RS Aero Magic Marine UK National Championships - Roundup review

by Peter Barton on 11 Sep 2015 What an awesome event! From 75 pre-entries the RS Aero Magic Marine UK National Championships at WPNSA finally ended up with a whopping 73 RS Aeros. That bubble of 73 puts the RS Aeros right at the top of the UK Nationals attendance leader board for any single handed predominantly adult Class - incredible when just 14 months ago none of these boats were built! After four sailors swapped rigs there were a final total of 77 entries.

The Champs provided a great opportunity to meet fellow RS Aero sailors from around the UK with many sailors travelling long distances including Scotland, Isle of Man, Yorkshire and the East Coast. Already, in the UK alone, there are over 360 RS Aeros at approximately 130 locations. Everyone had plenty to discuss with the RS Aero just at the end of its first year. International sailors visited from Estonia, Holland and Antigua and all placed well in the overall points, boding well for the future International circuit.

Sailors ranged from 11 to 67 in age, weights were from 40kg to over 100kg and they came from a variety of sea, estuary and lakes nationwide. A good few of the 73 competitors were returning to sailing/competition due to their enjoyment of the RS Aero and all had a great time with great racing and the buzz of new fleet camaraderie.

Wind wise there was something for everyone over the three days of racing. We enjoyed two days out in Weymouth Bay and one in the Harbour with winds varying from a dosile 4kn right up to 18kn of excitement.

The format was intentionally experimental. Racing and scoring was in three separate fleets (five,seven and nine rigs) for the Champs, with a planned mass start for the first race of each day producing an additional PY series for the he RS Aero Challenge Cup. With predominantly light breezes at the start of each day the larger rigs dominated this series. In such a controlled environment and now that we have a large amount of data it would be an interesting idea as a Class to contemplate a conditions based PY adjustment for similar races in the future. Courses varied between trapezium and triangle/sausage, each with good reaches when planing conditions existed.

Many thanks to WPNSA for their impeccable management, our PRO, Arky, and his team for great racing and sponsors, Magic Marine, for their support and fantastic array of prizes. RS provided awesome event support and the RS Aero Class made a great job of pitching up and having fun!

Prize Winners
RS Aero five
First - Will Taylor, Brightlingsea
Second - Henry Jameson, Hayling Island
Third - Matthew Caiger, Sevenoaks School

RS Aero seven
First - Glen Truswell, Castle Cove
Second - Peter Barton, Lymington Town
Third - Jack Holden, Arun

RS Aero nine
First - Luke Deegan, Gurnard/Antigua
Second - David Rickard, Gurnard
Third - Simon Hiscocks, WPNSA

The RS Aero Challenge Cup - Three race PY Series from the first race each day
First - Luke Deegan, Gurnard/Antigua (9)
Second - Glen Truswell, Castle Cove (7)
Third - David Rickard, Gurnard (9)
Fourth - Simon Hiscocks, WPNSA (9)
Fifth - Ian Swann, Hayling (9)
Sixth - Fergus Barnham, Snettisham (7)

Junior - Under 15 (not 15 this year), based on the PY series
First - Henry Jameson, Hayling Island (5)
Second - Archie Hainsworth, Alton Water (5)
Third - Caitlin Atkin, Bewl Valley (5)

Youth - Under 19 (not 19 this year), based on the PY series
First - Toby Freeland, Downs (9)
Second - Ffinlo Wright, Isle of Man (7)
Third - Peter Freeland, Downs (7)

Lady - based on PY series
First - Debbie Degge, Bartley (5)
Second - Emily Davis, Great Moor (5)
Third - Caitlin Atkin, Bewl Valley (5)

Master - 55 or over this year, based on PY series
First - David Rickard, Gurnard (9)
Second - Gareth Griffiths, Island Barn (9)
Third - Ade White, Notts County (9)

Family - Best two family members overall
We have three ‘All Aero’ families and a whopping 11 Aero/Tera families that we will include;
First - Will and Matt Taylor, Brightlingsea, Aero/Tera, 5pts
=Second - Fergus and Finlay Barnham, Snettisham, first Aero/Aero, 10pts
=Second - Mathew and Will Caiger, Sevenoaks School, Aero/Tera, 10pts
Fourth - Henry and Rupert Jameson, Hayling Island, Aero/Tera, 11pts
[All brothers, no parents managed to make the top four!]

