Please select your home edition
Edition
Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_SY TOP

RS Aero Irish Open National Championship at Dun Laoghaire

by Brendan Foley 22 Sep 2021 02:26 PDT 18-19 September 2021
RS Aero Irish Open National Championship 2021 © Afloat.ie

Hammy Baker of Strangford Lough has won the RS Aero Irish National Championships on a very impressive score of three first places with a discard of a sixth. The RS Aero Irish Nationals sponsored by Irish National Marine Services were held this Saturday and Sunday at the Irish National Sailing Club in Dun Laoghaire. The event welcomed 18 RS Aeros with a stellar line up of top class competitors and those newer to the class looking to learn and bring on their racing. All sailors choose to compete in the RS Aero 7 rig. Class President, Brendan Foley was delighted "With 18 of the 30 RS Aeros in Ireland competing here today, the Aero class has really arrived - there are few other classes where so many past champions in other classes are sailing together and so many new people are starting their racing journey, all in a friendly, sharing environment".

On the water, Baker was pushed hard by Howth's Paul McMahon who opened the series on the Saturday with a win in frustratingly light and fickle winds. Only just for McMahon, as Roy Van Maanen who had been leading started to sail an extra lap - letting McMahon in, who in his excitement roll gybed so hard he fell out of his boat. A quick re-righting was enough to get McMahon across the line in first. Noel Butler of the National Yacht Club was second and Sean Craig back to try his hand at Aeros got into the third spot. So light was the wind after race one, that Race Officer Michael Conway of Wexford decided after a wait to abandon and send the fleet home.

Thankfully, Sunday brought the much awaited breeze gusting at times into the low twenties. A clear 1,2,3, emerged in these conditions with Hammy, Paul and Daragh Sheridan (Howth YC) consistently in the top 3. Hard hiking, playing the shifts and good waves technique downwind were the order of the day and while the first three places were secured a massive battle was going on for fourth between Brendan Foley of the Royal St George YC, Noel Butler and Robert Howe (ex UK Laser ace) now sailing from Monkstown Bay SC. All three boats finished on 14 points with the tie-break falling in favour of Butler in 4th, Foley in 5th and Howe in 6th. Howe's clubmate Emmet O'Sullivan was fast in heavy condition and put in a very credible 9th with another Monkstown Bay sailor Robbie Sullivan swopping his RS400 for a blast in the RS Aero and coming home in 11th.

In this brilliant one design fleet places were being traded faster than bitcoin, with a missed shift or bad tack resulting in places lost or gained. Debutant competitors from Greystones SC, Conor Galligan (10th) and Adam Leddy (12th), loved their introduction into the RS Aero class and put in strong performances in a field stacked with champions. The first Master was Sean Craig of the Royal St George YC in 7th place who just edged Van Maanen of Greystones and George in 8th place and second Master. Emmet O'Sullivan was third Master.

13th was lucky for some with Sarah 'Skinny' Dwyer battling her 7 rig around the course to win the first Lady prize. Normally a 5 rig sailor, completing all 4 races in a 7 was a great achievement and Skinny along with many of the competitors, as their legs were aching, dreamed of the possibility of a forthcoming 6 rig. Demand for the 6 rig is expected to be high with sailors interested in the option to move up from the RS Aero 5 and down from the RS Aero 7. The RS Aero 6, similar to the ILCA 6, is tipped to be boat of choice for many sailors in Ireland.

Race management legend Robin Gray was first Grand Master in 14th with club mate from Ballyholme Christina Cunningham coming home in 15th place, who like Skinny is normally an RS Aero 5 sailor but stuck it out to get her RS Aero 7 around the track. John Phelan of Howth YC, Mick Mc Cambridge of National YC and Keith Maxwell of East Down YC certainly equipped themselves well in the very challenging conditions on the Sunday. Protest Committee Chair Gordon Davies was sad to not meet any of the competitors as there were no protests.

Joan Sheffield, Captain of the host Irish National Sailing Club presented the prizes in beautiful sunshine overlooking Dublin bay from their stunning outdoor roof deck. There was great buzz and everyone is looking forward to the next event at Greystones on 23/24th of October.

Full results available here (PDF format).

Related Articles

RS Aero Open at Draycote Water
The 13 strong club entries were bolstered with 4 visitors The 2nd event of 3 on the RS Aero UK Midlands circuit was hosted by Draycote Water SC with 17 RS Aeros arriving to be greeted with champagne sailing conditions that just improved as the day progressed. Posted on 1 Jul
RS Aero Lago Maggiore International Regatta
7th edition sees 45 boats from 10 different countries The pretty Italian town of Cannobio on the shore of beautiful Lake Maggiore in Northern Italy saw 45 RS Aeros from 10 different countries, split across three rig sizes racing for three days. Posted on 19 Jun
RS Aeros at Lymington Town
There were no discards, no dress rehearsals Seventeen RS Aeros turned out to enjoy the Lymington RS Aero Open and were blessed with blue skies and a moderate sea breeze. The fleet raced together on PY using corrected time scoring with RS Aero 6s, 7s and 9s represented. Posted on 22 May
RS Northern Championships at Strangford Lough
Tight racing across the RS Aero, RS200 and RS400 classes The RS Northern Championships came to Strangford Lough Yacht Club in County Down, producing some tight racing across the RS Aero, RS200 and RS400 classes. Posted on 19 May
RS Aero Spring Championships at Island Barn
Sunshine and warmth all day with winds from 5 to 15 knots, with a 25 knot squall This great class came again to Island Barn for its 2025 Spring Championships on 10th May. We had sunshine and warmth all day and out of a cloudless sky came winds ranging from 5 to 15 knots, with a remarkable short squall of over 25 knots - not sure why. Posted on 14 May
2025 RS Aero Europeans at Lake Garda overall
Almost 120 competitors took part in the event at Circolo Vela Arco The RS Aero European Championships 2025 concluded on Sunday 27 April on Lake Garda, Trentino, organised by Circolo Vela Arco in collaboration with the Italian Sailing Federation and the RS Aero Italian and International Class Associations. Posted on 28 Apr
2025 RS Aero Europeans at Lake Garda Day 1
Four races completed on the first day despite uncertain weather The RS Aero European Championships 2025 officially kicked off today on the northern shores of Lake Garda, hosted by Circolo Vela Arco in collaboration with the Italian Sailing Federation and the RS Aero Class Associations, both Italian and International. Posted on 24 Apr
2025 RS Aero Europeans at Lake Garda Preview
110 sailors from 15 nations are set for racing at Circolo Vela Arco Everything is ready at Circolo Vela Arco for the start of the 2025 RS Aero European Championships, which will kick off on Wednesday, 24 April, on the stunning waters of northern Lake Garda. Posted on 23 Apr
RS Aero UK Winter Training at Restronguet
The turnout was at the maximum: 21 boats The penultimate RS Aero Winter Training Weekend was held at Restronguet SC over the weekend 29/30th March, marked by Spring tides and the change of clocks on Sunday to keep the participants on their toes. Posted on 3 Apr
RS Fest Miami 2025
Miami, nicknamed the magic city, really did dial up the magic this weekend RS Fest Miami 2025 promised a true celebration of all things RS, and it didn't disappoint! The RS Tera, RS Feva, RS Aero, and RS21 fleets, absolutely sent it racing around Biscayne Bay, and they celebrated in style on shore at Coconut Grove Sailing Club. Posted on 2 Apr
Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_cruise BOTTOMBarton Marine Pipe GlandsNorth Sails Loft 57 Podcast