After the flurry of Christmas and New Year events the RS Aero UK Winter Series is now three events in, each of those part of the GJW SailJuice series. This winter the Aero series visits 10 locations, spread over the length and breadth of the UK. With only 3 events required to qualify most sailors should be able to pick two nearby events and only need to travel any distance once. Three new locations are included this winter with Blithfield, Wimbleball and Island Barn all fresh on the series. As per previous editions at least one of the counted results must be the UK Winter Championships at Oxford (18 February) or the UK Spring Championships at Island Barn (25 March).
Nineteen RS Aeros competed in last Saturday’s whopping 287 entry Bloody Mary with the RS Aero 7 and RS Aero 9s each qualifying for fleet status and Vodka! In a light wind showdown the five lead RS Aero 9s all finished tightly within 7 places of each other enjoying some very close, if slow, racing. Peter Chaplin (Burghfield) regained his lead to take the 9s and Daniel Wigmore (Grafham) took the 7s.
Twenty eight RS Aeros are now on the series score board with nine having two results so far. Chris Larr (Northampton) holds the top spot after a steady 3, 4 with Daniel Wigmore in 2nd with a 2,8. Equal 3rd overall so far are John Hobson (Notts County) and Peter Craggs (York RI) with a 5,6 each.
However, keep an eye out for the winners of the RS Aeros at these early events featuring in the later results; Paul Bartlett (Starcross) won at Yorkshire’s Brass Monkey, Tim Hire (Royal Lymington) won at Grafham and Peter Chaplin won Aeros at the Bloody Mary. Top Youth so far is Tim, narrowly ahead of Matt Evans (Great Moor). Lead Lady is Jackie Craven (Yorkshire Dales), just pipping Emma Pearson (Weston).
Next up is the Steve Nicholson Trophy at Northampton on 28th January in aid of Asthma UK, twelve RS Aeros are signed up including a visitor from the Italy! Then to the south west for the Starcoss Steamer on 5th February on the pretty Exe Estuary before heading back up to Blithfield in the Midlands on the 12th.
Full details of RS Aero UK events for 2017 can be found on the UK event page http://www.rsaerosailing.org/index.asp?p=events&rg=UK
with regular updates also on the facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/rsaeroclass/
Several events, including some of the winter series, have charter boats available kindly provided by RS. Check out the individual event pages for details.