RS Aero World Championship at Hayling Island Sailing Club - Day 3
by RS Aero International Class Association 29 Aug 20:49 NZST
26-30 August 2024
RS Aero World Championship at Hayling Island Day 3 © Oli King Photography
Day 3 provided similar conditions to Day 2 with glorious sunshine and a breeze of 6-11 knots, softening though the day. The 175 entries are split over two courses and on Day 3 the RS Aero 5 & 6s were on Bracklesham Bay and the RS Aero 7 &9 s were on Hayling Bay. The race team did a great job to follow the wind as it veered to achieve 3 races again on each course.
In the RS Aero 5s Roscoe Martin (GBR) maintained the lead from UK Class coach Sammy Isaacs-Johnson (GBR) in 2nd overall. Georgia Booth (GBR) stepped up to 3rd with a race win. The RS Aero 5 is the second largest Class with 53 entries and achieves gender parity with an approximate 50% male/female split!
In the RS Aero 6s RS Aero European Champion Sofiia Naumenko (UKR) had consistent results to maintain her lead from her chasers. Jon Emmett (GBR) won the day with a 1,1,9 to step up to 5th.
The RS Aero 7 Class saw Finley Dickinson (GBR) take two more bullets for a good lead. The other race win went to Joe Rowe (GBR) who moved up to 5th. The RS Aero 7s are the largest Class with 65 entries.
The RS Aero 9s enjoyed the benefits of their generous sail size in the lighter breeze again, with just enough breeze to surf the waves in the first race. Peter Barton (GBR) took two race wins. In the other race Richard Watsham took the win after Peter who crossed the finish first again was UFD.
After racing drinks and Aero bars were provided by RS Sailing at the tally board and the Daily Awards were supplied thanks to Rooster. On Day 4, Thursday, after racing drinks and the Daily Awards with Top-Tips are supported by Selden. Tonight there is a BBQ followed by one of Hayling Island SC's legendry disco nights to see us into the final day of racing!
In each Class the World titles are being hotly contested between a mix of previous Worlds medallists, up and coming new talent and a few new hotshots tempted into the RS Aero Class from other Classes. Day 4 looks set to be another glamour sunny day with yet another wind direction to test the sailors representing 18 Nations. Stay tuned to watch the action unfold!
The full results are at sailevent.net/noticeboard/12s
A full gallery of photos by Oli King are available at www.olikingphotography.com/rsaeroworlds2024
Thank you to all the supporters of the RS Aero World Championships! Rooster are supporting the prizes and have their tent onsite for any kit needs. They are supplying the RS Aero Worlds event shirts. RS Sailing are supplying a large fleet of charter RS Aeros and are providing their event support including apres sailing drinks at the tally board! Selden are supporting our daily awards and Tuesday's apres sailing drinks at the tally board! Harken are supporting daily awards and Noble Marine are long-term supporters.