Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds DVD

Re-live all the action with the 2011 Moth Worlds DVD. Buy now from sailingbits.com.

Moth Worlds. 2011. Belmont. Australia.

Lake Macquarie plays host to over 100 of the fastest boats in the World. The big wind venue didn’t fail to live up to it’s reputation, providing plenty of sun, loads of wind and thousands of spectacular crashes.

Some of the biggest names in high performance sailing battled out an epic series. This DVD follows the on-water action and the behind the scenes intrigue that marked the biggest, and best Moth Worlds. Ever.

A share of the profit from DVD sales goes back into IMCA World.

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Final Day Highlights

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Final Day Highlights

CONGRATULATIONS NATHAN!!

Nathan Outteridge wins the lot with a race to spare.

Home, SWEET SWEET, home for Nathan Outteridge (AUS) who wins the 2011 Zhik Moth World Championships after dropping a 6th place finish in Race 8 for a total of 23 points in the series.  Parents and friends in ribs are cheering, Australian flags out flapping.  Not a bad summer at home, after he won the 49er national title and was crowned national champion in the Moth all here on Lake Macquarie.

FINAL RESULTS for both Gold and Silver

SOLE Fast, Mothies!

Kiwi Peter Burling flyin' high.

Zhik releases new sailing shoes in honour of the 2011 Zhik Moth World Championship.

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Day 5 Race Highlights

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Day 5 Race Highlights

Warning signal at 10AM for final day

The first warning signal on Day 6, Friday, 14 January will be at 1000.  SILVER fleet will start first followed by GOLD.

4 races are scheduled for GOLD fleet, 5 races for SILVER.

Race Schedule Day 5

Game On: More Big Breeze for Final Day

Tom Slingsby (AUS) Heats it up in Race 4, before dismasting in Race 5.

The game has decidedly turned going into Race 5 of the Final Series at the 2011 Zhik Moth World Championships.  Racers are still flying fast, but the tactical gears are beginning to churn.

In Race 5, Peter Burling (NZL) lead around the course, ultimately losing to Iain Jensen (AUS) on the last leg.  Nathan Outteridge (AUS) now with 8 points was back in form after the injury, lost out on the win, but played a tight race against the leading contenders, Joe Turner (AUS) and John Harris (AUS) who have 19 and 23, respectively.  Turner finished the day strong, but he does carry a DNF into the final day of racing and cannot afford any slip-ups.

Emma Aspington (SWE) hiking hard.

Outteridge goes into the final day with a comfortable 11-point lead (although what’s considered “comfortable” in a Moth Fleet is debatable.)  Second place on down is anybody’s guess.  Even with Bora Gulari’s (USA) OCS in the final race, he was able to climb back to 13^th, which is currently his drop for a score just 7 points back from Turner.  Scott Babbage (AUS) sits just ahead, and despite having a double-digit race early in the day (10^th), he did hit a 31.1 knot split during the racing.

Forecast reads for 20 knots 9300hrs, and PRO Peter Moor has moved the start of Silver fleet to 1000hrs AEDST, with Gold to immediately follow.

Josh McKnight (AUS) in a standout 5th place finish in Race 4.

Finals Race 4: “Absolute Carnage Everywhere”

Outteridge presses the "Eject Button".

It’s the battle of the breeze as the steady 24 knot East-Northeasterly tore down the racecourse, with max gusts recorded during the first (and only race so far) at 27 knots. With Silver Fleet postponed on shore, Gold Fleet danced the “You Launch First, Mate” before the daunting trek to the start line.

“It’s like the Gorge [2009 Moth Worlds],” said Lindsay Bergan, “I leave just enough time for 1 wipeout on the way to the start line.” Her teammates agreed – you don’t want to be out there long than you have to.

Clear start, carnage ensues. First with Moth Squaddie Joe Turner (AUS), capsizing he emerged with foils in hand. He managed to salvage all the bits and make the upwind haul back to shore. A Moth without foils? “Felt like a Sabot,” he reported.

Moth Sailing: It's a wet ride...

Tom Slingsby (AUS) was next. After a rocky start, he bolted up the course and assumed control after the first 3 boats sent it in at the windward mark, with Rob Gough (AUS) and Bora Gulari (USA) hot on his heals. At the leeward mark it was “Absolute carnage everywhere” according to Rescue Rib Driver John Fullerton. The full top flight stacked it – Gulari was the first to recover, and fired off lap 2 in the lead. Slingsby had a tough time recovering, as did Peter Burling (NZL) and Iain Jensen (AUS).

Nathan Outteridge (AUS) went over landing on his side-stay, taking a big hit to his leg and forearm. Sheer determination drove him to a 2nd place finish, and as soon as he hit shore he was on ice and analgesics.

Burling said he stacked it about 20 times, but with his scores from yesterday he said, “I knew I had to soldier on.”

