RS Aero Youth World Championship at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy - Day 3
by RS Aero International Class Association 27 Jul 2022 18:05 PDT
25-29 July 2022
Day 3 was another tricky day for the 73 RS Aero competitors at their Youth World Championship. With a maximum of 10 knots and some big shifts, the race course was full of opportunity beyond just a boat speed match, thus providing further variety to this championship so far Two more races, Races 7 & 8, were completed.
In the RS Aero 5s Tom Ahlheid (GBR) retains his lead with a couple of solid counters whist Jonathan Bailey (GBR) continued his charge with a 1,4 to close the gap to just 2 points. Sam Blaker (GBR) has a solid 3rd overall with a stead series so far.
The story of the day was the big climbers. Teddy Dunn (GBR) of the Isle of Man bounced up to 4th with a 9,2 and Thomas Kuntze (FRA) to 6th with a 2,9. Abby Hire (GBR) stepped up to be lead Female in 8th with a 10, 3 whilst Noa Moskovitch (GBR) was another sailor revelling in the lighter conditions with a 7,8 to leapfrog up 10 places! They say you are only as good as your last race and it was Lily Barrett (GBR) who won that in the RS Aero 5s today.
Abby Hire (GBR) summed up the challenges in the 53 boat RS Aero 5 fleet; "The tactics of Race 7 were dominated by a strong left hand shift, which made keeping a lane off the start line even more important. The shift benefitted those who went left; meaning the next upwind was catch up for many others. It was a day of high mode in the flat water, keeping your head out the boat for shifts and pressure and to keep chipping away as opportunities were plentiful. Race 8 saw the wind drop further, making the shifts even more critical in sailing the best course. The Race was shortened so the finish was at the windward mark of the second lap."
The RS Aero 7s also saw new faces at the front of the fleet gaining points on the leaders. The Race 7 went to Vejas Strelciunas (LTU) again, business as usual. In Race 8 Davide Mulas (ITA) showed his light wind speed to tqke the win. That left Davide 2nd on the day's results with 5,1 just behind day winner Tim Hire (GBR) with a solid 2,3.
Carl Furhoff (SWE) gained a 4th in Race 8; "Today was mostly light winds with the need to keep track of where the wind was coming from and where the most breeze was located. It was important to tack on the wind shifts, which proved vital in the last race."
Jack Miller (GBR) had a steady day retaining his 4th overall; "The RS Aero fleet launched in about 10 knots of wind from the South East to race Portland Harbour today with plenty of space for the inner and outer loops course again after the 170 RS Fevas cleared the track after the last race of their Worlds.
The wind was relatively constant for Race 7 but with some shifts. The corners of the course seemed to pay and leaders came from both sides, the top 7 were relatively close with plenty of overtakes occurring.
Throughout the day the wind was dying, Race 8 was started in about 8 knots of breeze with a bit of starboard bias. The Italians got off to a flying start, however Filippo Vincis (ITA) was over the start line early. With the series leaders out of the mix at the first mark the win was up for grabs and it was Davide Mulas (ITA) who held his lead to take the winners gun."
Check out the results at www.rssailing.com/rs-games-results
Check out the photos of the day by Digital Sailing via www.digitalsailing.co.uk
Thanks to all the supporters of the RS Games; RS Sailing, Rooster, Selden, Harken, Noble Marine, Kingfisher Yacht Ropes, LifeJacket Skin Protection, Spinlock, Fernhurst Books, Hyde Sails, MarkSetBot, Digital Sailing and Allen Sailing.