RS Aero Australian Championships at the Black Rock Yacht Club Go for Gold Regatta
by RS Aero Australian Class Association 3 Dec 2019 07:36 AEDT
30 November - 1 December 2019
This past weekend the RS Aero Nationals were conducted at Black Rock as a warm up regatta for the Worlds. The 35 RS Aeros that entered were given a classic taste of conditions at Black Rock that saw our new National Champions emerge from a variety of testing sailing conditions.
Congratulations to Simon Reffold from Balmoral SC who took out the RS Aero 9 title, Rhett Gowans and Sophie Jackson, both from Mornington Yacht Club, took out the RS Aero 7 and RS Aero 5 titles respectively.
Rhett Gowans won the RS Aero 7 title for the second time and summed up the weekend; "If you ordered a Pre-Worlds regatta that offered up all types of conditions: light air, medium breeze, gusty Northerly and waves then it certainly delivered.
On Saturday it was great to race in a mixture of conditions as the dying breeze quickly turned into a steady South Westerly, giving everyone the opportunity to make big gains and losses on a snakes and ladders type of day. Glistening sunshine and 10 knots proved to be the perfect combo as all sailors enjoyed a perfect Melbourne Summers day. It was great to see a number of old and new faces in the fleet, most will take to the water again in less than a months time for the Worlds.
Sunday proved how ruthless nature can be as only one race was sailed in a testing 20-25 knot breeze, with sustained gusts of 30+ knots. Big waves meant surfing... and lots of it. That's if you could keep your boat upright as just one boat in the fleet remained upright throughout the race. It emphasised how rapidly Melbourne weather systems can roll through.
It was great to see the high level of care and companionship shown both during and after the race from competitors, race officials and volunteeers as the tired sailors came ashore.
Cobwebs were well and truly blown off as the buzz and excitement grows for the 2019 RS Aero Worlds in just under four weeks time. We can't wait!"
Next Up for the Aussie Aeros as the heat builds in the run up to the World Champs over New Year is the George Mac Regatta at Royal Brighton, VIC, 7/8th Dec and Sail Sydney which is the NSW State Champs over 14/15th Dec.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | BoatName | Helm | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Pts |
|---|
| RS Aero 5 |
|---|
| 1 | 2675 | ‑ | Sophie Jackson | Mornington YC | 1 | [3] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 2825 | Jackpot | Chris Brain | Sugarloaf SC | 2 | 2 | 2 | [3] | 2 | 8 |
| 3 | 3006 | Carrie on Sailing | Megan Ridgway | Sandringham YC | [4] | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 11 |
| 4 | 2694 | White Mustang | Lachie Hartnett | Black Rock YC | 3 | [5] | 5 | 2 | 4 | 14 |
| 5 | 2781 | Dont have one | Tabitha Stevenson | Largs Bay SC | 6 | 4 | 4 | 7 | [11F] | 21 |
| 6 | 3091 | Sul Sea | Ingrid Vinot | Hampton SC | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | [11F] | 22 |
| 7 | 8 | Jack Reacher | Jack Wilson | Royal Melbourne YC | 10 | 7 | 7 | 6 | [11F] | 30 |
| 8 | 2048 | Love in the First Degree | Aaron Flavell | Black Rock YC | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | [11F] | 32 |
| 9 | 2501 | Gigi | Fiona Ekins | Black Rock YC | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | [11F] | 36 |
| 10 | 2914 | Muesli | Christian Herr | Black Rock YC | 8 | [11C] | 11C | 9 | 11F | 39 |
| RS Aero 7 |
|---|
| 1 | 2827 | Rhett's Rig | Rhett Gowans | Mornington Yacht Clu | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | [3] | 4 |
| 2 | 3096 | Swoosh | Michael Parks | Royal Geelong YC | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | [21C] | 10 |
| 3 | 2822 | TBC | Peter Ellis | Sugarloaf SC | 3 | 2 | 8 | 9 | [13F] | 22 |
| 4 | 1189 | Kelpie | Ron Fergusson | Albert SC | 10 | 5 | 4 | 4 | [13F] | 23 |
| 5 | 2695 | Aerotyne | David Kentish | Black Rock YC | 7 | 4 | 7 | 7 | [21C] | 25 |
| 6 | 3095 | RATirement | Gary Ratcliffe | Georges River SC | [14] | 6 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 27 |
| 7 | 3007 | Racer X | Simon Wilkins | Mordialloc/RestronguetSC | 11 | 8 | 5 | 3 | [13F] | 27 |
| 8 | 2495 | Facey | Stuart Facey | Mount Martha YC | 9 | 9 | 9 | 5 | [13F] | 32 |
| 9 | 2818 | You | Peter Milne | Black Rock YC | [13] | 7 | 6 | 6 | 13F | 32 |
| 10 | 2913 | Rosie | Daen Dorazio | Black Rock YC | 8 | 11 | 20F | [21C] | 2 | 41 |
| 11 | 2497 | Aernought | Tim Deen | Mount Martha YC | 6 | 12 | [13] | 11 | 13F | 42 |
| 12 | 2730 | Suizen | David Parry | Mount Martha YC | 5 | 10 | 14 | 14 | [21C] | 43 |
| 13 | 2779 | Bob | Tim Bardon | Safety Beach SC | 12 | 13 | 11 | 10 | [21C] | 46 |
| 14 | 2937 | Slick | Brian Case | Royal Geelong YC | 4 | [21C] | 2 | 21C | 21C | 48 |
| 15 | 2819 | Ship Lookout | Jason Wilson | Royal Melbourne YC | [16] | 16 | 16 | 15 | 4 | 51 |
| 16 | 1074 | None the Wiser | Brendan Chaplin | Black Rock YC | [15] | 14 | 15 | 13 | 13F | 55 |
| 17 | 2824 | NIX | Nik Wallis | Black Rock YC | 18 | 17 | 10 | 12 | [21C] | 57 |
| 18 | 1697 | ShiJi | Fred Davis | Mount Martha YC | [19] | 15 | 17 | 16 | 13F | 61 |
| 19 | 2826 | Scoot | David Drover | Black Rock YC | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | [21C] | 70 |
| 20 | 1704 | 4D | John Fordyce | Black Rock YC | [21C] | 21C | 21C | 21C | 21C | 84 |
| RS Aero 9 |
|---|
| 1 | 1188 | Camp Freddy | Simon Reffold | Balmoral SC | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | [3F] | 4 |
| 2 | 2049 | Retrenched | David Andrew | Mount Martha YC | [4] | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3F | 11 |
| 3 | 1194 | TijuanaTaxi | Andrew Giles | Lake Cullulleraine YC | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | [5C] | 12 |
| 4 | 1196 | Crosseyed & Painless | Glenn Attrill | Avalon SC | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | [5C] | 12 |