Written by Julius Hornburg (RS Sailing European Sales)
RS events at Travemünde are always extraordinary, and the 2021 RS Feva World Championships were no exception. From the outset there was a unique atmosphere since there were less socials and festivities, and more focus on competitor safety in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, some familiar faces in the class from further afield were not able to attend.
The action kicked off on Saturday with a day of practice racing in champagne conditions. Competitors were able to test out local waters while families set up accommodation ashore. By the end of the day, sailors came back to a village of tents and campervans decorated with flags, music, and the smell of barbecues.
Sunday saw the first day of racing for the just under 100 competitors, in challenging conditions: gusty winds, a lumpy sea state, and the occasional rain shower. Proceedings were cut short when the wind disappeared just after mid-day, and the safety boats facilitated the long tow back to shore.
Day two of racing on Monday was doomed before it began. Forecasts called for light winds in the morning and thunderstorms in the afternoon, so sailors were held ashore. They kept themselves entertained with ball games and music. When the thunder came, it came with a vengeance: large puddles of rain covered most of the boat park, but the warm Baltic summer temperatures meant this left people mostly unbothered – everybody was barefoot and wearing shorts anyway. A few zephyrs of evening breeze allowed for a few competitors to go for a light wind sunset training session.
We finally had a full and satisfying day of racing on Tuesday, in a building, albeit shifting breeze. The race committee did a cracking job, managing alternating starts for almost 100 Fevas and 30 Aeros to get some fantastic racing in. The competition was very close for the Fevas, the top 17 were all less than 20 points apart!
Wednesday was windy and lead to three great races. The suspense was high, and the leaderboard saw a few changes! The Italians, Trucchi and Scalzulli, took the top spot ahead of Scopsi and Galeotti, so it was all to play for on the final day.
It seems like Thursday was trying to compensate for the light winds at the beginning of the week; with gusts in the low 30s prevalent throughout the day and showers coming through periodically. This proved too much of a challenge, and the silver fleet was kept ashore. In the gold fleet, the lead changed yet again, and current European Champions Bunel and Kuntze from Corsica managed to take the title with two bullets in their last two races – in a chartered boat no less.
“I am so proud of the whole fleet. It was such difficult conditions and you sailed so well, especially considering most of you were not familiar with the area”
– Ines Rossley (Pro)
“We are so happy to be here and so glad that RS was able to provide us with a charter boat. It’s been difficult to travel, and it’s just amazing to have such a great boat ready and waiting for us… everything worked perfectly.”
– Bunel & Kuntze (World Champions)
Next year is a special 20th anniversary year for the RS Feva! The RS Feva World Championships will be part of the incredible and fantastic RS Games in Weymouth, UK – provisional dates are:
- Registration 21st -22nd July
- Championship Racing 23rd – 27th July.
Check out the full results of the RS Feva Worlds here!
