A total of 34 RS Aeros joined the Lymington Dinghy Regatta and this year with a fresh breeze forecast they Class raced in two good fleets of RS Aero 5s and RS Aero 7s.

 

Saturday was tough with a day of beating against the tide over the two lap trapezium course. Judging lay lines out into the tide was critical, as was a good set of hiking legs! Sailors were rewarded with fun downwind reaches and runs, catching some west Solent waves on the way.

 

Sunday morning saw the last of the ebb tide providing a helping free ride upwind - and also across the start line for the unwary! A flicking southerly breeze coming down from over the island provided an abundance of opportunity and for it not all to be about the tide. The breeze came in with a vengeance for the final race with some exciting running and gains to be made by weaving through the waves on the edge off control!

 

Both fleets were very close at the top with a point in each deciding the win. Sam Blaker (Thorpe Bay) and Tom Ahlheid (Frensham) went into the final RS Aero 5 race dead level. Unusually in this race neither made the top two but it was Sam's 3rd to Tom's 4th that won the event for him. In third place and top Lady was Abby Hire (Lymington) who won the 4th race, just beating Iona Willows (Lymington Town) overall by a point.

 

The RS Aero 7s were equally close with three RS Aeros out front trading blows in the fresh breeze. Going into the last race Tim Hire (Lymington) was a point behind Peter Barton (Lymington Town) with Greg Bartlett (Starcoss) a couple further back. Tim had to win the final race to secure the title. After chasing up the first beat Tim made some great gains on each of the two down winds with some decisive turning to pick a fast path through the building waves. In fourth place and all the way from Ireland was Daragh Sheridan (Howth) who ironed out a solid series as he prepares for next month's RS Aero European Championships at Lake Garda, Italy. Furthest travelled however were Duncan and Isabelle from Dalgety Bay, Scotland, who are enjoying the opportunity of fitting in a couple of RS Aero events around a holiday on the south coast.

 

Thanks to all the volunteers from both Lymington Town SC and Royal Lymington YC for another excellent regatta at Lymington. Thanks to the event sponsors Harken and Nick Cox Chandlers for the awesome prize haul.

 

Next up for the UK RS Aeros is the south coast weekender at Warsash on the central Solent on 17/18th July followed by the RS Aero Midland Championship at Staunton Harold on Saturday 24th July. The RS Aero UK Nationals at Hayling Island on 18-22th August is set to be a record breaker with 108 RS Aeros already entered!

 

PHOTOS thanks to Paul French 

Larger Photos in the Gallery

Full Album on Flickr