The stage was set for a dramatic final day showdown in Quiberon Bay, France, to decide the titles for the 7th RS Aero Worlds and 4th Youth Worlds. The fine Brittany weather and afternoon sea breezes have provided excellent racing throughout the four RS Aero Classes with 170 RS Aeros representing 17 nations.
Only one of the main titles, the RS Aero 6s, was decided in advance with Sofiia Naumenko (UKR) having grafted out a 25 point lead to defend her 2024 title, and with it the female title too, with two races to spare. Throughout the other Classes, it remained all to play for, both overall and in each of the many categories.
After a delay ashore whilst the breeze filled in only one race was possible for the RS Aero 5s and RS Aero 6s before the cut off time. In the RS Aero 5s. Raphael Olsthoorn (FRA) defended his lead with a steady 6th place to take not only the overall RS Aero 5 title but also both the Under 17 & 22 Youth titles. Roscoe Martin (GBR) managed to pull back 6 points on Chloe George (GBR) to pip her on a tie break for the silver, whilst Chloe retained the RS Aero 5 Female title from Georgia Booth (GBR), who charged to 4th overall after winning the final race. Louise RAHN (FRA) took both the RS Aero 5 Female Youth under 17 and 22 titles. Jamie Mack (USA) won the RS Aero 5 Female Masters and RS Aero ‘super-traveller’ Roy van Maanen (IRL) showed the benefit of his build up regattas with the RS Aero 5 Male Masters title.
The RS Aero 5s were the largest Class this year with 62 competitors, more than doubling in size over the past two years and enjoying gender parity with 50% male/female.
With Sofiia able to chill ashore, Sam Blaker’s (GBR) 5th in the final race was enough to regain his silver with Andrew Frost (GBR) in 3rd overall. Alice Sussarello (ITA) won the RS Aero 6 Female Youth World title and Domenico pio Schiano di SCIOARRO (ITA) was top Male Youth. Tracey Covell (GBR) finished top RS Aero 6 Female Master and Francois le Castrec (FRA) finished top RS Aero 6 Male Master.
The RS Aero 7s had it all to play for with two races possible and they were both achieved. A good mix of sailors were able to take the top spots in races with medium breezes and flatish water creating very similar boat speeds around the course in the lead group. Peter Barton (GBR) sought to defend a 5 point lead for the main title whilst similarly Mark Ripley (GBR) was defending a lead for the RS Aro 7 Youth World title and overall bronze. A steady 3,3 was enough for Peter to win back the World title he won two years ago in Sardinia. Jack Miller (GBR) took the silver overall. A 5,1 was enough for Mark Ripley to secure the RS Aero 7 Youth World title and the overall bronze from Dominic Hall (GBR) in 4th who finished strongly with a 1,2 to win the final day and secure a GBR top four. Peter also took the top Masters award, whilst Peter Matthews (GRB) was the first of the five RS Aero 7 Grand Masters (65+) competing. Top Female in the RS Aero 7 s was Paule Boyle (GBR) of Jersey.
The RS Aeros 9 s had seen close battles and alternating race wins between Ben Flower (CAN) and Nick Craig (GBR) all week. However, with neither of them winning the penultimate race Nick’s comeback was thwarted and Ben retained his 2024 title with a race to spare. That left Nick with the silver and Madhavan Thirumalai (USA) took the bronze with a second race win on the final day. Dylan Williams (USA) took the RS Aero 9 Youth award and Madhavan won the RS Aero 9 Masters.
A wonderful final Grande Awards Ceremony was held on the ENVSN embankment, celebrating the new World Champions, podiumers and each of the many categories that had sailors competing hard throughout the results sheet. Each sailor at the bottom of each results sheet that had completed all 13 of the races was celebrated, together with the huge range of ages competing from 13 to 71 years!
Thanks to Rooster, RS Sailing France and RS Sailing for their support off the overall prizes, mid-week prizes and the large charter fleet of RS Aeros which enabled worldwide participation.
The Class now looks forward to its 8th World Championship in January 2027 at Blairgowrie, Australia on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula. Keen interest is building and charter RS Aeros are already taking bookings. Before that the Class will celebrate its 2026 RS Aero European Championship and 2026 RS Aero Youth Worlds at the four yearly RS Games bonanza at the Travemunde Woche festival of sail in Germany.
