28 Jan 2012
Tight at the top after day 1 at 2012 470 Junior Worlds
Racing is underway at the 2012 470 Junior World Championship, hosted at Takapuna Boating Club in Auckland, New Zealand. Two races were sailed on Saturday’s first day of racing, with the men/mixed and women’s teams sailing as one fleet, but scored separately. Things are very tight at the top, especially in the men/mixed fleet, with only 2 points separating the top 5 teams on the leaderboard.
| Day 1 Action in New Zealand |
 Crawford brothers © Christine Hansen |
 Alex Gough/Scott Cotton (AUS) © International 470 Class |
Flat water allowed the fleet to fly around the course in a very shifty and patchy south westerly offshore breeze. The breeze peaked at around 18 knots, but generally sailors raced in 12-16 knots after leaving the shore in very light winds.
Commented 2011 470 Junior Women's World Champion helm Annika Bochmann (GER), who is seeking to defend her title with crew Elisabeth Panuschka, "Conditions are very shifty and gusty and it will be a challenge for us to handle these conditions, it's like a lake."
470 Men/Mixed
In the men/mixed fleet, Australian brothers Matthew and Robert Crawford sailed the most consistently to come out on top with a slim margin of one point, which also separates second placed local sailors James Turner/Finn Drummond from Simon Sivitz/Jas Farneti of Italy, who got the gun in race two.
Race two was abandoned due to a drifting mark, and after a restart, Magnus Masilge/Moritz Klingenberger of Germany won the race and are fourth, on count back from Dirk Bennen/Roger Weijers of the Netherlands.
Top 10 Overall
| Pos | Nat | R1 | R2 | Pts | |
| 1 | AUS | CRAWFORD Matthew/CRAWFORD Robert | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| 2 | NZL | TURNER James/DRUMMOND Finn | 7 | 2 | 9 |
| 3 | ITA | SIVITZ KOSUTA Simon/FARNETI Jas | 9 | 1 | 10 |
| 4 | GER | MASILGE Magnus/KLINGENBERGER Moritz | 1 | 9 | 10 |
| 5 | NED | BENNEN Dirk/WEIJERS Rogier | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| 6 | AUS | FRANKLIN Josh/HANNAH Tim | 10 | 4 | 14 |
| 7 | DEN | TOBIASON Balder/JUNG JOHANNSON Magnus | 2 | 13 | 15 |
| 8 | NZL | STEVENSON Luke/BULLOCK Sam | 11 | 5 | 16 |
| 9 | GRE | KAVVAS Alexandros/KAVVAS Georgia | 4 | 15 | 19 |
| 10 | NZL | MOORE Gareth/GOODWIN Ben | 13 | 6 | 19 |
470 Women
| Afrodite Kyranakou/Jeske Kisters (NED) |
 |
Netherland sailors also feature well in the women's fleet - Afrodite Kyranakou/Jeske Kisters lead the way after very respectable results within the overall fleet and two first placings in the women's fleet. The Netherland duo have a two point margin over Great Britain's Anna Burnet/Flora Stewart, with Annika Bochmann/Elisabeth Panuschka third.
An international fleet of 33 boats from 13 nations are racing and if Auckland's Waitemata Harbour keeps serving up fickle offshore conditions, consistency will be what is needed to remain at the top of the leader board.
Top 10 Overall
| Pos | Nat | R1 | R2 | Pts | |
| 1 | NED | KYRANAKOU Afrodite/KISTERS Jeske | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | GBR | BURNET Anna/STEWART Flora | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 3 | GER | BOCHMANN Annika/PANUSCHKA Elisabeth | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| 4 | NZL | DAWSON Erica/FRANCIS Vicky | 4 | 7 | 11 |
| 5 | JPN | HATAE Chika/HATAYAMA Eri | 8 | 4 | 12 |
| 6 | AUS | RYAN Sasha/RYAN Jamie | 7 | 5 | 12 |
| 7 | NZL | BERRY Sarah/BERRY Emma | 2 | 11 DNF | 13 |
| 8 | IRE | KISSANE Diana/TIDEY Saskia | 6 | 8 | 14 |
| 9 | JPN | HADACHI Yuka/MUTA Ayami | 9 | 6 | 15 |
| 10 | NZL | BARBARICH-BACHER Bianca/FRANCIS Julia | 10 | 9 | 19 |
More Information:
Official Event Website
Follow the Championship on Facebook
Full Results
470 Junior Worlds News
470 Event Microsite
Media Contacts:
Will Calver, Official Photographer
Ocean Photography
Email: will@oceanphotography.co.nz
Web: www.oceanphotography.co.nz
Tel: +64 93570881
Mob: +64 211147204
Christine Hansen, Media Liaison
New Zealand 470 Class Association
Email: snowhansen@gmail.com
Source: Christine Hansen
Image: Racing on day 1 © International 470 Class