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The four boat New Zealand team to attend the recent 2015 420 World Championships in Karatsu, Japan delivered a remarkable 75% (3 boat) Gold Fleet achievement (66% 2014), with two of this year’s new helms Kerensa Jennings (MBSC) and Jonathon Weston (WBC) arriving fresh from the Optimist class.
Teams from 21 nations competed, with a total of 330 sailors enjoying the opportunity to race in Japan.
Challenged by five fleets on one course and patchy shifty winds influenced by a passing typhoon, the New Zealand Team took time to reach their full potential. Initially Haslett/Mitchell were Black Flagged, Weston/Balogh muddled in a boat jam, Wornall/Stenhouse chased double digit results and Jennings/Rees adjusted to large fleet starts and on day three experienced complex wind 9-12 knot averages with 25 knot gusts, assisting a capsize.
By the end of the qualifying series, the four New Zealand teams reached performance in time for Finals. Three teams gained Gold Fleet entry after Wornall/Stenhouse presented a 1st; Weston/Balogh brought home a 4th and 10th and Haslett/Mitchell a 7th and two 11ths. Remarkable were rookies Jennings/Rees who showed performance missing Gold fleet by only three positions.
Finals for all teams presented excitement with Gold Fleeter’s Weston/Balogh delivering a 4th, Haslett/Mitchell a 5th and Wornall/Stenhouse a 7th and their second win after benefit from a 25 knot breeze. Meanwhile in Silver Fleet Jennings/Rees continued their strength presenting a race win.
An immense thanks is extended to Mike Stenhouse for his team Manager role ably supported by home based Russell Weston to assist expedite the Team through Registration without delay; YNZ James Turner for his fantastic coaching delivery, Deb Haslett for her medical guidance, supporting parents when coach James was otherwise occupied, the NZ International Yachting Trust and Yachting New Zealand.
Future Open Worlds schedule: 2016 San Remo (July 16) and 2017 Fremantle (Dec 17).
Championship final results:
Women’s 420 World Championship (60 boats)
13th Brittany Wornall and Emma Stenhouse (Mount Pleasant Yacht Club/Naval Point Club Lyttelton)
35th (5th Silver fleet) Kerensa Jennings and Chelsea Rees (Murrays Bay Sailing Club/Kohimarama Yacht Club)
Open 420 World Championships (72 Boats)
24th Jonathon Weston and Taylor Balogh (Wakatere Boating Club/Naval Point Club Lyttelton)
25th Henry Haslett and Jeremy Mitchell (Wakatere Boating Club/Murrays Bay Sailing Club)
Full results are on the regatta website
Find out more about 420 Sailing in New Zealand here.
Re-enforcing a well-known fact that it takes at least two seasons to achieve performance World Championship results, 420 analytics communicate:
Three of the top five who finished around the two top NZ crews, last year were in the mid 20's.
The winning crew did not sail together last year and in the two previous Open Worlds the crew finished 34th and 15th and the helm 16th and 21st.
The British crew who were 5th, were 24th in 2014 and 50th in 2013.
The Japanese who were 3rd were 25th in 2014 and 54th in 2013.
The USA Team who were 12th were 71st in 2014.
Source: Peter Wilkinson, July 15
