News 470 CLASS RECOGNIZES ACHIEVEMENTS OF 420 CLASS SAILORS

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470 CLASS RECOGNIZES ACHIEVEMENTS OF 420 CLASS SAILORS

25
May 2017

Traditionally many 420 Class sailors make the step to the 470 Class, and sometimes it can feel like starting all over again as the transition to elite level sailing in an Olympic Class ups the game.

At the 2017 470 European Championships, numerous 420 Class faces were facing what could be a daunting prospect as they lined up alongside Olympians, Olympic medallists and numerous 470 Class World and European Championship medallists.

Right up in the mix and hard to pick out as the newbies on the race track were Portugal's Diogo Costa/Pedro Costa, who last year won the 420 World Championships. The brothers had always targeted a 420 Worlds win before transitioning to the 470 Class, to be sure they were the best in class before making the next leap. At the 470 Europeans they almost made it to the top 10 Medal Race, missing out by only one point.

Paying tribute to their achievement, the International 470 Class Association in partnership wit Zaoli Sails presented Diogo and Pedro with a brand new jib in recognition of being the highest placed team at the 470 European Championship who last year raced at the 2016 420 Worlds.

Similarly in the 470 Women's fleet, Japan's Mano Udagawa competed at last year's 420 Worlds, where she finished 27th, and this year racked up a 37th place at the 470 Europeans with her new crew Yurie Seki. Mano also received a brand new Zaoli jib. This partnership has their eye on Tokyo 2020 too.