International Class Association

The RS Teras returned to racing on Thursday after a well earned lay day from the first few days of competition. Refuelled and fully prepared, the sailors were greeted with 6-8 knots of breeze in the morning which meant racing could get under way at the posted start time of 1100.

 Continuing the regatta with race 6, the Pro fleet saw a general recall with approximately 8 boats over the line at the pin end. What followed was the increasingly familiar black flag for the second attempt at the race start. Kristian Frank Winkel of Denmark, managed to get a great start, approaching the line on port tack and sneaking his way into a great position in the fleet. Sailors correctly opted for the centre right sector of the first beat, with boats outside this zone finding they were quickly dropping down the fleet. Neck and neck, to the finish line, GBR sailor Alice Davis just managed to get ahead of fellow Brit Oliver Raynor in the final few metres between the leeward gate and the finish line.

In the sport fleet, the race managed to get away successfully at the third attempt. The Sport sailors, extra fired up after their day of rest, caused a general recall in the first start. A large veer in the breeze followed, which interrupted the second attempt at starting race 6. The top reach of the racecourse, longer than in the previous days, provided perfect opportunities for passing, as those who went too high got caught in the lee of the land.

 In the Pro fleet, Haakon Carstens, sailing for Denmark, secured his best result of the regatta in race 7. He was delighted and proud of his progress throughout the week. Well done Haakon!

 Race 7 for the sport fleet started with a huge wind shift, making boats who managed to secure the pin end of the line, find themselves on the port layline for the windward mark. This shift continued for most of the beat, causing more of a drag race rather than a beat. Leading the pack was Josh Stokes, however the race was abandoned after the first lap.

 Once the rain had stopped, racing resumed, but the steady 12 knots of breeze soon dropped to 5 knots whilst the fleet made their way up the beat, changing the sailors approach.  The light winds saw sailors adopting an inboard sailing position, quite far forward in the cockpit, with just a little bit of leeward heel. This technique was executed well by many, including GBR sailors Archie Dunn, Ben Stokes and Oliver Thompson. Both fleets of sailors showed great persistence and concentration in the light airs, focusing well and paying close attention to the shifts and their body movements in the boat. 

Race 8 for the Pros fleet saw a handful of boats escape the Peleton pack on the beat due to finding a great pitch of breeze on the left side of the second beat. This was enough to make the difference as the race was finished with a shortened course after the second beat due to the wind fading across the whole course. 

 A special mention for the day goes to Laura Thoudahl of Denmark. Spotting a fellow sailor capsize and lose their rudder, Laura responded in a true sporting fashion by retrieving the escaped rudder and returning it to the rather distressed owner.  

Friday is the last day of racing for the RS Tera Worlds, with many of the overall standings still to be decided. Keep up to date with the final day of the event by heading to the RS Tera International Class Association site or by follow the Facebook page.