Issue date
Following their 2nd placing in the North Island 420 Champs in Napier two weeks earlier, Helm Taylor Burn and Crew, Henry Gibbs, won five of six races to take the South Island 420 Championships at the Naval Point Yacht Club, Lyttelton.
The 420 is an International one design, two handed Class that leads into the 470 Olympic Class our 'Golden Girls' won, the men a creditable 5th at London, 2012
The Fleet was competitive but smaller than expected, and sailed in a range of conditions from light breeze to strong, cold Southerlies.
Saturday gave perfect light wind conditions with only a short wait until the breeze settled in. The Marlborough boys ddn't have it all their own way but still managed winning every race. A big Southerly change overnight lowered the temperatures considerably, plenty of “this is Winter now”, and “did I bring enough warm clothes?”
A late start in the first race of Sunday saw Taylor and Henry fight hard to catch up but they had to settle for third. The Wind had become a strong 20 knots plus and made for some exciting and fast sailing.
Three races were done in rapid succession with good Race Management, everyone happy to sail home to warm, dry clothes and prizegiving.
Taylor and Henry are building up to the 420 National Championships in Takapuna, Auckland over the Easter break. They have a series of weekend Yachting New Zealand Zone Clinics in Christchurch and Auckland, plus regattas until Easter to help them sharpen up.
Once the 420 Nationals are over, the boys will sail against each other in the Starling Class Nationals Championships in Picton April, 22-26th.
