News 280 sailors ready to compete in 420 European Championships

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280 sailors ready to compete in 420 European Championships

29
Jul 2011

280 Sailors from 16 nations are ready to contest the 2011 420 European Championships in Tavira, Portugal when racing gets underway tomorrow, Saturday 23 July 2011.

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2011 420 European Championships
ALL EVENT INFORMATION

280 Sailors from 16 nations are ready to contest the 2011 420 European Championships in Tavira, Portugal when racing gets underway tomorrow, Saturday 23 July 2011.

After two days of measurement and a pre-Championship Training Camp, today was the official practice race, with the twelve races of competition scheduled from 23-29 July.

Last night's Opening Ceremony saw Tavira welcome the 280 competing sailors who paraded behind their national flags through the town – an awe-inspiring sight to see the world's top youth sailors proudly representing their nations.

For many teams, the 2011 420 Open Europeans represent their first appearance at a top international event, whilst others are very familiar with European Championship level competition and have a pedigree to continue.

Several teams have arrived in Tavira fresh from the 2011 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships in Croatia, and will now see how they can deliver in the bigger fleet which the Europeans presents.

420 Ladies
In the Ladies European Championships, seven of the teams will come face to face for the second time in a month, as they transfer their competition from the waters of Croatia to Portugal. All eyes will be on the ISAF Youth Worlds Silver Medal pairing of Morgan Kiss/Christina Lewis (USA) who will be the team to keep pace with. Alongside the Americans, four other teams who finished in the top ten in Croatia will be going head to head around the race track in Tavira.

The ladies fleet also hosts top performers from the 2011 420 Worlds, including Ladies World Champions Annabel Vose/Megan Brickwood (GBR). Vose/Brickwood were pipped to ISAF Youth Worlds selection by their team mates Jessica Lavery/Georgina Mothersele (GBR) and no doubt their rivalry will continue this week.

Representing the host nation Patricia Costa/Catarina Evangelista (POR) have an impressive performance record. Results include seventeenth at the 2010 Junior Europeans (although with a different crew) in a mixed fleet, fifteenth at the ISAF Youth Worlds and the pair are the reigning Portuguese 420 National Champions. They will be racing on the same waters that sealed their National Championships victory, so will inevitably benefit from local knowledge.

420 Open
In the 420 open event, which is for men or mixed teams, the star performers are Jordi Xammar/Alex Claville (ESP), who won gold at the ISAF Youth Worlds. Xammar won the Silver Medal at the 2010 420 Junior Europeans and finished fourth at the 2011 420 Worlds, although with a different crew.

The British pairing of Craig Dibb/Charlie Cox who finished seventh in Croatia are also set for the race track in Tavira – and are the second of four teams making the move from Croatia to Portugal for their next head to head.

ISAF Youth Worlds veteran from 2010 and 2011 Augustina Barbuto from the US Virgin Islands won the ISAF Youth Worlds bronze medal in Croatia in the girls' 420 event, but for the 420 European Championships she will be crewing for Alexander Coyle in the men/mixed event. They are one of a number of mixed teams competing. Barbuto's 420 Championship performances include a sixth at the 2011 420 Worlds with