RS Aero European Championships – Malcesine, Garda, Italy

August 2, 2021

Event Preview by RS Aero International Class Association

Fraglia Vela Malcesine look forward to welcoming the RS Aero Class back to their World Class venue for the 2021 RS Aero European Championship. Racing is set to kick off on Monday and be held over 5 days from 2-6th August on their spectacular Garda race course enjoying the mountain thermal breezes under the shear cliff backdrop!

The RS Aero European Championship entries are now up to 72 with recent new entries from the Czech Republic as the 12th nation competing and more from the growing fleet in Ireland too.

The 2021 event is set to be a milestone for the Class, marking how the international spread of the RS Aero now enables the success of the European Championship without dependency on a large British participation. The Brits in the past would have bulked out the entry list for such a championship, however, it has never been so tricky to get across Europe and in and out of Italy from the UK with the combined effect of Covid and Brexit since Michael Caine and the lads made the trip back in 1969 for their Italian Job! A few have taken on the challenge of the extra uncertainty and complication with the frequently evolving regulations and managed to make the trip successfully, ready for a great event. It remains unfortunate for those unable to attend in a restrictive year, who would have heavily boosted the numbers towards the 200 initially predicted when the Champs was set up back in 2019.

A good mix of 12 nations are now entered, producing a new increased international feel with many new faces making any form guide too hard to call this year! The Italian fleet has seen huge growth in the past two seasons with strong participation coming from Rome and Sardinia, together with local Lake Garda sailors too. Sizable fleets have also emerged recently in Sweden, Belgium and Ireland bolstering the championship, alongside the regular fleets travelling from Germany and Holland too. The revised title of Europeans from a Worlds following travel restrictions has not put off a strong group of USA sailors from making the trip to support the event and enjoy Garda.

On Sunday, before racing begins in earnest, there will be a training day with an onshore session in the morning followed by several short coached races in the afternoon. This will help share specific skills and techniques to those new to the Class or who have previously been training in isolation.

Thank you to all our Class’ sponsors & supporters. Rooster are again providing their generous spread of prizes, keeping the RS Aero fleet cool and comfortable both on and off the water. Selden Mast are providing gifts to all competitors, together with fantastic prizes from their hardware range. Italian RS Sailing agent, Negri Nautica for their regatta support and providing a large charter fleet, enabling distant owners to fly in and new RS Aero sailors to join the Class. RS Sailing have for provided superb boxed RS Aero replica trophies for the three RS Aero European Champions.

Looking forward to the action starting in earnes, here is a taster movie for the 2019 Europeans;