Walking on water - not easy in 25 knots.

Solid racing for 2008 World Champion John Harris who finished 3rd, and more new faces in the top 5: Andy Budgen (GBR) and Josh McKnight (AUS). McKnight describes his upwind strategy, “I just sailed really high – I wasn’t really hiking, and my main was right in.”

Ultimately getting the gun was Gulari. “I love it out there, I hope we race again!” After a 2 hour postponement, he is about to get his wish…

1515hrs, 13 Jan 2011, Race Committee in sequence for Race 6.

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Day 4- Highlights

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Day 4- Highlights

Stacks, Crashes and Comebacks

24 knot gusts pumped down the race course for a full day of racing at the 2011 Zhik Moth Worlds’ first day of the Final Series.  Rarely dropping below a healthy 18 knot East by Northeasterly, sailors across the fleet had their share of stacks, crashes and comebacks that has opened up the scorecard.

Outteridge was hot out the starting gate in Race 1, holding a sizable lead over a contentious 2^nd place held by Brad Funk (USA) and Scott Babbage (AUS).  Funk spilled, and with record speed Babbage launched ahead of Outteridge in the final lap, ultimately losing it in a bad rounding.  Outteridge sailed in for the win.  Funk and Kiwi favourite Peter Burling faced a swim-a-thon, Funk losing a Port-Starboard battle with Harris, and Burling started his swims at the gun.  Joe Turner (AUS), Bora Gulari (USA) and John Harris (AUS) had serious pace around the course which they carried into Race 2.

Babbage and Outteridge in a battle for speed.

Gulari sizzled up the first beat of Race 2, swapped leads with Outteridge and Harris, and was ultimately edged out by both, finishing half a second behind Harris for 3^rd.  An unfortunate collision with another competitor sent Burling ashore with a ripped sail, while Outteridge took another bullet.

Back in action for Race 3, Burling sent a message to the fleet by taking an early command that he held into the finish.  Tom Slingsby (AUS) 5^th at the first mark, climbed through the fleet surfacing with a 2^nd, and Turner proved most consistent closing with a record of 3, 4, 3 (More consistent was Simon Payne (GBR) who had straight 22^nd’s).  And Outteridge?  He was deep off the line, but he ripped through the fleet for a 4^th.

Rocketing when it works, the Wing-sail had an action packed day.

The Wing-sail “piloted” by Charlie McKee lit up the first leg of the course in 7^th place when it exploded at the mark – and right in front of Moth Class photographer Thierry Martinez.  Pit crew and Wing-engineer Rob Patterson (CAN) pulled hero moves racing in for a rig-swap to get McKee back on the line for Race 2 without a second to spare.

The ladies held it down finishing all races, with Emma Aspington (SWE) now leading the 4-point spread.

Damage took its toll on Funk and Dalton Bergan (USA), Funk lost a rudder, Bergan a rig and now carries 2 DNFs.

Lochlin Byrne (AUS) leads silver, but it was standout James Phare (GBR) who won the day with a 2, 2, 1, and 15 year-old Jack Sherring finished with a 4^th, now 12^th overall.

Racers take a lay-day tomorrow – from the racing that is.  Event sponsors SP-High Modulus will be busy providing carbon for the flurry of repairs.  More action to follow Thursday, with the Final Series to close on Friday the 14^th of January.

RESULTS POSTED

2011 Zhik Moth Worlds – Final Series – RESULTS

Breeze ON for First Day of Final Series.

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Day 3 Race Highlights

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Day 3 Race Highlights

Heroes and Rivals

With 20 knots pumping through the harbour in Belmont on morning of Day 3 at the 2011 Zhik Moth Worlds, most of the fleet rigged their 10 m (heavy air) sail.  A few dared the 13 m sail, such as Nathan Outteridge, Brad Funk and Mach 2 designer Andrew McDougall.

Outteridge, does he know something you don’t? John Harris: “He’s got a direct connection to the guy upstairs: he gets the breeze, the weed parts before him…”

The stack-files are filling as the breeze builds.  Second runner up is front-runner Kiwi Peter Burling who took two spills that cost him the chance to match his best-mate and top-rival.  Next up is South Australian Greg Wise (100th place) when just crossing the final finish, the boat ripped out from under him and sailed on another 50m.  When fished out of the water he laughed, “Well that’s never happened before!”  Not a move to try back at home with all the “shark issues”.

Stack of the day goes to A-Mac when he nearly plowed into the Race Committee and landed right under the lens of the onboard camera crew.  Everybody loves a good wipeout, except when it’s your own: “Why are you filming this?!” he shouted while trying to fend off from potential damage.  But on shore he came to his senses admitting, “It really was quite spectacular.”  Congratulations to A-Mac, soon to be populating the Facebook feeds across the globe.

