RS Aero Victorian State Championships 2019 at Mount Martha Yacht Club

by David Andrew 25 Mar 2019 08:41 PDT 9-11 March 2019

The RS Aero Victorian State Championships 2019 were held at Mount Martha Yacht Club over March 9-11th. The series had a total of twenty-five entries with 20 sailors from Victoria, four from NSW and one from SA competing in the RS Aero 5, 7 and 9 rigs.

The fleet contained a broad range of age and experience with Tabitha Stevenson and Michelle de Blaquiere and Tim Bardon bringing their experience from other classes and jumping into the RS Aero for the first time.

Seven of the 10 programmed races were sailed in light, moderate and heavy conditions. The first day started with a slight breeze and a smoke covered Port Phillip Bay. Everyone was keen to get out and get the sailing under way. By the time they reached the starting area the wind began to fade, and the race committee made the wise decision to send us back to shore to wait for the smoke to lift and the breeze to fill in.

RS Aero Victorian State Championships 2019 at Mount Martha Yacht Club - photo © Ian Gould

The afternoon brought champagne conditions with two races sailed in 8-12 knot south westerly breeze. Michelle de Blaquiere and Lachlan Hartnett traded first and second places in the RS Aero 5s. Rhett Gowans and Michael O'Brien signalled their clear intention with two firsts in the RS Aero 7s and RS Aero 9s respectively.

Day 2 started where day one left off and built to a solid 18-22 knot south-westerly and 3 races completed. (EDITOR's note: I think it was much windier than that!). With triangular courses set, there were spectacular reaches and plenty of surfing. Lachie and Michelle continued to trade places in the RS Aero 5s; Rhett notched up another bullet in the RS Aero 7s. In the RS Aero 9s Simon Reffold had two great races to get home ahead of Michael O'Brien, with Michael taking the last race.

RS Aero Victorian State Championships 2019 at Mount Martha Yacht Club - photo © Ian Gould

The last day was light and lumpy with left over sea from the night before, about 8-12 knots of breeze and a mix of overcast sky, heavy rain and bright sunshine. The RS Aero 5 fleet mixed things up with Tabitha Stevenson winning a race. Rhett reclaimed his place at the front of the RS Aero 7s and Michael gave the RS Aero 9s a master class taking out both races.

Mount Martha YC, a volunteer only club, put on an excellent regatta, with Simon Reffold saying, "I attend regattas all over the world, every year - and... this one was a little bit special."

See more at mmyc.org.au/news/18427.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Boat Name	Skipper	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts
RS Aero 5
1	2694	White Mustang	L Hartnett	2	1	1	2	1	[4]	1	8
2	2681	Lovett	M de Blaquiere	1	2	2	1	2	[3]	2	10
3	2045	Little Whippet	V Stefani	[4]	3	3	3	3	2	3	17
4	2729	tba	T Stevenson	3	4	[6F]	6C	6C	1	4	24
5	1682	Yes!	B Or	5	5	[6F]	6C	6C	5	5	32
RS Aero 7
1	1393	Jack	C Brain	2	2	2	[5]	1	2	2	11
2	1284	B2	N Collis‑George	[7]	3	3	1	2	5	3	17
3	1200	Rhett's Rig	R Gowans	1	1	1	[16F]	16C	1	1	21
4	2730	Suizen	D Parry	5	6	5	[8]	5	3	7	31
5	2042	Axe	M Savery	8	[11]	6	2	6	7	6	35
6	2495		S Facey	10	8	8	3	3	6	[11]	38
7	2497	Aernought	T Deen	[11]	10	4	4	4	8	10	40
8	2676		G Burkhalter	9	5	7	6	[16F]	9	4	40
9	2680		F Scrivens	6	9	10	7	[16F]	4	8	44
10	2587	The Gromble	A Howard	3	4	9	[16C]	16C	16C	16C	64
11	2695	Aerotyne	D Kentish	4	13	[16C]	16C	16C	10	9	68
12	2498	Thaeroputic	R Debenham	14	7	[16F]	16F	16C	16O	5	74
13	2779	Bob	T Bardon	12	12	[16F]	16C	16C	11	12	79
14	1074	None the Wiser	B Chaplin	13	14	[16F]	16C	16C	12	13	84
15	2501	Gigi	F Ekins	15	[16O]	16F	16C	16C	16C	16C	95
RS Aero 9
1	2500	Feats of Stength	M O'Brien	1	1	[2]	2	1	1	1	7
2	1188	Camp Freddy	S Reffold	3	2	1	1	[7F]	3	2	12
3	1196	CrossEyed&Painless	G Attrill	5	5	3	3	[7F]	2	4	22
4	2049	Retrenched	D Andrew	2	3	4	[7F]	7C	4	3	23
5	1194	Tijuana Taxi	A Giles	4	4	5	4	2	[7C]	7C	26
7	1195	Icepick	L Mairs	[7C]	7C	7C	7C	7C	7C	7C	42