“everybody is really improving the whole level of everybody is really good, the fleet is finally getting together, all the girls and all the boys, its making a massive difference its really good to see” Jessica Crisp
Said to be one of the toughest and most gruelling Olympic classes, the RSX sailboard requires a physically, mentally and strategically strong athlete. There was no better test for an RSX sailor then the recent Australian RSX Championships in Queensland hosted by the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron.
Following the weekend of the Queensland RSX and Bic Techno Championships, the three day regatta was set to be one of the biggest Australian RSX events this year. The regatta saw light but steady pressure that tested the fleet mentally and physically. Jessica Crisp RSX multiple world champion, 5th in Sydney 2000, 6th in Athens and 5th in Beijing commented on the intensity of the regatta. “The conditions are pretty hard, we had to work pretty hard it wasn’t as windy as before the regatta, definitely not a drag race, very physical…”
“It is good to come up here and race a lot, they maximise the racing that we can have which is really good”.
Overall the regatta was taken out by young Jimmy Levy who raced extremely consistently in the first two days. In second was Jessica Crisp followed closely in third by Tim Gourlay, both Crisp and Gourlay battled for 2nd spot in the final two races on the final day.
Queenslander Johanna Sterling came in at 6th overall and 2nd in the women’s RSX, a great result for Sterling only weeks before she heads over to begin her circuit of Europe. “ Its been a really good regatta, some pretty good conditions a bit of variation, its been good to have a larger fleet to race against, this is our biggest nationals for a while…” she said. There is no better practice then to race the best in the world, and this Australian Championships was no different.
The starting was mixed with men in the larger RSX and women in the smaller 8.5. “Jessica is a really high benchmark for racing especially in the light air, she is practically the top in the world a lot of the time in that[wind], its great having someone to set that standard especially from Australia…” commented Sterling.
The light wind regatta was perfect practice for all the athletes, many now set off overseas for the European sailing circuit and the ultimate test of their ability on a world stage.
Andrew Gough