RS Aero Youth World Championship at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy - Day 2
by RS Aero International Class Association 26 Jul 2022 22:01 BST
25-29 July 2022
Day 2 began as promised, a day with opportunity for some of the smaller sailors to claw back a few points after a breezy day 1. This time the race course was out in the expanse of Weymouth Bay providing some lovely waves to catch on the down winds. Race officer Paul Jackson set the inner and outer loops course for the two fleets, the RS Aero 5s and RS Aero 7s.
The first race of the day, Race 4, was held in about 10kns with sizable oscillations in direction between west and north-west. However by 14:00 in time for Races 5 and 6 the breeze backed to a more stable south-westerly of 14-17kns.
Both fleets saw the importance of consistency to stay in the lead groups, together with several sailors climbing the fleet by managing to step it up on Day 2.
In the RS Aero 7s Vejas Strelciunas (LTU) extended his lead with a solid 3,1,1. Alastair Brown (GBR) jumped up the score sheet to 2nd with a 2,2,3 and Tim Hire (GBR) kept in touch with a 4,4,5 for 3rd. The big mover today was Filippo Vincis (ITA) with a race win to score a 1,3,4, sharing 4th overall with Jack Miller (GBR) who took a 2nd in the last race.
Luca Mitchell (GBR) was pleased with his 6th in the first race and keeping his top ten placing overnight; "I managed to challenge the big lads in the first race and then hung on as the wind piped up! The sun came out, sunscreen went on and we saw dolphins too - another glamour day!"
In the RS Aero 5s Tom Ahlheid (GBR) extended his lead with a 3,1 but also had a big one in the middle race with consistency hard earned in the 53 boat fleet with a changeable wind. The mover of the day was Jonathan Bailey (GBR) with a 1,1,8 to jump to 2nd overall, currently a few points clear of Sam Blaker (GBR) and David Peaty (GBR).
Jonathan Bailey summed up a tricky day out on the Bay; "Today's wind was very tricky with some big 40 degrees shifts making decisions on the beats difficult, while the varying wind strength meant being on it with moving the sail controls was very important. The hardest part of the day was the starts with light wind in the first race making it hard to get off the line and the black flags in the last race causing big mid-line sag."
The breeze looks set to be lighter again tomorrow on Day 3 providing something for everyone, making comebacks possible and creating challenges to those hoping to hang onto their leads.
Check out the results at www.rssailing.com/rs-games-results
Check out the photos of the day by Digital Sailing at www.digitalsailing.co.uk
Thanks to all the supporters of the RS Games; RS Sailing, Rooster, Selden, Harken, Noble Marine, Kingfisher Yacht Ropes, LifeJacket Skin Protection, Spinlock, Fernhurst Books, Hyde Sails, MarkSetBot, Digital Sailing and Allen Sailing.