraser Hemmings posted 2 top ten results with Jack Lewis and Charlie Bacon starting to show their normal form with a 5th in race 4.
Having had a week of scorching weather, day 4 was totally different: 15 degrees colder, torrential rain, different wind direction, albeit still light and shifty. Poor visibility meant racing was in the harbour, north of the spectacular bridge from Jamestown to Newport. A tighter race course made for different challenges, and the light winds ensured extremely tight racing and harsh punishments for any mistakes. Eleanor and Aaron continued to lead team GBR's charge in the open fleet and currently lie 12th going into the final 2 days with Jack and Charlie in the same position in the U17's. Results in all fleets are closely bunched, so plenty of opportunity for team GBR to move up the leaderboards, and hopefully a return to sunshine for sailors, coaches and parents...
Stars of the show from a team GBR point of view were Eleanor Keers and Aaron Chadwick who posted an 8th and a 2nd in the qualifying series - a brilliant start.
Full results can be seen on the event website, 2018worlds.420sailing.org/en/default/races/race-resultsall