RS Aero UK Winter Series enters its final stages

by RS Aero UK Class Association on 3 Mar 2017 The RS Aero UK Winter Series is entering its final stages and the score sheet remains wide open with a large bubble of RS Aero sailors still able to step onto the final podium.

Sailors need their best three results to count out of the ten seasonal events and it is all to play for. One event (at least) of the three counters must be either the Oxford Winter Champs or the Island Barn Spring Champs where, importantly, tie breaks could be won.

So far seventy two RS Aeros have entered the series including International visitors from France, Italy and Portugal keen to sample the British enthusiasm for mass winter events!

This winter has largely proved to be mild with gentle winds and just a couple of fresh breezes recently at Blithfield and Roadford. Rig selection has been very mixed with the series’ PY scoring allowing versatility of choice for each event providing maximum enjoyment, participation (both starting and finishing races) and ultimately safety.

The Starcross sailors and father and son duo of Greg and Paul Bartlett are poised for a late charge on the title. Each have a 1, 2 apiece and a win at the grande finale Spring Champs could clinch the series for either of them on tie break.

The leading club team by a good margin is Burghfield SC packing out the top five with their top three in 3,4,5. Their RS Aero fleet continues to go from strength to strength. Yorkshire Dales are second club so far, with good series mounted by Nick and Jackie Craven.

16 year old Liam Willis shone at Oxford winning the 47 entry RS Aero UK Winter Championship once the RS Aero results had been split out from each race. Peter Barton was lead RS Aero from the Oxford Blue result, taking that bullet towards his winter series with light breeze supremo, Peter Chaplin, second.

At the recent breezy events Matt Thursfield of Midlands club Chelmarsh won the Midlands round at Blithfield in a close tussle from Richard Watsham and Ben Rolfe. Braving Storm Ewan in the far southwest ten RS Aeros Rocketed Round Roadford. Peter Barton overtook Greg Bartlett and Ben Rolfe after a lap to go on to take the Aero win as Ewan started to roar its way up Dartmoor.

Next up is the infamous challenge of the Exmoor Beastie at Wimbleball SC on the 19th followed by the series finale, the UK Spring Championships at Island Barn SC on the 25th March.