Club - best three club results in each of the three PY races (nine results)
First - Gurnard

Furthest Travelled - Ants Haavel, Tallinn, ESTONIA

Endurance - finishing all 11 races
RS Aero 5 - Emily Davis, Great Moor
RS Aero 7 - Paul Harwood, Wimbleball, Exmoor
RS Aero 9 - Chris Smith, Poole and Chris James, Exe

Outstanding Services to the RS Aero Class
Robert Fisk-Moore, Chelmarsh Fleet Captain - Robert has led and nurtured the Shropshire based Chelmarsh Fleet making it now the largest inland RS Aero club in the world with 15 RS Aeros. Two brand new RS Aeros have just been delivered to the club following Robert's successful grant application to Sport England for RS Aeros to not only help people into sailing but to also keep existing sailors interested in sailing.

Outstanding Services to RS Aero Events
Ian Jameson - Our PRO at the Dutch Eurocup in July and the Start-of-Seasons Champs in April
Lucy Jameson - Assistance organising the Winter Training venues, the Dutch Eurocup and the Start-of-Seasons

Gross Under Achievement - to properly be able to recognise achievements we must first be able to recognise gross under achievement!
Ian Swann - Wobbling in on a light wind run when near the front of the fleet and failing to recover quickly.
Simon Hiscocks - Starting on the one minute gun then turning around after 30 seconds to start just in time!
Jack Holden and Tom Partington - For contemplating fitting a compass to a rotating mast!
Giovanni Belgrano - for inviting his wife to name his new RS Aero!

