Write-Up

RS AERO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - Hayling Island, UK, 26/30th August

175 entries representing 18 countries descended on Hayling Island Sailing Club for the 6^th RS Aero World Championship. 14 races were scheduled over 5 days and Hayling Island, as always, promised a good variety of wind, wave and tidal conditions.

All four rig sizes RS Aero 5, 6, 7 & 9 were represented, allowing sailors from 45-115kg and aged from 14-70 years old to complete in their preferred sail size. The largest Class is the RS Aero 7 with 64 entries. The RS Aero 5 is the next largest Class with 50 entries and achieves gender parity with a approximate 50% male/female split! 

The Championship celebrated all the 18 competing nations with a flag parade through Haying Island Sailing Club’s fine beach waterfront followed by the Welcome and Opening Ceremony. Throughout 2024 the RS Aero Class celebrates its 10th anniversary with ten years of impressive growth and enjoyment to sailors worldwide. A mammoth 10^th anniversary cake for the 175 entries celebrated the occasion, the sixth celebration cake at RS Aero championships this year!

The fun and action was not just be confined to the water with Hayling Island Sailing Club’s wonderful clubhouse, waterfront and fantastic parties. Saturday’s Abba band night was awesome and early enough to recover in time for Monday’s first race. After the opening celebrations on Sunday, the Class dinner was on the Tuesday and Thursday evening saw a BBQ and one of Hayling’s famous disco nights. The Championship closed with the Grand Awards Ceremony after racing on Friday 30^th!

In each Class the World titles were hotly contested between a mix of previous Worlds medallists, up and coming new talent and a few new hotshots tempted into the RS Aero Class from other Classes. Each morning offered another glamour sunny day with yet another wind direction to test the sailors representing 18 Nations.

DAY 1
On Monday morning 175 entries representing 18 countries set sail to open Day 1 of the 6^th RS Aero World Championships at Hayling Island Sailing Club. Conditions were absolutely glorious - Hayling at its best! A ‘fresh but not frightening’ breeze of 14-18kn with gusts touching 20kn kicked up some peachy waves for surfing the featherweight RS Aeros down the off wind legs. Two separate race areas were used Hayling Bay and Bracklesham Bay, with two RS Aero Classes on each to split the 175 RS Aeros. Each Class sailed its own inner or outer loop course, avoiding any coming together of the four Classes. 3 races were held of the 14 races that are scheduled over 5 days, as always, promises a good variety of wind, wave and tidal conditions.

With the wind set to ease during the week tired legs will have a welcome rest. The variety of conditions that Hayling offers means competitors ranging from 45-115kg weight and aged from 14-70 years old can compete in their preferred sail size and over the week there will be opportunity for everyone the make there mark.

Who is showing early form? In the RS Aero 5s the Estonian team won all 3 races between them with Andrias Sillaste (EST) toping the sheet with a 1,2,7.

In the RS Aero 6s GBR, IRL and UKR won a race each. Tom Ahlheid (GBR) tops the score with a 1,4,4, whilst RS Aero European Champion Sofiia Naumenko (UKR) suffered a UFD with a 2, UFD, 1.

The Laser Lads are schooling the RS Aero 7 Class on downwind technique weaving away from the fleet down-wind after the top mark. Finley Dickinson (GBR) leads with a 1,1,2.

The RS Aero 9s had an exciting time surfing their big rigs downwind. In the lead is Ben Flower (CAN) from Peter Barton (GBR).

DAY 2
Day 2 provided glorious sunshine and lighter breezes that were welcome after the excitement and weary bodies from the fresh breeze the day before. The 175 entries are split over two courses and rotate each day for maximum variety of conditions. The day started with about 10kn dropping to about 5kn by the end of racing which allowed all competitors, biggies and litteluns, to have an opportunity at the front over the four rig sizes. 3 races were completed again on each course and the variety of conditions saw plenty of movement in the results sheet.

In the RS Aero 5s Roscoe Martin (GBR) won 2 races to take the lead from UK Class coach Sammy Isaacs-Johnson (GBR) in 2^nd overall. Ex RS Aero World Youth Champion Jonathan Bailey (GBR) jumps up to 3^rd with a 7,1,2.

In the RS Aero 6s RS Aero European Champion Sofiia Naumenko (UKR) managed to drop her UFD to take the lead with a solid 2,2,5. Dan Venables (GBR) won the day with a 1,6,1 to jump to 2^nd with past RS Aero 5 World Champ Andrew Frost (GBR) up to 3^rd with a 6,1,4.

The RS Aero 7 Class sees Finley Dickinson (GBR) one point ahead of Arthur Farley (GBR) with Tim Hire (GBR) in 3^rd. 

The RS Aero 9s enjoyed the benefits of their generous sail size in the lighter breeze. In the final race Peter Barton (GBR) took the win as the wind softened. Sweden’s Erik Wahlberg (SWE) had a great day with 2,3,3 for a solid 3rd overall at the half way stage.

After racing competitors enjoyed a drink at the tally board thanks to support from Seldon and in the evening Selden provided a generous spread of prizes for the Daily Awards where the lead sailors gave their Top-Tips on what worked well for them that day.

