RS Aero UK Women's Championship at Notts County Sailing Club
by Rebecca Ogden 10 Oct 2025 04:24 PDT
27-28 September 2025
RS Aero UK Women's Championship at Notts County © Notts County SC
The much-anticipated 2025 RS Aero UK Women's Championships were held on the weekend of the 26/27th September at Notts County Sailing Club. Competitors arrived bright and early on the Saturday morning to a nice light breeze and overcast conditions. All fingers were crossed the wind held out as forecasts were somewhat varied for the weekend ahead. Overall, the event saw 29 women take part, on a mix of RS Aero 5,6 and 7 rigs.
Saturday saw a day of training from Sammy Issacs-Johnson and Sam Blaker, ably supported by local male RS Aero sailors also trying to get some hints and tips! After running through some rigging tips, the fleet headed onto the water to do some tacking and gybing practice. After a quick stop for lunch, we went straight in to starting practice with three rolling starts in to a beat (a new one on me!). After some leeward mark mayhem exercises (if you know, you know!), the fleet headed back in for a debrief and some (well-earned) cake.
As always, Notts County bought their A game for off the water entertainment, with an evening curry and pig racing. Well done to Paula Kent for taking the crown!
Sunday was the Championship Series and arrived a bit too soon for several of the sailors (including myself). Foggy, overcast with very light winds, the race team, headed by Race Officer Ross Ryan, were ready and raring to go for the 10.30am start. Only for it to come and go as the wind failed to materialise. Fast forward 45 minutes and the wind began to settle, and the sun even started to make an appearance. After a quick rejig of the racecourse, the fleet were out and racing.
Iona Willows (Hayling Island) showed us all how to do it in the RS Aero 7 fleet, with four wins. Behind her there was some closer racing going on in the challenging "head out of the boat" conditions. In the first race, Stephanie Gunn (Notts County) edged into second place ahead of Sophie Stockton (Claires Court) on the finish line, after going round the righthand gate mark instead of the left. Sophie was second in the next two races though, ahead of Catherine Hide (Tynemouth) and Karen Larr (Draycote Water) respectively. Karen held her nerve and made good decisions in the almost non-existent wind of race 4 to finish second, overtaking Stephanie who had rounded the first mark first but then tied knots in her mainsheet and went the wrong way. Sophie finished second overall, followed by Stephanie in third (first Master).
Further down the fleet of 8 it was often close with the start crucial and looking for any wind shifts to gain an advantage. All the 7 rigs managed to hold off the top end of the 6 fleet making for clean rounding for all fleets. Of all fleets the 7s attracted the most master, or even grand master sailors which is encouraging for a class looking to encourage participation at any age and gender.
In the RS Aero 6 fleet, new to the class, Alice Hyde (Carsington) took three race wins and a second to secure victory. Closely followed by Rebecca Ogden (Notts County) taking two seconds and a first to count. Cathy Lunn (Leigh and Lowton) secured third overall (first master). With an almost constant right-hand swing, the wind remained consistent into the afternoon, only dropping for the final race.
The RS Aero 5 fleet was a lot more changeable with Gwyneth Lanyon (Notts County), just pipping Ava Francis (Lymington Town) to first on countback (both with 5 points after a discard). Anka Staite (Hayling Island) and Carol Fiddaman (Hayling Island) fought it out for third place with Anka (first master) coming out on top.
Thanks to everyone involved in creating and being part of such an excellent weekend, especially the people behind the scenes working hard over the last few months. Many thanks to our Class sponsors, Rooster, who supported with a generous spread of awards for the prize-giving.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Division | Sail No | Helm | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Pts |
|---|
| RS Aero 5 Fleet |
|---|
| 1 | Youth | 1717 | Gwyneth Lanyon | Notts County SC | ‑4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 2 | Youth | 1715 | Ava Francis | Lymington Town SC | 1 | ‑2 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 3 | Master | 4393 | Anka Staite | Hayling Island | ‑6.5 | 5.5 | 4 | 1 | 10.5 |
| 4 | Master | 4286 | Carol Fiddaman | Hayling Island | 5 | ‑7 | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| 5 | Youth | 1921 | Alice Semenenko | Chew Valley SC | 3 | ‑8 | 6 | 5 | 14 |
| 6 | Youth | 3351 | Ellie Rush | Notts County SC | 2 | 3 | (DNC) | DNC | 15 |
| 7 | Youth | 3496 | Georgia Riddell | Notts County SC | ‑8 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 17 |
| 8 | | 1002 | Eleonora Langfeldt | Walton & Frinton YC | 6.5 | 5.5 | 5 | ‑7 | 17 |
| 9 | Youth | 4090 | Jemima Day | Hayling Island | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 30 |
| RS Aero 6 Fleet |
|---|
| 1 | | 4307 | Alice Hyde | Carsinton SC | 1 | 1 | 1 | ‑2 | 3 |
| 2 | | 4373 | Rebecca Ogden | Notts County SC | 2 | 2 | ‑5 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | Master | 4500 | Cathy Lunn | Leight and Lowton SC | 3 | ‑8 | 2 | 7 | 12 |
| 4 | Master | 4640 | Zoe Meynell | Scaling Dam SC | 5 | 4 | ‑6 | 3 | 12 |
| 5 | Youth | 3321 | Rebecca Knock | Port Dinoric | 7 | 3 | 3 | ‑9 | 13 |
| 6 | Youth | 1156 | Ariadne Doel | Notts County SC | ‑6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 13 |
| 7 | Youth | 4590 | Lotte Langfeldt | Walton and Frinton YC | 4 | ‑9 | 8 | 5 | 17 |
| 8 | Master | 4602 | Fiona Spence | Yorkshire Dales SC | 8 | 7 | ‑9 | 6 | 21 |
| 9 | Master | 1088 | Julia Allan | Bassenthwaite SC | 9 | 6 | ‑10 | 8 | 23 |
| 10 | Master | 1001 | Paula Kent | Yorkshire Dales SC | ‑10 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 27 |
| 11 | | 1316 | Helen Pennock | Bartley SC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 36 |
| RS Aero 7 Fleet |
|---|
| 1 | | 1156 | lona Willows | Hayling Island SC | ‑1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 2 | | 2362 | Sophie Stockton | Claires Court SC | 3 | 2 | 2 | ‑4 | 7 |
| 3 | Master | 1178 | Stephanie Gunn | Notts County SC | 2 | ‑5 | 4 | 3 | 9 |
| 4 | Master | 1888 | Karen Larr | Draycote Water SC | 6 | ‑7 | 3 | 2 | 11 |
| 5 | | 8 | Catherine Hide | Tynmouth SC | 4 | 3 | ‑5 | 5 | 12 |
| 6 | Master | 2184 | Kathryn Hinsliff‑Smith | Notts County SC | ‑7 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 17 |
| 7 | Master | 2573 | Annabel James | Exe SC | ‑8 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 19 |
| 8 | | 4277 | Cheryl Wood | Notts County SC | 5 | ‑8 | 8 | 8 | 21 |
| 9 | Master | 2981 | Alison Goodall | Notts County SC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 30 |
Next up for the UK RS Aeros through October is the RS Aero UK River Champs at Avon SC in Glos on 11th, followed by the Itchenor RS Aero Open on Chichester Harbour on the 18th. The month ends with our RS Aero UK Inland Championship at Oxford on 25/26th that doubles as our UK Youth and Masters Champs too.
RS Aero UK Events List