420 End of Seasons Championships at Grafham Water Sailing Club - Day 1
by Jennie Clark 17 Nov 2018 09:25 PST
17-18 November 2018
420 End of Seasons Championships day 1 © Bernard Clark
A fleet of thirty-five 420 dinghies are racing at Grafham Water SC for their 2018 End of
Season Championships. This turn out is indicative of the resurgence in the
class, which has seen new helms and crews joining the class, and a rapid turn
round of boats for sale. This sets the class up well for 2019, where there's
a busy programme of events already scheduled.
The conditions were lovely for day one, with sunshine breaking through the
morning mist and a light breeze. PRO Nigel Denchfield took the fleet to the
left of the clubhouse, and got racing under way promptly. Race 1 saw a huge
hole appear in the wind with the centre of the course appearing not to pay
although those that chanced it did find that there was sufficient wind to drive
through it. The leading pack of 4 boats split away from the rest of the fleet
with line honours going to Jamie Cook and Will Martin. Jack Lewis/Fraser
Hemmings were second and the all girl pairing of Vita Heathcote and Millie
Boyle were third.
Race 2 got going but was then abandoned after a dramatic windshift. The fleet
returned, marks were moved and racing began. Cook/Martin once again claimed
line honours, this time being chased home by Haydn Sewell/William Heathcote,
with Lewis/Hemmings in third place.
Race 3 was claimed by Heathcote and Boyle, with Lewis/Hemmings in second and
another all girl pairing, Eleanor Keers and Faye Chatterton, in third. The
final race of the day was won by Rhys Lewis/Drew Wright with Keers/Chatterton
in second and Heathcote/Boyle in third.
Positions at the end of the day show Cook/Martin in the lead on 6 points with
Heathcote/Boyle on 7 points and beating Lewis/Hemmings (also on 7 points) as a
result of counting a 1st in their scoreline. Keers and Chatteron are in 4th
place with 10 points, Lewis/Wright 5th on 13 points and Sewell/Heathcote 6th on
14 points - these guys are all in with a chance of moving up the rankings
tomorrow.