2025 RS Aero European Championships at Circolo Vela Arco - Preview
by Elena Giolai 23 Apr 21:36 BST
24-27 April 2025
RS Aero fleet © Elena Giolai
Everything is ready at Circolo Vela Arco for the start of the 2025 RS Aero European Championships, which will kick off on Wednesday, 24 April, on the stunning waters of northern Lake Garda.
The event is organised in collaboration with the Italian Sailing Federation, the Italian RS Aero Class, and the International RS Aero Class, and will see 110 sailors from 15 nations take to the water: Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United States.
The impressive international turnout confirms Lake Garda's reputation as one of the world's premier venues for top-level sailing competitions. The event will feature five days of racing, with up to four races per day, for a total of 11 scheduled races using the high-performance, ultra-light RS Aero dinghy. Each race is planned with a target duration of around 40 minutes.
All RS Aero rigs will be on the water: 5, 6, 7 and 9, with a special focus on youth sailing. The Championship will also award Youth titles (Under 17 and Under 22), with Italy strongly represented in the younger categories compared to the senior fleet, thanks in particular to athletes from Sardinia, Lazio and Puglia.
The youth categories include:
- RS Aero 5 Youth Male & Female (U17 & U22)
- RS Aero 6 Youth Female (U22)
- RS Aero 7 Youth Male (U22)
Prizes will also be awarded in the Master category (Men 55+, Women 45+) and for senior women's categories, competing in RS Aero 5 and 6.
But the Arco Europeans will also be about solidarity. As seen during the 2023 World Championships in Sardinia, the International Class has once again launched a fundraising initiative in support of Ukraine, a country still suffering from the ongoing war.
Peter Barton, International RS Aero Class Manager, explained the initiative: "During these European Championships, we'll be offering small Ukrainian flag stickers to be placed on sails next to each sailor's national flag, as a sign of support. Donations can be directed towards three humanitarian organisations of choice, supporting children's aid, medical relief and refugees in Ukraine. QR codes for each charity will be available at registration."
Among the supporters of the initiative are Boris Mezhibovskiy, born in Kherson—a city devastated by flooding following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam—now competing for the United States, and Sofia Naumenko, a Ukrainian sailor and reigning RS Aero 6 European and World Champion.
The event programme includes:
- Opening Ceremony on the evening of Wednesday 23 April
- Competitor Briefing at 11:00 on Thursday, with the first possible start at 13:00
All official documents, race notices and results are available here.