Displaying items by tag: Super Series

28th March 2024

RS Super Series 2024 Wraps up with Big Breeze on the Final Day at Dun Laoghaire

The now annual RS Super Series ran over the winter of 2023/2024, with racing open to the Waszp, RS Neo and RS Aero classes.

Unfortunately, the winds were never quite right for the Waszps, either too windy or not enough wind, so we never saw them out on the race courses for this series. Racing on the last day was held in particularly spicy conditions of 25kts+ last Saturday morning, while most other sailing and racing for that day was postponed or cancelled.

The Super Series format is designed to keep racing simple with a basic format that ensures quality racing with the minimum hassle and extras, like what club racing was in the past, keeping enjoyment levels up for as minimum a fee as possible. Racing is sprint-style races of 15-20 minutes in duration, allowing for up to 5 races a day starting at 945 am and then off the water by 12! This style of racing is perfect for keeping starting and racing skills alive for all sailors over the winter months.

The RS Neos joined the series this year; the Neo is essentially a cross between an Aero and RS Zest training boat. It is an ideal boat to bridge the gap between a training dinghy such as the Zest and a thoroughbred racer like the Aero. The Neo has a rotomolded hull and aluminium foils to give durability, yet it combines this with the carbon fibre rig of an Aero 6, allowing developing sailors to really see the effect of the primary sail controls and how they can affect the tuning of a modern single-handed sail.

In the fleet of 10 Aeros were a mix of 6 and 7-size rigs

In the fleet of 10 Aeros were a mix of 6 and 7-size rigs with the 6 rigs proving to be more and more popular amongst male and female sailors alike due to similar performance to the 7 in lighter winds but less hiking required in the heavy winds, in fact on the last race which was sailed in 25kts plus, Noel Butler sailing a 6 rig was first to the windward mark ahead of Thomas Chaix and Kenny Rumball who were both sailing with the larger 7 rigs but who were having to work much harder to keep the boat powering upwind.

Dedicated RS Aero sailors included head coach of the National Yacht Club Thomas Chaix, who bought his Aero during the series after a few test sails, which led him to commit to a boat due to the simplicity of sail, speed and ergonomics of the boat.

Thomas Chaix was victorious in the oldest boat of the fleet, proving the durability and robustness of the build and design of the Aero. Thomas had an almost perfect scoreline with his 7 rig despite only formally joining the fleet this winter. Noel Butler came in second sailing a 6 rig just ahead of Sarah Dwyer who was also sailing a 6 rig. Full results available below and here

The Aeros have a busy season ahead. The next series, the DBSC series, will kick off soon. The first regional event will be the nationals in Howth Yacht Club on June 15th and 16th.

Thomas Chaix was the RS Aero winner in the INSS RS Super Series and was presented with his prize by Muriel Rumball

RS Sailor Noel Butler

RS Sailor Stephen Oram

RS Sailor Damien Dion

Published in RS Sailing

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Ireland & La Solitaire du Figaro

The Solitaire du Figaro, was originally called the course de l’Aurore until 1980, was created in 1970 by Jean-Louis Guillemard and Jean-Michel Barrault.

Half a decade later, the race has created some of France's top offshore sailors, and it celebrated its 50th anniversary with a new boat equipped with foils and almost 50 skippers Including novices, aficionados and six former winners.

The solo multi-stage offshore sailing race is one of the most cherished races in French sailing and one that has had Irish interest stretching back over 20 years due to the number of Irish stopovers, usually the only foreign leg of the French race.

What Irish ports have hosted The Solitaire du Figaro?

The race has previously called to Ireland to the following ports; Dingle, Kinsale, Crosshaven, Howth and Dun Laoghaire.

What Irish sailors have raced The Solitaire du Figaro?

So far there have been seven Irish skippers to participate in La Solitaire du Figaro.

In 1997, County Kerry's Damian Foxall first tackled the Figaro from Ireland. His win in the Rookie division in DHL gave him the budget to compete again the following year with Barlo Plastics where he won the final leg of the race from Gijon to Concarneau. That same year a second Irish sailor Marcus Hutchinson sailing Bergamotte completed the course in 26th place and third Rookie.

In 2000, Hutchinson of Howth Yacht Club completed the course again with IMPACT, again finishing in the twenties.

In 2006, Paul O’Riain became the third Irish skipper to complete the course.

In 2013, Royal Cork's David Kenefick raised the bar by becoming a top rookie sailor in the race.

In 2018, for the first time, Ireland had two Irish boats in the offshore race thanks to Tom Dolan and Joan Mulloy who joined the rookie ranks and kept the Irish tricolour flying high in France. Mulloy became the first Irish female to take on the race.

Tom Dolan in Smurfit Kappa competed for his third year in 2020 after a 25th place finish in 2019. Dolan sailed a remarkably consistent series in 2020 and took fifth overall, the best finish by a non-French skipper since 1997 when Switzerland’s Dominique Wavre finished runner up. Dolan wins the VIVI Trophy.

Dolan finished 10th on the first stage, 11th on the second and seventh into Saint Nazaire at the end of the third stage. Stage four was abandoned due to lack of wind.

Also in 2020, Dun Laoghaire’s Kenneth Rumball became the eleventh Irish sailor to sail the Figaro.

At A Glance – Figaro Race

It starts in June or July from a French port.
The race is split into four stages varying from year to year, from the length of the French coast and making up a total of around 1,500 to 2,000 nautical miles (1,700 to 2,300 mi; 2,800 to 3,700 km) on average.
Over the years the race has lasted between 10 and 13 days at sea.
The competitor is alone in the boat, participation is mixed.
Since 1990, all boats are of one design.