Please select your home edition
Edition
Rooster 2025

Bristol Race and Train Weekend - RS500 Rooster National Tour season opener recap

by Simon Horsfield 8 Apr 20:14 BST 29-30 March 2025
Bristol Race and Train - RS500 Rooster National Tour season opener © Aaron Geis

Six boats and twelve sailors kicked off the 2025 RS500 season in a super competitive fleet at Bristol's Race and Train weekend.

The five-race series was sailed in 8-12 knots with a wild 90-degree shift range throughout the day. It was definitely a day for keeping your head out of the boat, with big gains, and equally big losses.

In Race 1 Simon and Katie led for the first half, only to slip to 6th after two costly shifts. Ed Whitehead and Ian Mairs read the conditions perfectly to take the win, and kept the momentum going with a strong performance in Race 2, narrowly holding off Paul Cullen and Fresh Abendstern.

Paul and Fresh bounced back in Race 3 with a well-earned win, while Simon and Katie caught a lucky gust at the final leeward gate to plan into second.

It was great to see Emma and Luke McEwen former RS800 National Champions racing in their RS500 at their first ever open meeting. They were quickly up to speed and on the pace.

In Race 4, Paul and Fresh scored another win, with Ed and Ian finishing second, securing the overall regatta victory. Paul and Fresh ended just one point behind in to finish second overall.

After the one-day regatta, the fleet was treated to a training day led by Ian Mairs. Sailors were treated to champagne conditions, with a gusty 16-25 knots. Following some shoreside tuning, teams headed out for on-water drills including upwind and downwind tuning, pace work, and mainsail mapping. The session wrapped up with mark rounding practice starts and some epic downwind three-sail blasting.

Huge thanks to Ian and Arky for delivering a fun and valuable day afloat!

Overall Results:

PosSail NoClubHelmCrewR1R2R3R4Pts
1st1040ParkstoneEdd WhitehedIan Mairs11(3)27
2nd529Bough Beech/Humpty DumptyPaul CullenFresh Abendstern(4)3119
3rd783Thorney IslandSimon HorsfieldKatie Horsfield(6)42315
4th978Royal lymingtonEmma McEwenLuke Mcewen(5)24415
5th610BurghfieldJohn CooperAndy Maw265(7 DNF)20
6th1750Draycote WaterNigel DavisAaron Davis35(6.0)519

Related Articles

Noble Marine RS500 Nationals at Mount's Bay overal
Aching sailors battled it out on the final day Day four dawned with aching bodies from day three and a glassy bay. The boat park was still full of stories from the races the day before, with more ups and downs than UTMB. Posted on 2 Oct
Noble Marine RS500 Nationals at Mount's Bay Day 3
The RS500s take on towering seas at Mount's Bay Mount's Bay delivered a dramatic and unforgettable day of RS500 racing, as competitors were met with some of the most testing conditions of the season. Posted on 28 Sep
Noble Marine RS500 Nationals at Mount's Bay Day 2
Another fabulously sunny day, but this time with a perfect 12 knot southeasterly breeze Day 2 of the Noble Marine RS500 Nationals was another fabulously sunny day but this time with a perfect 12 knot southeasterly blowing into Mount's Bay. Posted on 27 Sep
RS Sailing Store's 'Pre-Order Sail' Offer for 2026
Save Now, Sail Later! Are you already pumped for next year? So are the team at RS Sailing Store. There's nothing quite like the feeling of hoisting a crisp, new sail for the first race of the season. Posted on 2 Sep
RS500 Worlds at Follonica overall
Teams travelled from Czechia, Italy, France, UK, Hungary, Netherlands, and Switzerland 84 sailors gathered at the Gulf of Follonica for this year's RS500 World Championship, with teams traveling from the Czech Republic, Italy, France, the UK, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Posted on 19 Aug
RS500 Worlds at Follonica, Italy
Close Competition and Home-Grown Champions The RS500 World Championship 2025 brought an unforgettable blend of competitive racing, international camaraderie, and sun-soaked celebration to Follonica, Italy, from 4th to 8th August. Posted on 14 Aug
RS Games 2026 dates announced
First-ever international location revealed Every four years, RS Sailing brings its global community together for something truly special: the RS Games - a vibrant, multi-class regatta celebrating everything RS stands for. Posted on 31 Jul
60 boats signed up for Mounts Bay!
Noble Marine RS100, RS500 and RS600 Nationals has a little room for more The RS Class Association were beyond excited when Mounts Bay Sailing Club agreed to host the Noble Marine RS100, RS500 and RS600 National Championships 2025. Posted on 16 Jul
RS500 Rooster National Tour Gurnard
A familiar sense of déjà vu from last year Saturday morning at Gurnard Sailing Club on the Isle of Wight started with a familiar sense of déjà vu from last year: The wind just topping the feasible strength to start the RS500 Open and Club Championships. Posted on 8 Jul
RS500 Rooster National Tour at Grafham Water
Diary clashes restrict the entry for the Inland Championship Unfortunate diary clashes restricted the RS500 entry to the Grafham Water SC Skiff Challenge, which doubled up as the RS500 Inland Championship on the weekend of 28/29 June. Posted on 30 Jun