Issue date
The 420 and 470 Junior World Championships ran from 14-22 August in Pwllheli, Wales with New Zealanders Taylor Burn and Henry Gibbs finishing in 8th overall in the 420 Open Junior European Championship.
Find all the news, full results, images and more on the regatta website.
Taylor’s Dad, Rob Burn filed this final day report…
'Go out with a bang!' .......As the 420 and 470 Junior Euro Champs limped to its' inevitable no wind finish, the great positive thing was the Kiwi sailors ended on such a high note, a Second then a First in the only strong winds of the regatta.
For Taylor, in what is most probably his last regatta in a 420, to finish with a big margin win, was particularly satisfying.
The last day of scheduled racing came, all the sailors duly rigged up and at the usual time of 12 noon, trundled their boats to the waters edge and parked them.
The sun shone, the temperature was pleasantly warm, and the flags gave the occasional promising flap and flutter.
To help things along, us coaches and supporters launched our coach boats and waited off the end of the Marina ...... occupying ourselves with a spot of Mackerel fishing and RAF Jet watching. It became obvious that nothing was going to happen, we all motored back in to feed and water our charges.
By 3pm the hooter went, all over, and onto the pack up and Prize giving.
The first three girls crews came up to get recognised, then with the Open event, the First and Third Girls place getters appeared again, just one boys crew getting a mention on the Podium. The Italian National Anthem, once practiced, became much more rousing.
'Where were the prizes for the first three boys?" some were asking ........
Great to see Taylor and Henry up for recognition as part of the Top Ten place getters ...they have come a long way. Check out the Official site for the full results and Alan Dop's fab photography and videos.
To wrap up the boys results over four regattas and nearly 7000 kms of travelling by van, not counting the air travel to and from Europe.
They were 11th out of 85 crews, having just got off a plane and driven for two days. The Fleet was Open, like the Worlds, no age limit.
The Worlds in Valencia was 110 boys and mixed crews, they made the Gold Fleet and became the top Kiwi finishers at 13th overall ....still ruing the disqualification that robbed them of 6th.
The GBR National champs in Wales was used as a 'warm up'. They won that by 10 points in a 70 strong mixed and Open aged fleet.
The Junior Europeans was a toughie, 96 boats, again a mixed fleet but the girls competition separated out for prize giving, this time the age group was for 18 years and under, in fact there was a trophy for the youngest crew.
Taylor and Henry were 8th overall, who knows what may have happened if they had got a third race in on the form they were showing.....
A darn good effort from both and proof that they could foot it with the best crews in the World.
A huge thank you again to all involved with helping Taylor and Henry get to Europe and take part in this huge campaign. It is hard to single some out and not others but special Thanks should go to Interislander, Singapore Airlines, Ralph and Penny Roberts, Rob and Anne Capon, International Yachting Trust, Yachting New Zealand, the Picton Rotary, Blenheim Rotary, Blenheim RoundTable and Marlborough Triple Links, Queen Charlotte Yacht Club, Pelorus Boating Club, Spy Valley Wines and the many other Fabulous wine and food producers of Marlborough ....the Picton Flower Ladies too. If you haven't been mentioned, don't worry, you will be!
We are near Heathrow now, on the plane tomorrow night and back to reality ....until the next time!
Happy sailing for the new season
Rob