Hiroko Goto and the 3 Golden Frogs sail into Gold Fleet.

Hiroki Goto will be buying dinner tonight, for taking that final spot in Gold fleet over teammate Hiromitsu Kunimi. Tatsuya Wakinaga leads the team in 39^th.  Joining Kunimi to lead the silver fleet (all with 181 points for the series) are Christopher Dey (AUS) and Les Thorpe (AUS).

Super-Bro Outteridge helped out sister Haylee, swapping boats twice to fix first her rudder and was in the water again to re-step her mast after the side-stay blew.  Sailing his boat while he worked on her repairs Haylee tried to simplify things, “Maybe I should just take your boat, Nathe.”

Hero to the rescue, perfect score…

But when the Facebook Feed reported that Burling suffered “two major wipeouts”, who liked this post?

Nathan Outteridge.

New video content on Youtube- MothWorlds2011

The following videos have been added to the Youtube channel

• Sailor Profile-Nathan Outteridge
• Moth Talk- Nathan Outteridge
• Sailor Profile- Hiroki Goto
• Moth Talk- Hiroki Goto
• Moth Talk- Joe Turner
• Moth Talk- Haylee Outteridge
• Moth Talk- Tom Slingsby

Visit Moth Worlds 2011 on Youtube

Outteridge Leads into Finals, Burling Still Hot

Just another day at the office for Nathan Outteridge (AUS) who flawlessly handled the gusty 16-18 knot Easterly on Lake Macquarie at the 2011 Zhik Moth Worlds during the final day of the Qualifying Series.  In the last start of the day he blasted off the line at 20 knots, after dipping the line from above the start boat.

Also moving quickly was Kiwi Peter Burling hitting a max of 27.7 knots, but he suffered two stacks in the last race, costing him the chance for another triple bullet day and a minor injury when his foil came down on his back.  Joe Turner (AUS) swooped in for the win and enters the finals in 3^rd.  Scott Babbage was almost too consistent, failing to cover Outteridge in the final downwind of Race 9, and earning straight 2nds for the day, putting him 4^th overall.

Bora Gulari is praying for more breeze...

Is Bora back?  “I think he might be”, reports the 2009 Moth World Champion Bora Gulari (USA), who in the first race of the day wasn’t quite on pace, but was able to turn up the heat for a 4^th place finish.  Closing out the day with two 2nds, he jumps to 11^th place.  Fellow American Brad Funk (USA), who was off to a rocky start with fleet mix-ups and an OCS, grows more consistent and holds onto his 9^th place slot.

Standout performances were made by Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI), leading the Europeans, and Andrew Budgeon (GBR).  2010 Moth World Champion Simon Payne (GBR) clings to 19^th with a damage-free day for Charlie McKee and the Wing-sail, now in 21^st.

There’s a tight battle for leading lady with Sam England (AUS), Emma Aspington (SWE), and Linsdsay Bergan (USA) all qualifying for Gold with 51, 52, and 53 points, respectively.

Fortunately most the fleet survived the day unscathed, and event sponsors SP-High Modulus, who have offered free carbon for repairs during the event, can hang on to their supply for another day.

James Spithill enjoys the view.

Winning AC skipper James Spithill was out on the course today.  When is he getting a Mach 2 Moth?  “Maybe when they make a Mach 3.”

The top 55 proceed to Gold Fleet, with 54 sailors making up Silver.  Sailors carry over their rank from the Qualifying Series as points into the 3-day Final Series (e.g. Outteridge starts with 1 point, Burling with 2, etc) starting tomorrow.  After a lay-day on the 12^th, racing will conclude on Friday, 14^th of January.

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Sailor Profile- Nathan Outteridge

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Sailor Profile- Nathan Outteridge

BOOM BOOM BOOM!

Perfect bulls-eyes today for Nathan Outteridge (AUS) who now carries a score of solid bullets after day 3 at the 2011 Zhik Moth World Championships.

Details to follow…

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Day 2 Race Highlights

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Day 2 Race Highlights

Bullets, Stacks and a Jaguar

“Keep the nose clean”, advises Josh McKnight (AUS) for surviving the 18-knots gusting over 20 this afternoon in Belmont on the 2^nd day of the 2011 Zhik Moth Worlds.  The big breeze brought other new faces to the top of the fleet such as Andy Budgen (GBR) in his yellow Lamborghini hull now sitting in 16th over-all (McKnight, 20^th), and Japanese Olympian Tatsuya Wakinaga whose great endurance earned him consistent 15^th place finishes.

