RS Aero World Championship at Hayling Island Sailing Club - Preview
by RS Aero International Class Association 25 Aug 17:51 BST
26-30 August 2024
RS Aero World Championship © Steve Geenwood
175 entries representing 18 countries are descending on Hayling Island Sailing Club for the 6th RS Aero World Championship. 14 races are scheduled over 5 days and Hayling Island, as always, promises a good variety of wind, wave and tidal conditions.
All four rig sizes RS Aero 5, 6, 7 and 9 are represented, allowing sailors from 45-100kg and aged from 14-70 years old to complete in their preferred sail size. The largest Class is the RS Aero 7 with about 72 entries. The RS Aero 5 is the next largest Class with 55 entries and achieves gender parity with a approximate 50% male/female split! In each Class the World titles will be 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.
The Championship will celebrate all the competing nations with a flag parade through Haying Island Sailing Club's fine 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 10th anniversary cake for the 175 entries will celebrate the occasion, the sixth celebration cake at RS Aero championships this year!
The fun and action will not just be confined to the water with Hayling Island Sailing Club's wonderful clubhouse, waterfront and fantastic parties. Already sailors are hoping to recover from Saturday's Abba band night in time for Monday's first race. After the opening celebrations on Sunday, the Class dinner is Tuesday. Thursday evening offers a BBQ and one of Hayling's famous disco nights. The Championship closes with the Grand Awards Ceremony after racing on Friday 30th!
Thank you to all the supporters of the RS Aero World Championships! Rooster are supporting the prizes and have their tent onsite for any kit needs. They are supplying the RS Aero Worlds event shirts. RS Sailing are supplying a large fleet of charter RS Aeros and are providing their event support including apres sailing drinks at the tally board! Selden are supporting our daily awards and Tuesday's apres sailing drinks at the tally board! Harken are supporting daily awards and Noble Marine are long-term supporters.
The RS Aero World Championship will 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. Details of the bike challenge are here.
Results as they happen can be seen via the Online Notice Board.