144 TEAMS ENTER 2017 420 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS BY PROVISIONAL ENTRY DEADLINE
Taking place from 26 December 2017 to 3 January 2018 at the Fremantle Sailing Club, Perth, Australia, the 2017 420 World Championships has attracted a stellar provisional entry line-up of teams from seventeen nations around the world.
With the provisional entry list set as 26 November 2017, an early entry list of 144 teams shows a strong commitment from nations around the world to make the long journey to Australia for six days of world class racing.
The previous 420 World Championships was held in Italy, and with last year’s title holders now moving onto careers in new classes, the 2017 420 World titles mark an open opportunity for new faces to stake their claim in history. Teams will be competing for three titles – 420 Open World Champion, 420 Ladies World Champion and 420 U17 World Champion – across 12 races over six days.
For sure, eyes will be on the podium finishers from this year’s 420 Europeans in Athens and 2017 420 Junior Europeans in Italy, who represent the current cream of 420 Class talent.
Well up in the mix will be Telis Athanasopoulos Yogo/Dimitris Tassios (GRE) who won the 420 Open Europeans, María Caba/Pilar Caba (ESP) who won the 2017 420 Ladies Europeans, and Demetrio Sposato/Gabriele Centrone (ITA) who won the U17 Europeans in Athens, Greece. A few weeks later, at the 420 Junior Europeans, Sposato/Centrone again stepped up to victory in the U17 fleet, with Carlos Balaguer/Antoni Massanet (ESP) taking out the overall title, and Patricia Reino taking the girls title with Carlota Hopkins, who will stake out her asault on the 2017 420 Worlds with Isabel Laiseca. These hugely talented teams will be joined by a talented field of contenders, counting 420 Championship podium finishers and National Champions in the mix.
Beforehand, the Youth Sailing World Championships in Sanya, China, 9-16 December will set a performance marker, as a packed entry list of 420 teams battle for glory, before heading south to Fremantle, Australia for the 420 Worlds.
Conditions in Fremantle are renowned for big winds and high drama and it will be a long journey, demanding consistent performances, to decide the 2017 420 World Championship titles. Racing starts on 29 December with three days of Qualifying followed by three days of Final Series racing ahead of deciding the podiums on Wednesday 3 January 2018.
To date, the following nations have entered: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Spain, France, Great Britain, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden and Turkey. Take a look at the provisional entry list.
Nations may still enter teams to compete, but will be subject to an additional late entry fee of EUR75. Go to online entry