Rank	Sail	Name	Brass Monkey Yorkshire Dales	Grafham Grand Prix	Bloody Mary Queen Mary	Stevie Nic N'amptn	Starcross Steamer	Blithfield Barrel	Oxford Blue Winter Champs	Roadford Rocket	Net
1	2093	Peter BARTON	100	100	5	2	100	100	1	1	4
2	1888	Chris LARR	100	3	4	1	100	100	3	100	7
3	2152	Ben ROLFE	100	100	2	6	100	2	7	3	11
4	2162	Peter CHAPLIN	100	100	1	9	100	100	2	100	12
5	2157	Nigel ROLFE	100	100	7	7	100	100	6	8	20
6	1258	Nick CRAVEN	4	8	100	100	100	100	21	100	33
7	1566	Tim HIRE	100	1	13	100	100	100	25	100	39
8	1745	John HOBSON	6	5	100	8	100	100	30	100	41
9	1744	Matt Thursfield	100	100	100	5	100	1	39	100	45
10	2074	Matt EVANS	100	4	12	100	100	100	33	100	49
11	1264	Jackie CRAVEN	7	10	100	100	100	100	34	100	51
12	1509	Peter CRAGGS	5	6	100	100	100	100	48	100	59
13	1637	Greg Bartlett	100	100	100	100	1	100	100	2	103
14	1930	Paul BARTLETT	1	100	100	100	2	100	100	100	103
15	88	Daniel WIGMORE	100	2	8	100	100	100	100	100	110
16	1312	Andrew Frost	100	100	100	100	5	100	100	6	111
17	1676	Anthony York	100	100	100	4	100	100	12	100	116
18	2110	Emma PEARSON	100	7	14	100	100	100	100	100	121
19	2114	Fernando GAMBOA	100	100	9	100	100	100	15	100	124
20	2146	James CLAPHAM	100	100	100	100	100	100	14	11	125
21	1505	Tim Fells	100	100	100	3	100	100	22	100	125
22	1817	Chris Jones	100	100	100	100	4	100	29	100	133
23	1457	David MAHONY	100	100	100	100	100	100	27	7	134
24	2055	Christopher Wooley	100	100	100	100	100	6	32	100	138
25	1582	Mark Rolfe	100	100	100	100	100	5	43	100	148
26	1581	Steve STEWART	3	100	100	100	100	100	48	100	151
27	1301	Emily DAVIS	100	100	15	100	100	100	37	100	152
28	2134	Alice LUCY	100	100	17	100	100	100	41	100	158
29	1792	Andy Hill	100	100	100	11	100	100	48	100	159
30	1216	MattLulham-Robinson	2	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	202
31	1298	Richard Watsham	100	100	100	100	100	3	100	100	203
32	1397	Mark Pollard	100	100	100	100	3	100	100	100	203
33	2148	Gareth GRIFFITHS	100	100	3	100	100	100	100	100	203
34	1551	Liam WILLIS	100	100	100	100	100	100	4	100	204
35	2001	Dan BrIdger	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	4	204
36	1230	Dan Johnson	100	100	100	100	100	4	100	100	204
37	2161	Paul ROBSON	100	100	100	100	100	100	5	100	205
38	2134	Darren Roach	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	5	205
39	1089	Kent MARTIN	100	100	6	100	100	100	100	100	206
40	1230	Martin Anderson	100	100	100	100	100	7	100	100	207
41	1685	Lucy GREENWOOD	100	100	100	100	100	100	8	100	208
42	1209	David ELLIS	100	100	100	100	100	100	9	100	209
43	2133	Kevin Reed	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	9	209
44	1071	Alan MARKHAM	100	9	100	100	100	100	100	100	209
45	1652	Nick REDDING	100	100	100	100	100	100	10	100	210
46	2001	Savelli Francesco	100	100	100	10	100	100	100	100	210
47	2070	Ben WEBB	100	100	10	100	100	100	100	100	210
48	999	Andy Rice	100	100	100	100	100	100	11	100	211
49	2135	Alexandre Emanuel	100	100	11	100	100	100	100	100	211
50	2109	Paul MCPARLAND	100	11	100	100	100	100	100	100	211
51	1211	Nick Eales	100	100	100	12	100	100	100	100	212
52	2147	John WARBURTON	100	100	100	100	100	100	13	100	213
53	2184	Martin Hewitt	100	100	100	13	100	100	100	100	213
54	1156	James DICKINSON	100	100	100	100	100	100	16	100	216
55	1219	Arnaud BOUCHEZ	100	100	16	100	100	100	100	100	216
56	1302	Karl THORNE	100	100	100	100	100	100	17	100	217
57	2126	Graham ILES	100	100	100	100	100	100	18	100	218
58	2133	Caroline Andrevon	100	100	18	100	100	100	100	100	218
59	2135	Oliver Burdall	100	100	100	100	100	100	19	100	219
60	2001	Hannah SNELLGROVE	100	100	100	100	100	100	20	100	220
61	1891	Paul HILLS	100	100	20	100	100	100	100	100	220
62	2141	Steve SHARP	100	100	100	100	100	100	23	100	223
63	1694	Nick NEVE	100	100	100	100	100	100	24	100	224
64	1568	Caitlin ATKIN	100	100	100	100	100	100	26	100	226
65	1181	Roger BELTON	100	100	100	100	100	100	28	100	228
66	1108	Charlie PEARCE	100	100	100	100	100	100	31	100	231
67	1153	David OUGHTON	100	100	100	100	100	100	35	100	235
68	1921	Charles CLAPHAM	100	100	100	100	100	100	36	100	236
69	1370	Nev HERBERT	100	100	100	100	100	100	38	100	238
70	1001	Mark LEWIS	100	100	100	100	100	100	40	100	240
71	1175	Natasha SION	100	100	100	100	100	100	42	100	242
72	1502	Jon HARVEY	100	100	100	100	100	100	48	100	248