World Champs win Selection Regatta

20 December 2006
NEWS RELEASE

World Champs win Selection Regatta

Carl Evans and Peter Burling have continued their winning streak taking out the Open division of the first series of selection trials for the New Zealand 420 World Championships team. The four day series finished at Takapuna yesterday afternoon.

Conditions for the final day ranged from 2-3 knots north easterly at the first race building during the afternoon to over 18 knots with a lumpy sea.

As current world champions, Evans and Burling have automatic entry to sail at the 420 World Championships which start on 3 January in Takapuna. Despite this they made the most of the opportunity for venue preparation time and won the trials with a 15 point margin, over Simon Cooke and Scott Illingworth in second place. They finished in the top three in all but two of the twelve races, crossing the finish line first six times.

A further 14 crews now have a confirmed place in the New Zealand team following the conclusion of this first selection regatta.

Top qualifiers in the women's fleet were Jo Aleh & Olivia Powrie who have climbed into the 420 from their usual class, the single-handed Laser Radial, just for the coming World Champs at home. Sarah Bilkey and Rosie Sargisson were second in the women's division.

The top seven finishers, excluding Evans and Burling, in both the Women's and the Open division can now represent New Zealand next month. Finishing fourth in the Open fleet, Daniel Willcox and Matthew Jones, while eligible to sail for New Zealand have chosen to represent their Spanish Yacht Club, paving the way for a confirmed spot for the crew that finished ninth overall in this selection regatta.

The following have been named in the New Zealand team for the 420 World Championships 2007. 14 more spots in the New Zealand team are up for grabs, to be decided at the Pre-Worlds next week.

New Zealand Open 420 Team
Confirmed Team Members following Selection Trial Series One
(In order of finishing places at Selection Trials Series One)

1st - Carl Evans/Peter Burling (KYC/TYPBC) - (Automatic entry)
2nd - Simon Cooke/Scott Illingworth (KYC)
3rd - Rowan Swanson/Bruce Kennedy (WBBC/TYPBC)
5th - Paul Snow-Hansen/Chris Dawson (WBC/MBSC)
6th - Alistair Thompson/Jason Saunders (MBSC/TYPBC)
7th - Thomas Olds/Martin Pike (MBSC)
8th - Derek Scott/Jamie Hunt (NPC)
9th - Mike Snow-Hansen/Josh McCormack (WBC/MBSC)

New Zealand Women's 420 Team
Confirmed Team Members following Selection Trial Series One
(In order of finishing places at Selection Trials Series One)

1st - Jo Aleh/Olivia Powrie (KYC)
2nd - Sarah Bilkey/Rosie Sargisson (KYC)
3rd - Shelley Hesson/Bianca Barbarich-Bacher (MBSC)
4th - Georgina Hill/Nichola Trudgen (KYC/MYC) - points
5th - Sarah Berry/Emma Berry (WBBC) - points
6th - Stephanie Hazard/Cindy Hazard (SYC) - points
7th - Susannah Pyatt/Danielle Bowater (MBSC/CBYC) - points

ENDS

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