Right at the start, a minor technical drama arose: The anchor of the starting barge apparently had a mind of its own. This caused the starting line to shift several times during the starting sequence. It was a curious moment that made us all chuckle a little, but we didn't let it deter us and started normally, ushering in a weekend full of varied encounters and minor mishaps. The topic of whether the RS Aero launching cars can float was also discussed in depth this weekend and finally settled. The result of the self-experiment – ​​no, they can't.
Things got particularly exciting in the RS Aero 7 class, where Marcus Walther once again demonstrated his driving prowess and led the first two races comfortably. However, in the third race, a quick maneuver on the first leg—a critical moment in which he impeded two boats and incurred two penalty turns—forced him to fall behind. This incident marked the start of a veritable comeback, in which Marcus sailed across the field to ultimately secure second place.
On Sunday, everyone awoke to a stiff northeast breeze with gusts over 20 knots. Two more races were scheduled, although the starting line set in the harbour entrance between the piers caused some surprise. From there, the race began with four laps of the up-and-down course, which crossed Langener Waldsee and tested the participants' stamina. Naturally, capsizes were inevitable in the difficult wind conditions. A highlight of the weekend was the battle on the last downwind leg of the final race between Marcus WALTHER and Jurgen FLEHR and the photo finish, which Jurgen ultimately won.
The top 3 of the RS Aero 7 looked as follows:
While the spectacle unfolded in the RS Aero 7, things were a little quieter in the RS Aero 6 – but by no means less impressive. Juliane BARTHEL remained undefeated except for the fourth race, clearly securing first place in her class. The top 3 in the RS Aero 6s were as follows:
Thanks go to the organisers, the Dreieich Sailing Club Langen, and the race directors, who ensured smooth sailing even during the most turbulent moments.
The next event is next weekend (April 12–13, 2025) in Biblis, with hopefully just as many motivated sailors and interesting races.
RS Aero German Class Website
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