RS500 World Championships at Aquavitesse - Day 3
by RS Sailing 8 Aug 2024 13:53 BST
5-9 August 2024
The wind filled in for the final day of qualifiers at the RS500 World Championship in Bruinisse, Netherlands, with the 58-strong fleet enjoying three races on the water.
GBR's Tim and Heather Wilkins of Gurnard Sailing Club maintained their lead from Day 2, ending Day 3 victorious at the top of the leader table again.
It was a sibling battle-off for positions second and third; with brother-sister team NED's Pim and Lisa van Vugt, of Vugt Sail, snatching second place away from defending champions CZE's Jakub and Tereza Dobry of TJ Lokomotiva Plzenknown.
But the fun for the top three didn't stop there. After racing, the RS500 International Class Association hosted a World Champion Discussion Panel, and Pim van Vugt, Heather Wilkins and Jakub Dobry took to the stage alongside James Curtis, RS500 UK Class Chair, to give talks and answer questions.
Ex-Olympian, Pim van Vugt came 6th in the 49er in the 2016 Rio Olympics and has won multiple RS500 World titles. Heather Wilkins, an RS500 veteran racing since 2010, also has multiple RS500 titles to her name and brought a wealth of experience to the panel. Jakub Dobry began his RS Sailing journey winning a range of international events in the RS Feva Class and also has European and Worlds RS500 titles under his belt.
"It's great to have all of these fantastic sailors not only joining our event but also hosting a great discussion panel last night", says RS Sailing's Commercial Director, Michiel Geerling, who is also racing with his wife, Hilde van Susante, at the event. "Heather, Pim and Jakub all have great stories to share. And James Curtis has probably sailed in the most World Championships of us all since 2011, including wins!"
Now the qualifiers have been completed, Day 4 of racing kicks off today. You can see the full the results here.
The RS500 International Class would like to thanks all their event sponsors; Provincie Zeeland, Rooster, Kuiper Verzekeringen, Gemeente Schouwen-Duiveland, Carbonmasts.com, Aquavitesse, Jachthaven Bruinisse
and RS Sailing.