It’s time to meet the woman who not only single handedly manages EFRA’s finances, web and IT, but also has a history as an RC racer and RC timing pioneer! It’s EFRA Treasurer – Jackie Aebi!
EFRA: Hi there Jackie 👋🏻 How are you?
Jackie: I am fine and I hope you are well too
EFRA: Can you tell us in no more than 5 words the job you do for EFRA…?
Jackie: I am the general treasurer
EFRA: Got it… So what’s the longer version?
Jackie: Since I could effectively answer exactly what I do in 5 words, I have almost nothing to add. As a treasurer during the COVID period, I had little work to do, but when there is real racing again, there is plenty to do. On the side, I maintain the EFRA tools for race-registration and support with web-invoicing where the federations can see their open invoices online.
EFRA: Very efficient! Sounds like you keep everything in check! So what is your favourite class of RC racing?
Jackie: Well the 1:8 scale nitro track class I started with and actively raced for 15 years from 1980 to 1995. Today, I still find this class the most extreme in terms of speed and refinement. What comes across most naturally to me next to the 1:5 Large Scale which is my second beloved class.
EFRA: I see, you are an experienced racer! Have you has much success?
Jackie: I don’t race anymore and I don’t think I’m making the best figure to try again. I used to have a good performance, but I didn’t quite make it to the top there either.
But I was very happy after I reached the national final more than once.
EFRA: Wow that is impressive! So what has been your proudest moment in RC, either on or off the track?
Jackie: I have to say quite clearly that this took place off the track but on the racecourse. I was the lady timekeeper for Switzerland, I timed almost every 1:8 and 1:5 IC track race with my lap time development RCM Server (today RCM Ultimate). This software was then sold internationally and that’s where I got a lot of notoriety. Today I have nothing more to do with the software, I handed it over to Felix Romer (MYRCM). And now, with my work at EFRA since 2005, I believe that everyone in RC sport knows me and this makes me honestly proud😊 .
EFRA: Wow, that’s amazing! Everyone knows that the timing is at the heart of what we do in RC… however, what can you tell us about you that we don’t already know?
Jackie: Well, I love to cook and could feed you amazingly (5 plus 2 stars 😊 ) I cook like an engineer with a stopwatch and you wouldn’t notice that I just have a 5 course in the kitchen ready. The kitchen is still clean and tidy.
EFRA: Sounds delicious!! What is your favourite sport outside of RC?
Jackie: Outside of EFRA and RC I go to offshore Regatta competitions and whenever I can I love to sail on vacation
EFRA: What was the last music you heard?
Jackie: Gotthard – Anytime Anywhere
EFRA: Rockin! 🤘 So, what else do you do to relax?
Jackie: Since I bought a massage chair, this 15-minute relaxation has to be scheduled in my fully organised day. Also my favourite thing to do after I’ve done my work is to ride my e-bike in the evening hours, although I do give it a miss when it’s raining ☔️ .
EFRA: What advice would you give someone wanting to compete in an EFRA Euros for the first time?
Jackie: Go there together as a team with the Federation and work together and help each other. That’s the fastest way to move forward and be a welcome friend 😊
EFRA: Good advice! How did you become involved in EFRA
Jackie: A friend of my father told me that he drives RC cars and said more as a joke that he was looking for a mechanic… But I went with him and since then I just couldn’t it let go. I was impressed by the technology, the building and tuning and finally driving fast, so it never left me until today, 41 years ago.
EFRA: What is the number 1 thing you would like to see in RC in Europe in the future?
Jackie: It’s a difficult question, if we already had the answer we could approach our EFRA projects a bit more calmly. The main problem is that we are seen as an outdated and old fashioned club. We really need to come away from this image. We need to bring in new young people who will ultimately lead EFRA into the future and then we will pass on the baton to the next generation to look after RC Motorsport Europe.
Thanks Jackie! What a great insight into your role in the history of RC and the work you do and alongside the EFRA board still today 😊
