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420 Open at Itchenor Sailing Club

by Piers Shepherd 2 Oct 05:43 PDT 27-28 September 2025
Itchenor 420 Open © James Self

Under the expert guidance of Class Chair and longstanding Itchenor Sailing Club member Piers Shepherd, acting as PRO, the GBR 420 fleet enjoyed a superb opening day of racing.

Four races were completed on Saturday in sparkling autumn conditions, with sunshine overhead and a steady 10-12 knots of breeze filling Chichester Harbour.

In place of the usual 420 championship courses, competitors were treated to a special Itchenor zig-zag layout, cleverly designed to work with the day's tide and wind direction. The format kept sailors on their toes, rewarding sharp tactical thinking and precise boat handling. With the harbour at its best, the fleet revelled in what can only be described as champagne sailing — bright skies, flat water, and just enough breeze to make the racing tactical yet fast.

Sadly, Sunday brought a different story. Despite the race team's best efforts to find a sailable window, the wind never materialised, and racing was abandoned for the day. The four races from Saturday would therefore decide the weekend's honours.

On-the-Water Highlights

Proving he has lost none of his golden touch, veteran 420 sailor Neil Marsden crewed by Olivia Creasy dominated the scoreboard, taking three wins from four races with confident, well-judged sailing. His starts were sharp, upwind pace impressive, and downwind positioning consistently ahead of the fleet.

One of the weekend's most exciting moments came in Race 3, when the youngest competitor, Rupert Garlick crewed by Freddy Jones (both fresh out of the Optimist class), stormed into an early lead. For the first few legs he kept the pressure firmly on Neil and Olivia, showing fearless boat speed calls before being reeled in by the more experienced helms. His performance was a clear sign of emerging talent in the class.

Ashore at Itchenor

As ever, Itchenor Sailing Club delivered its trademark hospitality. Club members volunteered as rescue crews, ensuring safety cover was seamless, while the bar and buttery kept sailors, parents, and supporters well fed and watered throughout the weekend.

Saturday evening saw the 420 sailors swap sailing gear for black tie, gathering for a sumptuous dinner in the clubhouse. The night concluded with a lively disco, where the dance floor was as busy as the start line had been earlier in the day.

The evening was shared with Itchenor's Swallow sailors and the 420 class was extremely grateful to the efforts that Itchenor went to accommodate the class.

Final Thoughts

While the lack of wind on Sunday was a disappointment, the quality of Saturday's racing more than made up for it. The combination of a well-run race programme, inventive course setting, and the welcoming spirit of Itchenor Sailing Club made this a memorable event for the GBR 420 Class. With emerging young talent mixing it with seasoned campaigners, the future of the 420 fleet looks bright.

It was fantastic to see sailors travelling from across the country to Itchenor — from Hollingworth Lake and Budworth in the North, to West Kirby and Cardiff Bay, all the way down to Restronguet — alongside a strong contingent from Chichester Harbour.

A final thanks to our class sponsors Gill Marine and Xtremity.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoBow NoHelmCrewClubCategoryR1R2R3R4Pts
1st5437969marsbar marsdenOlivia CreasyWest Kirby SCOpen MIxed‑41113
2nd5695463Sabine PotterMerle NieuwlandWarsash SC/CBYCOpen Female1‑6326
3rd5448329Patrick BromilowThomas KelsallWest Kirby SCOpen Male32‑738
4th5770148Hugo FletcherAlex FlintRoyal Southern YC/Royal Varuna YCOpen Male544‑813
5th5747745Harry GeorgeRalph CawthorneLymington Town SC/Shustoke SCOpen Male2‑128414
6th5291676Rupert GarlickFreddie JonesItchenor SC/Chichester YCU17 Male6‑112715
7th5722412Pippa ShepherdLauren MecklenburghItchenor /Bosham SCU17 Female11‑145521
8th5741132Isla FletcherIndia EastwoodRoyal Southern YC/Itchenor SCOpen Female7313(DNC)23
9th5694333Laragh EpsteinCharlie HowardCBYC/Burghfield SCOpen MIxed85‑111124
10th5749968Jessica SkeldingZach AzizWinsford Flash SC/Draycote Water SCOpen MIxed9710‑1226
11th5646799Arthur GreavesNia MecklenburgLymington Town SCOpen MIxed1386(BFD)27
12th5750254Tabitha DaviesZac ShepherdR Lym YC/Trearddur Bay SC/Itchenor /BosOpen MIxed‑1099927
13th5714572Jasper BramwellEva MurphyHollingworth Lake SC/Budworth SCOpen MIxed‑141014630
14th5524236Noah SauvenLottie SparkesN/A Dell Quay SC/South Cerney SCU17 Mixed17‑20121039
15th5722521Zoe Lomas‑ClarkeMark SoarsFrensham Pond SCU17 Mixed‑1513151341
16th5750158Hennie BurltonCharlotte BeardsallRoyal Southern YCOpen Female1216(DNC)1543
17th573499Hector DaviesSebby BaileyR Lym YC/Treaddur Bay SC/Oxford SCU17 Male(NSC)17181449
18th5516930Callum HarrisFraser FergusonBough Beech SC/ShoreU17 Male2115‑241652
19th5638320Ed Upton‑BrownJames DaviesBosham SC/Itchenor SC/Shropshire SCOpen Male18‑25171954
20th5609118Niamh EpsteinMolly MartinCBYCU17 Female1621‑231855
21st5563314Samuel ClancyJames ClancyBough Beech SC/Desborough SCOpen Male20‑24162056
22nd5448243Finn RamusTom EastwoodHISC/Bosham SC/Itchenor SU17 Male191819‑2156
23rd5446339Eve BromilowIsabella BarnesWest Kirby SC/Draycote Water SCU17 Female25‑28221764
24th559423Darcy ODonnellTom PringuerRoyal Southern YC/HISCU17 Mixed2219‑252566
25th5142782Felix GarlickLucy FoxItchenor SCU17 Mixed2327‑282272
26th5510291Ruth GawleyMax DevonportEmsworth SCOpen MIxed2422‑292874
27th5600744Elsie Upton‑BrownConnie MurphyBosham SC/Budworth SCU17 Female‑2823272474
28th5510726Sam McNamaraHarry MitchellBough Beech SCU17 Male2629‑322378
29th572241Edie LewinLucinda LeaverItchenor SCU17 Female‑2926262779
30th5728927Charlotte SelfMave ShieldCardiff Bay YC/Seaview YC/Frensham PondU17 Female‑3231202980
31st5398317Gloria SmithAurelia McNamaraN/A /Bough Beech SCU17 Female31‑34213284
32nd5453719Flo PattersonGrace WindettRestronguest SC/Rock Sailing and WaterskU17 Female2730‑333087
33rd5524447Leo ThorneLucas McLaughlinItchenor SC/Chichester YCU17 Male‑3333302689
34th54854Theodora RogersAnnouska GadsbyItchenor SCOpen Female30‑32313192
35th5431441layla ShaerEthan ShaerN/A Itchenor SC/West WitteringOpen MIxed(DNC)353433102
36th551082Archie AylwinBertie HollowayItchenor SCOpen MIxed(DNC)DNCDNCDNC114
36th5351831Apolline DepaepeLilly CoxN/A Itchenor SCOpen Female(DNC)DNCDNCDNC114

Next Event

The next 420 event is the Autumn Championships being hosted by Lymington on 18/19th October, please enter here.

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