Anton Dahlberg & Fredrik Bergström (SWE) win the 470 Men’s Worlds © Uros Kekus Kleva

470 General Event News

SWEDEN, SPAIN AND ISRAEL WIN TITLES AT 470 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

15 Mar 2021

Three sets of world champions were crowned in the 470 Men’s, Women’s and Mixed events in Vilamoura, Portugal.

Anton Dahlberg & Fredrik Bergström (SWE) took gold in the Men’s 470, Silvia Mas & Patricia Cantero (ESP) won in dramatic circumstances in the Women’s 470, and Gil Cohen & Noam Homri (ISR) beat their compatriots to the first ever Mixed world title.

The Swedes managed to recover after a bad start to the Medal Race. They finished in third place but it was enough to give them their first ever world title, which must have tasted even sweeter after coming so close in previous years (third in 2019, fourth in 2018 and second in 2017).

"It was very stressful, with the offshore wind very treacherous and a lot happening on the racecourse, said Bergström.

"At first it looked like we were not doing well, but we kept trying and managed to finish first."

Anton Dahlberg was "relieved and delighted" after what he called "an incredible week and a very tough Medal Race."

Following a Medal Race race marked by poor wind conditions, the Portuguese sailors Pedro and Diogo Costa became vice-champions, and Spaniards Jordi Xammar and Nicolas Rodriguez completed the podium with a bronze medal.

A nail-biting finish rounded off the week in the 470 Women’s fleet, with the title decided at the death.

Mas & Cantero went into the Medal Race with a narrow lead over Afrodite Zegers & Lobke Berkhout (NED), who were closely followed by Elena Berta & Bianca Caruso (ITA).

Elsewhere, reigning world champions Hannah Mills & Eilidh McIntyre (GBR) had fought their way back into contention for a medal after a difficult start to the week.

Camille Lecointre & Aloise Retornaz (FRA) won the Medal Race, placing them fourth overall, while Agnieszka Skrzypulec & Jola Ogar (POL) followed them across the line to seal overall sixth.

Next to cross the line in third were Zegers & Berkhout. With the Brits in fourth between them and the Spaniards, this was enough to give the Dutch their first world title together.

However, right on the finish line, Mills & McIntyre were forced to complete a penalty turn - allowing Mas & Cantero past in fourth to claim the gold medal they were so close to losing.

"It was a very tense week, with many emotions every day," said Mas.

"We were seeing that getting to the medals was complicated. They cancelled the first start, we kept trying, it was complicated, and the penalty for the British at the end was incredible."

Silver went to Zegers & Berkhout, while Berta & Caruso held firm for bronze.

This year’s Worlds also served as a Tokyo 2020 qualification event for European nations. Pedro & Diogo Costa sealed a place for Portugal in the Men’s fleet, while Turkey qualified in the Women’s fleet through Beste Kaynakci & Okyanus Arikan.

In the Mixed event, Israel ruled the podium, with Gil Cohen & Noam Homri becoming the first world champions in this class.

Tal Sade & Noa Lasry (ISR) took the silver medal, while Amy Seabright & James Taylor (GBR) won bronze.

The 470 Mixed will be the new format for this class at Paris 2024, with Tokyo 2020 the final Olympic Games to have separate 470 Men’s and Women’s events.

"It was very stressful, with the offshore wind very treacherous and a lot happening on the racecourse, said Bergström.

"At first it looked like we were not doing well, but we kept trying and managed to finish first."

Anton Dahlberg was "relieved and delighted" after what he called "an incredible week and a very tough Medal Race."

A nail-biting finish rounded off the week in the 470 Women’s fleet, with the title decided at the death.

Mas & Cantero went into the Medal Race with a narrow lead over Afrodite Zegers & Lobke Berkhout (NED), who were closely followed by Elena Berta & Bianca Caruso (ITA).
Elsewhere, reigning world champions Hannah Mills & Eilidh McIntyre (GBR) had fought their way back into contention for a medal after a difficult start to the week.