The RS Aero Class was once again continuing to support Ukrainian humanitarian relief at this Championship, to help relieve the suffering which continues in the Ukraine. Competitors placed mini Ukrainian sail sticker flags on their sails next to their own national flag, as a visual sign of support and solidarity. Use the QR codes available to make a voluntary donation to the relief charities.
RESULTS https://www.rsaerosailing.org/docs/results/p1j1p8vur119if1jjhbvqi2gquj3.pdf
PODIUMS
RS AERO YOUTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2025
RS Aero 5 Female Under 17
1st – Louise RAHN (FRA)
2nd – Anna MADDALONI (ITA)
3rd – Eleonora LANGFELDT (GBR)
RS Aero 5 Male Under 17
1st – Raphael OLSTHOORN (FRA)
2nd – Riccardo-Hai GESSA (ITA)
3rd – Jamie ROBINSON (GBR)
RS Aero 5 Female Under 22
1st – Louise RAHN (FRA)
2nd – Jessika JOESAAR (EST)
3rd – Elisa LINDSKOG (SWE)
RS Aero 5 Male Under 22
1st – Raphael OLSTHOORN (FRA)
2nd – Riccardo-Hai GESSA (ITA)
3rd – Jamie ROBINSON (GBR)
RS Aero 6 Female Under 22
1st – Alice SUSSARELLO (ITA)
RS Aero 7 Male Under 22
1st – Mark RIPLEY (GBR)
2nd – Andrea de MATTEIS (ITA)
3rd – Lowe ENGSTRÖM (SWE)
RS AERO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2025
RS Aero 5
RS Aero 5 Female Master 45+
1st – Jaime MACK (USA)
2nd – Rachael JENKINS (GBR)
3rd – Florence le BRUN (FRA)
1st RS Aero 5 Male Master 55+
1st – Roy van MAANEN (IRL)
2nd – Ants HAAVEL (EST)
3rd – Benoit CAILLEUX (FRA)
RS Aero 5 Female
1st – Chloe GEORGE (GBR)
2nd – Georgia BOOTH (GBR)
3rd – Louise RAHN (FRA)
RS Aero 5 Overall
1st – Raphael OLSTHOORN (FRA)
2nd – Roscoe MARTIN (GBR)
3rd – Chloe GEORGE (GBR)
RS Aero 6
RS Aero 6 Male Youth Under 22
1st – Domenico pio Schiano di SCIOARRO (ITA)
2nd – Hannes ERIKSSON (SWE)
3rd – Jens ALLES (EST)
RS Aero 6 Female Master 45+
1st – Tracey COVELL (GBR)
2nd – Cathy LUNN (GBR)
3rd – Robyn RATCLIFFE (AUS)
RS Aero 6 Male Master 55+
1st – Francois le CASTREC (FRA)
2nd – Andy MACK (USA)
3rd – Nico HONOR (FRA)
RS Aero 6 Female
1st – Sofiia NAUMENKO (UKR)
2nd – Liina KOLK (EST)
3rd – Anouck de RIPAINSEL (BEL)
RS Aero 6 Overall
1st – Sofiia NAUMENKO (UKR)
2nd – Sam BLAKER (GBR)
3rd – Andrew FROST (GBR)
RS Aero 7
RS Aero 7 Master 55+
1st – Peter BARTON (GBR)
2nd – Gary RATCLIFFE (AUS)
3rd – Daniel FALK (USA)
RS Aero 7 Grand Master 65+
1st – Peter MATTHEWS (GBR)
2nd – Emmanuel GAUDEZ (FRA)
3rd – Andrew WILKINS (GBR)
RS Aero 7 Female
1st – Paula BOYLE (GBR)
2nd – Nolwenn FALCON (FRA)
RS Aero 7 Overall
1st – Peter BARTON (GBR)
2nd – Jack MILLER (GBR)
3rd – Mark RIPLEY (GBR)
RS Aero 9
RS Aero 9 Youth Under 22
1st – Dylan WILLIAMS (USA)
RS Aero 9 Master 55+
1st – Madhavan THIRUMALAI (USA)
2nd – Erik ENGSTRÖM (SWE)
3rd – Richard SHAW (AUS)
RS Aero 9 Overall
1st – Baabii O FLOWER (CAN)
2nd – Nick CRAIG (GBR)
3rd – Madhavan THIRUMALAI (USA)
Written by the RS Aero International Class Association
