Sixteen-year-old Chris Carden, from Lymington, has recently stepped into the 420 class to quench his competitive streak.

I noticed him on the Laser 4.7 circuit last season. He was sitting comfortably in the class and was almost unbeatable in the smallest of the Formula Laser dinghies.

Fuelled by a good result at the 4.7 Worlds in Holland he chose to take his racing to the next level.

He is too light to get on to the RYA Youth Training programme so he has taken a sideways move and hopped into the two-person 420 dinghy class that his elder sister Bethan is doing well in.

Watching him at last weekend's second round of the 420 World and European Selector trials it was interesting to see the level of the fleet. With the 420 Worlds taking place at Hayling Island sailing Club in mid-July, the class has attracted a high calibre of youngsters.

The 420, a launch pad for the Olympic 470 class, has played host to the likes of Ian Walker - the skipper of last year's GBR Challenge at the America's Cup.

There is currently a split between the asymmetric 29er which leads into the Olympic class twin trapeze 49er and the 420 which naturally progresses into the single trapeze 470.

The fleet of 61 boats racing off Hayling Island at the weekend included Pippa Wilson, 29er champion, and was testament to the level of the class.

Carden, commenting on his move into the boat, said: "This class is totally different to the Laser. There are so many things that can go wrong and it is a fast learning curve."

Only recently teaming up with his crew, Carden managed an 18th on day one. His sister Bethan, sailing with Alison Martin, put in a tight performance to finish in ninth position.

With 14 male and 14 female team places available from this country for the Worlds in three months' time, Bethan is expected to make the grade.

Last weekend eight races over the two days saw Stuart Bithell and Jonathan McGovern finish first with 34 points, with Pippa Wilson and Harriette Trumble in second with 39 and Callum MacDonald and Haakon Karlsen third with 43 points.

Chris Carden and Sophie White finished in 40th and will no doubt be chasing a good result at the final selection round. It was only their second outing at championship level in this very feisty young fleet.

As I sat on the startline watching these youngsters, some of whom will no doubt become key sailors of tomorrow, I thought about how lucky they are. The 420 class is one rich in parental support. "It is a nice opportunity to enjoy our kids in action as they will soon be off to college," one parent illustrated.

Back on land, both offspring and parents appear to enjoy good social which I anticipate is the icing on the cake after a long drive, rigging up and a full day's racing. For that Hayling Island sailing club proved an ideal host.