420 World Champs Successfully Defend Title

Tuesday 9 January 2007

420 World Champs Successfully Defend Title

Carl Evans and Peter Burling have successfully defended their title winning the 420 World Championships for 2007 being sailed off Takapuna on Auckland’s North Shore.

They took the title with one race to spare, needing to place fourth or better in today’s first race to seal the Championship. They finished third and then sailed ashore leaving the remainder of the fleet to fight it out in the final race of the regatta.

The New Zealand team has dominated the event from start to finish in the Open and the Women’s events, both fleets stacked with top class international competition. 17 nations and five continents are represented at the World Championships event staged in New Zealand for the first time.

President of the International 420 Association, Nino Shueli was in Takapuna for the regatta. “Great event, great weather and good all-round conditions,” said Nino. “We had 17 countries with a very strong fleet, but the New Zealanders in their home waters gave us a first top three in both fleets.”

“Takapuna Boating Club and the facilities have been great. A big thanks to New Zealand and we look forward to seeing everyone in Greece in 2008.”

Gold, silver and bronze in both the Open and the Women’s will be presented to New Zealanders at tonight’s prize-giving ceremony.

Simon Cooke and Scott Illingworth from Auckland took second place in the Open fleet, as they did six months ago in Spain’s Canary Islands at the 2006 event. The pair had four race wins in the twelve race series and sailed exceptionally well in the blustery conditions of the final two days.

Rowan Swanson and Bruce Kennedy, from Wellington and Tauranga respectively rounded out the regatta with a 5th and a 7th in today’s racing and win bronze.

Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie are now officially named Women’s 420 World Champions for 2007, having established an unassailable lead at the finish of yesterday’s racing. They were on the water today as spectators watching closely the tight battle between two kiwi crews for silver and bronze, both starting the day with equal points.

Shelley Hesson and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher won the first race of the day and created a four point buffer over team mates Sarah Bilkey and Rosie Sargisson who placed fourth. A second in the final race sealed the silver medal for Hesson and 14 year-old Barbarich-Bacher, who finished with 40 points.

Sarah Bilkey and Rosie Sargisson were not far behind finishing with 48 points and winning the bronze.

Tonight’s prize-giving ceremony is set to be a fitting closing to the event with a sold out crowd of well over 500 people attending.

420 World Championships 2007
Final Results

Open Gold Fleet Final Results
Top Ten

1st NZL Carl Evans & Peter Burling - 19 points
2nd NZL Simon Cooke & Scott Illingworth - 22 points
3rd NZL Rowan Swanson & Bruce Kennedy - 63 points
4th BRA Marcos Adler & Bruno Faria - 70 points
5th NZL Derek Scott & Jamie Hunt - 73 points
6th AUS Sam Kivell & Max Taylor - 78 points
7th NZL Mike Snow-Hansen & Joshua McCormack - 93 points
8th NZL Andy Maloney & Blair Tuke - 95 points
9th FRA Vincent Berthez & Thibault Heurley - 101 points
10th ARG Sebastian Peribrusa & Santiago Masseroni - 107 points

Women’s Final Results
Top Ten

1st NZL Jo Aleh & Olivia Powrie - 28 points
2nd NZL Shelley Hesson & Bianca Barbarich-Bacher - 40 points
3rd NZL Sarah Bilkey & Rosie Sargisson - 48 points
4th NZL Sarah Berry & Emma Berry - 56 points
5th SIN Sarah Tan & Tze Ting Lim - 70 points
6th BRA Mariana Basilio & Daniela Adler - 92 points
7th ITA Eugenia De Giacomo & Lisa Lardani - 93 points
8th GBR Imogen Stanley & Kate MacGregor - 105 points
9th NZL Stephanie Hazard & Cindy Hamilton - 106 points
10th NZL Susannah Pyatt & Danielle Bowater - 112 points

Open Silver Fleet Final Results
Top Ten

1st GBR James Rusden & Will Rusden - 41 points
2nd AUS Lachlan Doyle & Shaun Wells - 53 points
3rd FRA Maxime Garbay & Thomas Haddouche - 55 points
4th ITA Davide Ortelli & Alberto Bortott - 55 points
5th GBR Owain Matthews & Joe Williams - 56 points
6th GER Julius Schrader & Torben Boddeker - 70 points
7th ITA Paolo Cattaneo & Andrea Cattaneo - 83 points
8th NZL Jamie Thompson & Brad Hooker - 87 points
9th GBR Tim Saxton & Claire Lasko - 92 points
10th GER Bijorn Beilken & Alexander Beilken - 93 points

ENDS

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