Race Committee and Helpers Knockout Regatta overall

by Peter Barton on 11 Aug 2015 Race Committee and Helpers Knockout Regatta – Hats off to Bruinisse and Aquavitesse. They have just run three International Regattas in two weeks – the RS Tera Worlds, RS Aero Eurocup and Coaching and the RS500 Worlds.

Whilst sailors showed passion for their racing, they demonstrated an equal passion in their professionalism to deliver top quality championships with attention to detail and excellence. On the penultimate night, the Race Committee and Helpers deserved some chill time and having to watch all the racing had made them keen to take to the water themselves.

With seven RS Aeros at Bruinisse, four were rigged ready for an evening’s knockout competition with two five rigs and two seven rigs. Racing was in the Harbour within perfect spectator views from the promenade and Aquavitesse’s floating decking.

16 competitors lined up to sail four first round heats with the winner of each rig progressing to the next round. One spare place allowed a Wild Card entry and the RS Aero Class manager, Peter Barton, was invited to compete in the first round.

The first round winners from the four heats were;
Vincent - RS Aero 5
Roelean - RS Aero 5
Thomas - RS Aero 5
Caroline - RS Aero 5
Aad - RS Aero 7
Niels - RS Aero 7
Marcol - RS Aero 7
Sacha - RS Aero 7

These sailors progressed to two semi-finals.
With the breeze dying into the evening, the featherweight carbon/epoxy boats accelerated nicely in the intermittent zephyrs and the trick was to keep your boat sliding along.

Several sailors were caught out with extreme weight forward or on large roll gybes, taking an early bath!

The winners of the two semi-finals were
Vincent - RS Aero 5
Caroline - RS Aero 5
Aad - RS Aero 7
Marcol - RS Aero 7

These sailors progressed to the seventh race of the evening, The Grande Final, with the course now shortened to one lap with the sun setting. In an extremely tight finish with one caspsize and the three other Aeros all drifting across the line together the Final winners were;

Vincent - RS Aero 5
Marcol - RS Aero 7

Well done to the winners and thank you to all the Race Committee and Helpers for running two great weeks of Championship racing in Bruinisse!