3rd RS Aero World Championship at Black Rock Yacht Club - Day 3
by RS Aero International Class Association 2 Jan 2020 13:49 UTC
28 December 2019 - 4 January 2020
3rd RS Aero World Championship - Day 3 © Lynn Billowes
The 3rd RS Aero World Championship in Melbourne, Australia continued following a day off on New Year's Day. Conditions were splendid with 10 knots of wind increasing to 16 knots by the end off the day under clear blue skies and pleasantly hot but bearable temps.
Three back-to-back races were scheduled and the race officer got racing off promptly with a quick turn around between races.
The Port Phillip Bay waves built nicely providing some fantastic rides downwind as the agile RS Aeros veered and surfed around the crests.
The RS Aero 5 fleet saw three race winners Sophie Jackson AUS, Ned Stattersfield GBR and Kazuyoshi Nakao JPN taking the line honours. The top three overnight were Sophie Jackson AUS 1st, Megan Ridgway AUS 2nd and David Ellis GBR in 3rd.
The RS Aero 7s had some equally intense battles. Rhett Gowans AUS turned the tables with threes 1sts to draw level with Marc Jacobi USA who took three 2nds. Noah Rees GBR scored a couple more 3rds to complete the podium.
Liam Willis GBR tightened his grip on the RS Aero 9 champs with three more 1sts whilst Derek Bottles USA bounced up to 2nd overall with three 2nds.
At the daily Presso, Top-Tips were once again extracted from all the lead sailors to share for the good of Class sailors globally. Sophie felt arriving early at the race course for pre start checks, accumulating wind data and confirming settings were vital. Rhett provided an insight on how he so successfully catches wave after wave on the run and Liam spoke of the technique upwind through waves, combining body, tiller and mainsheet movement in sync.
Tomorrow the schedule is increased to four races in case strong wind and possible thunderstorms curtail play on Saturday.
Find full results here
More information at facebook.com/groups/rsaeroclass