DAY 3
Day 3 provided similar conditions to Day 2 with glorious sunshine and a breeze of 6-11kn, softening though the day. The 175 entries are split over two courses and on Day 3 the RS Aero 5&6s were on Bracklesham Bay and the RS Aero 7&9s were on Hayling Bay. The race team did a great job to follow the wind as it veered to achieve 3 races again on each course.

In the RS Aero 5s Roscoe Martin (GBR) maintained the lead from UK Class coach Sammy Isaacs-Johnson (GBR) in 2^nd overall. Georgia Booth (GBR) stepped up to 3^rd with a race win. In the RS Aero 6s RS Aero European Champion Sofiia Naumenko (UKR) had consistent results to maintain her lead from her chasers. Jon Emmett (GBR) won the day with a 1,1,9 to step up to 5^th.

The RS Aero 7 Class saw Finley Dickinson (GBR) take two more bullets for a good lead. The other race win went to Joe Rowe (GBR) who moved up to 5^th. The RS Aero 9s enjoyed the benefits of their generous sail size in the lighter breeze again, with just enough breeze to surf the waves in the first race. Peter Barton (GBR) took two race wins. In the other race Richard Watsham (GBR) took the win after Peter who crossed the finish first again was UFD.  

After racing drinks and Aero bars were provided by RS Sailing at the tally board and the Daily Awards were supplied thanks to Rooster. On Day 4, Thursday, after racing drinks and the Daily Awards with Top-Tips are supported by Selden. Thursday night saw a BBQ followed by one of Hayling Island SC’s legendary disco nights to see us into the final day of racing!

DAY 4
Day 4 provided a 4th 3 race day. It all started light with the sea breeze coming in strong on the RS Aero 7&9 course on Bracklesham Bay in time for the second race, and a little later on the Hayling Bay course for the RS Aero 5&6s.

Georgia Booth (GBR) scored a 1,2,7 in the RS Aero 5s to take a 1 point lead going into the final day from Jonathan Bailey (GBR) in 2nd who in turn had a 1 point lead over Roscoe Martin (GBR) in 3rd.

Harrison Pye (GBR) won the day in the RS Aero 6s with a 3,1,4. Sofiia Naumenko (UKR) maintained a 5 point lead overall with a solid 4,4,9 from Andrew Frost (GBR) in who kept it close with a 2,11,5 and Dan Venables (GBR) in 3rd, just 1 point up on Sam Blaker (GBR) in 4th.

With an impressive 1,1,2 Finley Dickinson (GBR) all but sealed the title in the RS Aero 7s, whilst the other win went to Joe Rowe (GBR).

In the RS Aero 9s Peter Barton (GBR) took the first race chased by Sweden's Erik Wahlberg (SWE). The sea breeze kicked in with a large shift during the first beat of race 3 providing some shuffles and come-backs, with exciting down-winds as the waves quickly picked up.

DAY 5 & OVERALL
After a postponement there was enough wind to launch the fleet in the hope of two final races. Unfortunately the RS Aero 5&6 s did not manage a race on Bracklesham Bay so the Day 4 results were the final standings. The RS Aero 7&9s did manage one race on Hayling Bay in an offshore NE wind which was gusty, shifty and patchy ranging from 5-10kn. 

Richard Watsham (GBR) picked it right to take his second win in the series in the RS Aero 9s - your 'only as good as your last race' leaves Richard favourite for next year's Worlds!

Finley Dickinson (GBR) scored his eighth win in the RS Aero 7s, whilst the sole female in the RS Aero 7s, Ellie Craig (GBR), took 2nd in the final race. That left the top spots unchanged with Finley Dickinson (GBR) World Champ from Arthur Farley (GBR) in 2nd and Tim Hire (GBR) 3rd. 

THANK YOU to all the supporters of the RS Aero World Championships. Rooster supported the prizes and had their tent onsite for any kit needs. They supplied the RS Aero Worlds event shirts. RS Sailing supplied a large fleet of charter RS Aeros and provided their event support including apres sailing drinks at the tally board! Selden supported our daily awards and apres sailing drinks at the tally board! Harken supported daily awards and Noble Marine are long-term supporters.
THANK YOU also to all the volunteers and staff at HISC who made the RS Aero Worlds such a great success, and to the 175 competitors who supported the event!

The RS Aero World Championship raised £1060 to support the charity Macmillan Cancer Support via the RS Bike Challenge fundraiser, with a raffle for a brand new RS Aero sail kindly provided by RS Sailing and won by long term RS Aero 5 sailor Emily Davis at the prize giving. Details of the bike challenge are here;  https://www.rssailing.com/rsaerocyclechallenge/

PHOTOS
A full gallery of photos thanks to Oli King
HISC Gallery
RS Aero Website Summer 2024 Gallery
FACEBOOK ALBUMS
Ashore - Preparation, Flag Parade, Opening Ceremony, Band, Disco , Prize Giving & Supporters!
RS Aero 5
RS Aero 6
RS Aero 7
RS Aero 9

NEXT YEAR's 7th RS Aero World Championship is in Quiberon France from 28th July - 2nd August, 2025 and includes the 2025 RS Aero Youth Worlds within it.

Results

View Full Results File