This weekend the Pegasus Radio Sailing Club is hosting the three›day›long national radio control sailing championship. Starting this Friday, 36 national and international radio control (RC) skippers will be lining up to do battle on a variety of courses laid out on Pegasus Lake at Pegasus.
Club member Lindsay MacDougall says the competitors, including a couple of Australians, will all be sailing the international standard one metre RC yachts.
‘‘They are all the same length and same weight, so it all come down to the skill of the operator as to how they read the wind and the competition,’’ he said.
Each race only lasts for six minutes but Mr MacDougall said the competition is fierce.
Club commodore Paul Johnson says the skippers handling the tricky boats can get very competitive.
‘‘It’s very intensive, the skippers are all standing there shoulder to shoulder vying for the best position in the short heat races,’’ he says.
Each race has three heats. Racing starts at 10.30am each and runs to mid afternoon depending on the wind. Pegasus Lake is rated as one of the best in the southern hemisphere to race on, Mr Johnson says.
