Please select your home edition
Edition
Haven Knox-Johnston Commercial

RS Aero New South Wales State Championships at Balmoral Sailing Club

by RS Aero Australian Class 21 Feb 2018 14:43 GMT 3-4 February 2018
RS Aero New South Wales State Championships at Balmoral SC © Balmoral Sailing Club

Balmoral was the first Club in NSW to adopt the RS Aero and is now up to 10 boats. As the Class is so new in Australia the NSW Distributor and event sponsor, The Life Aquatic, hired Michael 'Fletch' Fletcher as the coach for the weekend to provide support and guidance to all competitors.

Fletcher's knowledge of unstayed rigs as the Olympic Finn and Laser coach over the years gives him a great insight into the RS Aeros and by the end of the event all sailors were sailing their boats way better than when they started!

After an evening training session on Friday, the event got underway on Saturday with three races. Conditions were 'interesting' with southerly winds in Middle Harbour creating a challenging, shifty race course. However the experience of the Balmoral Race management team meant the races got underway promptly and with a fair track.

Winner of the first race was class newcomer Phil Bookalil (Middle Harbour) sailing a chartered boat. An experienced Laser sailor and local he was able to get a grip on the shifts and put together an excellent race. He then backed that up with a win in the next race in the growing breeze. Simon Reffold (Balmoral SC) was OCS but Phil and Nick Collis-George (Balmoral SC) fought it out for the whole race, Phil finally getting the upper hand.

A rain squall bought well above 22 knots for the final race of the day and Simon executed a classic 'Bradbury', missing the carnage at the top mark and remaining upright for the rest of the race. Not far behind him current RS Aero 5 rig National Champion (but sailing 7 rig this weekend) Chris Brain, from Sugarloaf in Victoria, ended the day well with a second place.

The next day brought somewhat more sedate conditions, but local knowledge was again to play a vital role. Nick Collis-George came out the gate fast in the first race and when the breeze clapped out, was able to keep his boat rolling and extend to a comfortable victory. Thankfully the breeze came back up again and the fifth race was a close fought affair. This time Balmoral Commodore, Graham Hanna, was challenging the top four and managed a third place, just behind Nick and Phil who were by now cementing their positions.

In a solid 12-14 knots the last race was incredibly close with a blanket covering the top four at every mark. In the end Nick pipped Simon on the line to take the race and, convincingly, the Championship. Phil Bookalil was second and Chris Brain a tight third.

Overall Results: (top three)

1st - Nick Collis-George, Balmoral SC, Sydney, NSW
2nd - Phil Bookalil, Middle Harbour, Sydney, NSW
3rd - Chris Brain, Sugarloaf SC, VIC

Next Up:

The Australian National Championships for the RS Aero & RS200 is at Black Rock YC, VIC on 7th/8th April and also incorporates the RS100, Quest and Fevas.

The 4th RS Aero World Championships 2019/20 are set for the southern hemisphere and will be hosted at Port Stephens, New South Wales, Australia in December 2019.

Related Articles

Blairgowrie YS to host 2027 RS Aero Worlds
Popular yacht club in Victoria, Australia announce as venue for the event Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron (BYS), a popular yacht club in Victoria, Australia was announced as the venue to host the 2027 RS Aero World Championships. Posted on 31 Jan
RS Sailing at boot Düsseldorf
What's On The Stand? This year's exhibition marks a significant milestone for RS Sailing, highlighting the brand's continued growth, commitment to the sailing community, and three decades of innovation in the sport. Posted on 18 Jan
A Year of Celebration, Competition, and Community
RS Sailing reflects on an incredible year As we reflect on an incredible year, RS Sailing extends a heartfelt thanks to all the dedicated members of the racing community, from those organizing small local regattas to the passionate competitors and volunteers involved in events. Posted on 24 Dec 2024
Entry officially opens for RS Fest Miami 2025
The second edition of RS Sailing's multi-class event in North America Get ready for RS Fest Miami 2025! The second edition of RS Sailing's multi-class event in North America. The three-day regatta will be a celebration of all things RS – hosted in tropical Miami by Coconut Grove Sailing Club. Posted on 28 Nov 2024
European Team Race Youth RS Aero Champs overall
Italy 2 with Alice Sussarello and Filippo Vincis triumph in Cagliari After three splendid days of variable, but mostly sunny weather and wind always between 15 and 20 knots, the third edition of the RS Aero Youth Team Race European Championship ended with an extraordinary victory for Italy 2. Posted on 28 Oct 2024
RS Aero UK Inlands at Draycote Water
a weekend of variety for the 47 helms The RS Aero UK Inlands provided a weekend of variety for the 47 RS Aeros! Saturday saw sunshine and medium/light breezes with 4 races gifting a wonderfully pleasant autumn day's racing. The forecast for Sunday was quite the opposite. Posted on 28 Oct 2024
European Team Race Youth RS Aero Champs day 2
Alice Susarello and Filippo Vincis takes the lead at the conclusion of the round robin An intense second day of the RS Aero European Youth Team Race Championship, held in the picturesque Su Siccu basin (between Luna Rossa's base and the Marina di Bonaria) in Cagliari-Italy, ended today. Posted on 26 Oct 2024
European Team Race Youth RS Aero Champs day 1
37 matches completed out of the 66 scheduled for the round robin The first day of the European RS Aero Youth Team Race Championships in Cagliari opened with 37 matches completed out of the 66 scheduled for the round robin. Posted on 25 Oct 2024
RS Aero Youth Team Race Championships preview
The event starts in Cagliari, Sardinia on Friday Società Canottieri Ichnusa and Lega Navale del Sulcis the FIV clubs organising the continental team event. Posted on 24 Oct 2024
Salcombe RS Aero Open and UK Masters Champs
30kn gusts from a variety of angles alternated with 0kn calms every few seconds The Salcombe RS Aero Open doubled as the RS Aero UK Masters Champs and despite a challenging forecast 7 RS Aero visitors travelled to Salcombe joining the Solos, K1s and the local Yawls to enjoy and be challenged by Salcombe's high sided tidal ria valley. Posted on 4 Oct 2024