Rank	Rig	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	Total	Nett
1st	9	1485	Luke Deegan	Gurnard SC/Antigua SC	1	1	3	5	5
2nd	7	1457	Glen Truswell	Castle Cove SC	2	6	1	9	9
3rd	9	1018	David Rickard	Gurnard SC	8	3	2	13	13
4th	9	1205	Simon Hiscocks	WPNSA	9	2	5	16	16
5th	9	1036	Ian Swann	Hayling Island SC	3	5	10	18	18
6th	7	1534	Fergus Barnham	Snettisham Beach SC	4	9	15	28	28
7th	9	1298	Richard Watsham	Starcross YC	14	10	11	35	35
8th	9	1489	Toby Freeland	Downs SC	11.5	20	6	37.5	37.5
9th	7	EST 10	Ants Haavel	Tallinn Kalev YC	15	15.5	8	38.5	38.5
10th	7	88	Jack Holden	Arun YC	27	8	7	42	42
11th	9	1669	Giovanni Belgrano	Gurnard SC	18	23	4	45	45
12th	7	1	Tim Peters	Hayling Island SC	10	21	14	45	45
13th	7	8	Nev Herbert	Royal Lymington YC	20	14	12	46	46
14th	9	1023	Gareth Griffiths	Island Barn Reservoir SC	13	15.5	19.5	48	48
15th	9	1172	David Batchelor	Isle of Man YC	32	4	22	58	58
16th	9	1208	Matt Thursfield	Chelmarsh SC	7	25	26	58	58
17th	7	1575	Mark Carleton	Papercourt SC	21	18.5	21	60.5	60.5
18th	7	1222	Luke Mapley	Felpham SC	30	11	24	65	65
19th	7	1120	Tom Partington	Hayling Island SC	40	13	16	69	69
20th	9	1184	Robert Freeland	Downs SC	16	26	36	78	78
21st	7	1142	Rob Beaton	Royal Plymouth Corinthian	41.5	12	28	81.5	81.5
22nd	7	NED 13	Michiel Geerling	Braassemermeer	39	35	9	83	83
23rd	7	1608	Robbie Wilson	Wormit BC	34	31	18	83	83
24th	7	1171	Ffinlo Wright	Isle of Man YC	23	24	40	87	87
25th	7	1305	Ed Storey	Yorkshire Dales/Ripon	29	34	33	96	96
26th	9	999	Ben Wallis	Spinnaker SC	24	32	43	99	99
27th	7	1209	David Ellis	Lymington Town SC	5	17	DNC	100	100
28th	7	1653	Peter Freeland	Downs SC	22	47	32	101	101
29th	7	1216	Mike Saul	Yorkshire Dales SC	31	41.5	29	101.5	101.5
30th	7	1175	Peter Barton	Lymington Town SC	BFD	7	17	102	102
31st	5	1463	Henry Jameson	Hayling Island SC	28	40	34	102	102
32nd	9	1581	Ben Rolfe	Burghfield SC	6	18.5	DNC	102.5	102.5
33rd	7	1079	Paul Robson	Reading SC	11.5	54	39	104.5	104.5
34th	7	1551	Nigel Rolfe	Burghfield SC	44	37	27	108	108
35th	7	1089	Kent Martin	Ogston SC	25	50.5	37	112.5	112.5
36th	7	1302	Karl Thorne	Royal Lymington/Keyhaven	43	43	30	116	116
37th	9	1404	Ade White	Notts County SC	BFD	27	13	118	118
38th	9	1689	Andrew Snell	Army SA	19	22	DNC	119	119
39th	9	1637	Adrian Neal	Sutton Bingham SC	35	44	41.5	120.5	120.5
40th	7	1206	John Hobson	Notts County SC	17	29	DNC	124	124
41st	9	1135	Phil White	Frampton on Severn SC	61	28	35	124	124
42nd	7	1533	Finlay Barnham	Snettisham Beach SC	BFD	30	19.5	127.5	127.5
43rd	9	1157	Chris Smith	Poole YC	26	48	54	128	128
44th	5	1562	Matthew Caiger	Sevenoaks School	37	50.5	44	131.5	131.5
45th	5	11	Will Taylor	Brightlingsea SC	38	45	49	132	132
46th	7	1211	Nicholas Eales	Lymington Town SC	48	46	38	132	132
47th	7	1694	Nick Neve	Rutland SC	57	52	25	134	134
48th	7	1428	Peter Townend	Chelmarsh SC	DNC	36	23	137	137
49th	9	1132	Chris James	Exe SC	33	55	53	141	141
50th	5	1173	Archie Hainsworth	Alton Water SC	47	53	41.5	141.5	141.5
51st	5	1543	Debbie Degge	Bartley SC	41.5	58	50	149.5	149.5
52nd	7	1509	Peter Craggs	York RI SC	49.5	56	46	151.5	151.5
53rd	9	1490	Martin Clarke	Hykeham SC	36	38	DNC	152	152
54th	9	1207	Mark Tissiman	Chelmarsh/Saundersfoot	54	49	52	155	155
55th	5	1183	George Catchpole	Waveney and Oulton	49.5	59	47	155.5	155.5
56th	7	1015	Chris Hobday	Gurnard SC	45.5	39	DNC	162.5	162.5
57th	9	1370	Jim Hood	Lymington Town SC	55	33	DNC	166	166
58th	7	1601	Paul Harwood	Wimbleball SC	59	62	45	166	166
59th	5	1107	Ben Poe	Sutton Bingham SC	45.5	64	59	168.5	168.5
60th	7	1618	Dave Harris	Severn SC	53	41.5	DNC	172.5	172.5
61st	5	1301	Emily Davis	Great Moor SC	51	72	57	180	180
62nd	5	1108	Charlie Pearce	Dabchicks SC	58	68	55	181	181
63rd	5	1568	Caitlin Atkin	Bewl Valley SC	62	61	58	181	181
64th	5	1109	Louis Wright	Hayling Island SC	56	71	56	183	183
65th	9	1097	Chris Jones	Chelmarsh SC	64	57	65	186	186
66th	5	1178	Cathy Bartram	Chew Valley LSC	65	60	61	186	186
67th	7	1689	Andrew Snell	Army SA	DNC	DNC	31	187	187
68th	7	1500	Christopher Cope	Isle of Man YC	60	67	63	190	190
69th	5	888	Harry Jones	Draycote Water SC	DNC	65	48	191	191
70th	7	1705	Neil Wharmby	Royal Lymington YC	63	66	64	193	193
71st	5	1029	Judith French	Gurnard SC	DNC	70	51	199	199
72nd	5	1296	Maggie Dunn	Lyme Regis SC	DNC	69	60	207	207
73rd	7	1570	Robert Holdway	Poole YC	66	63	DNC	207	207
74th	7	1029	Judith French	Gurnard SC	52	DNC	DNC	208	208
75th	9	1206	John Hobson	Notts County SC	DNC	DNC	62	218	218
76th	7	1367	Harry Jones	Draycote Water SC	BFD	DNC	DNC	234	234
76th	5	1103	Hugo Robathan	Oxford SC	BFD	DNC	DNC	234	234