International 420 Class World Championship- the Championships over

by Antonio Sueri on 7 Aug 2009
Wednesday August 5, 2009...today marks the conclusion of the 2009 420 Class World Championship: the last of three back-to-back international events held in Riva within the space of only one month (2009 49er World Championship, 2009 29er World Championship and also this International 420 ClassWorld Championship). A truly amazing effort on the part of the entire Fraglia Vela Riva’s organizational machine. And what teamwork!

But, in the end, it’s all about the sailors, who come here in Riva for that Wind. Garda’s winds are well-known; usually northerly in the morning and southerly in the afternoon. And at full-strength, they’re always intense, but not always predictable. That’s where last-minute intuition come into play; the ability to turn on a dime: the challenging work behind the scenes of the Regatta Committee.

420 Mens’ World Champions are Antonios Tsimpoukelis and George Karonis (GRE 53161) (scores: 3,(25)1,2,5,2,7,1,5,(dnf)). Second, by only three points: Francisco Lardies and Finn Drummond (NZL 52550) (scores: 4,1,(ocs)5,1,3,(20)4,6,5). Third for Ben Palmer and Konrad Weaver (GBR 53116) (scores: (13), 9,11,7,6,7,10,2,(bfd),4). Top-ranking among Italians are Davide Ortelli and Leonardo Zaggia (C.V. Bellano): fourth in the final overall ranks (scores: 15,14,9,3,2,(16)1,7,8(29)).

Alessandra Maloney and Bianca Babarich-Bacher (NZL 52576) (1,6,6,(33),16,1,4,16) are 2009’s 420 World Champions. Camilla Marino and Claudia Soricelli (ITA 53884) (scores:2,(dsq),12,107,12,1,14) with a well-deserved second. Sydney Bolger and Caitlin Beavers (USA 53627) (scores: 11,4,15,(42)18,8,2,3) are third.

Mens’ 420 Gold Group fleet winners of today’s races; Antonios Tsimpoukelis and George Karonis; Phil Sparks and Ben Gratton (who are also 2009’s Volvo ISAF Youth World Champions) and Giovanni Meloni and Alessandro Gemini. Womens’ 420 Class winners in today’s races: Alexxandra Maloney and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher, Camilla Marino and Claudia Soricelli e Aimee Negri and Chelsea Hall (AUS 52969).

Silver fleets hit the lake around noon. Warning signal at 1 pm; southerly winds powered the regattas: two races for the 420 Mens’ and three races for the Womens’. By day’s end, Mens’ Silver Group champions are: Logan Dunning-Beck and Ben Goodwin (NZL 52363); second Loukas Oulkeroglou and Grigoris Zografos (GRE 52636); third Lovro Ivanov and Marco Caric (CRO 53491). Womens’ Silver Group champions are Amy Seabright and Katrina Brewer (GBR 51883); second Giovanna Massidda and Marcella Mamusa (ITA 53260 – Y.C. Cagliari); third Federica Beltrame and Cristina Piazzi (ITA 52888 – S.V. Barcola and Grignano).

Great results for Italy’s 420 Mens’ Class in this Championship, not only due to that fourth-position victory for Ortelli and Zaggia, but also for another six crews in the top 20. Giovanni Meloni and Alessandro Gemini (Y.C. Cagliari) are in sixth. Federico Maria Maccari and Rocco Vitali (C.V. Bellano) in tenth. Davide Vignone and Matteo Ramian (C.V. Albenga) fifteenth. Jacopo Plazzi and Enrico Stella (C.V. Ravennate) in seventeenth. Francesco Falctelli and Gabriele Franciolini (C.N. Senigallia) are eighteenth. Among Garda’s sailors, Leonardo Dubbini (C.V. Toscolano Maderno) and Federico Lovison (F.V. Peschiera) took twenty-second.

But among Italy’s 420 Womens’ Class, Camilla Marino and Claudia Soricelli are 2009’s second-place World Champions! And among the Championship’s 20 top-ranking female crews, another four are Italian. Sara Amendola and Giulia Paolillo (L.N.Bari) hold ninth position. Roberta Caputo and Benedetta Barbiero (Canottieri Savoia Napoli) in fourteenth position. Cristina Celli and Silvia Morini (C.V. Ravennate) in fifteenth. Federica Wetzl and Marta Parladori (Soc. Triestina Vela) are twentieth.

Final overall scores and rankings are posted on the Fraglia Vela Riva’s website (www.fragliavelariva.it). News items and in-race results are posted on the 420 Class website (www.420sailing.org), as well as on the Fraglia’s site.

Main sponsors of the 2009 420 International World Championship Slam and Trentino SpA.