Nathan Outteridge (AUS) and Peter Burling (NZL) begin the cross-Tassie battle for ringleader of the Moth Squad, each firing out 3 bullets and now top the scores in 1^st and 2^nd place.  Scott Babbage (AUS) tussled with Iain Jensen (AUS) throughout the day, Babbage with a quick turn of shame recovered to 4^th in the standings overall.  Tom Slingsby (AUS) and John Harris (AUS) take the cake for impressive, and untimely stacks. Slingsby suffered a rocking-horse crash and burn on the downwind track, and after a swim Harris swore, “He would pay Thierry [the photographer] to delete the images”.  Both made record recoveries and rest in 7^th and 8^th, respectively.

More damage control down the fleet – Charlie McKee (USA) and the Wing-sail after screaming up the first leg and ultimately landing a 5^th place in the first race, had to limp ashore for rig damages, that continued to hold him back for a 21^st place in the third.

Lost rudders, broken masts and a few tiller issues tested the fleet.  Haylee Outteridge (AUS) sailed in for a brief repair during race 2 but was back out to finish the day.  Phones at the Race Office were abuzz with amazed local residents who wanted to know what was happening – one who collected a ship-wrecked Phil Stevenson (AUS) on the lee shore of the track.  Brad Funk thanked the US pit crew (and Wing-sail engineer) Rob Patterson (CAN) for servicing those in need out on the course.

Crash and Burn - isn't this why we love it?

The females of the fleet rocked the breeze, and with the slew of DNFs in the afternoon races, 4 ladies still raced all 3.  Samantha England (AUS), Lindsay Bergan (USA) and Emma Aspington (SWE) finish day 2 in the top half of the fleet.

Enjoying the fresh conditions was Hey-Bau, meaning Jaguar, the all-black-winged boat sailed by Dirk Wieblen (CHN).  “I usually sail on a small lake near Shanghai.  It’s never more than 7-10 knots!” shares German-born Wieblen, who has lived in China for the past 7 years.  The Jaguar might have enjoyed it, but Wieblen said he didn’t, laughing, “It’s tiring!”

More than a few sailors might agree as they prep their boats for tomorrow, and the promise of more breeze.

The score so far:

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Moth Talk- Simon Payne

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Moth Talk- Simon Payne

The Zhik Team grab five minutes of Simon Payne’s time to chat about the state of play.

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Sailor Profile- Simon Payne

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Sailor Profile- Simon Payne

Zhik 2011 World Moths Championships- Day 1 Race Highlights

Zhik 2011 World Moths Championships- Day 1 Race Highlights

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Moth Talk – Scott Babbage

The Zhik 2011 World Moth TV crew catch up with event organiser, Scott Babbage, a day before the event kicks off.

A Day for Old Dogs and Aussie Men

Charlie McKee (USA) rocks the Wing-sail upwind.

It was a hot first day for the 2011 Zhik Moth Worlds with enough Easterly for “Light-air Flyer” Joe Turner (AUS) to turn out a record of 2, 1, 1 and win the day.  Aussies make up 4 out of the top 5 after day 1 with Nathan Outteridge in 2^nd, Rob Gough with 3^rd, and Scott Babbage in 5^th.  Kiwi Peter Burling cracks in with 4^th.  But it wasn’t just the “young blokes” leading around the track, there was plenty of – experience – and international flavour breaching the top 10 around the tracks.

Swiss cousins Mikis and Arnaud Psarofaghis (try saying that 10 times fast), both had excellent days, Arnaud pumping out 3 top 10 finishes and Mikis a few in the top 15.  Hero moves of the day go to Nathan Outteridge and Bora Gulari who in the last race were dead off the line, rounded the windward mark in 20^th and 21^st, and both fought their way back to a top 10 finish.

“So this is what it feels like to fly” reports Charlie McKee (USA), the Wing-sail guinea pig. The Wing-sail made a stunning debut after having a tough time at the Nationals and a full-blown smash-up during a practice session on the lay-day.  “I’ve never piloted a glider,“ McKee said, “But this is what I imagine how it would feel.”  McKee had an excellent beat, winning the first leg of the 2^nd race and managed to hold on to a 5^th.

Even top sailors get a few butterflies (moths?) in the stomach at World Championships.  Brad Funk (USA) started off the day sailing the wrong race in the split fleet starts, who is “pretty glad” it’s a long series.  Byrne Lochlin (AUS) might have forgotten to put his bung in, and might have had to raft up on the American support boat to drain his hull…

Some of the followers on Facebook couldn’t believe the live updates: “Old Man Rast beat the young guns?”  Sailors all born before 19__, such as Chris Rast (USA), Charlie McKee (USA), Peder Arvefors (SWE) and 3^rd over-all Rob Gough all tasted the top 10.

Arvefors, like Rast and McKee, came to the Moth from a strong background in 49ers, as well as some i14s and ice sailing.  He’s here with his wife and four kids, “and I think there’s a few cousins too”, proving that you can foil, get top 10 finishes, and have your family, too.  He currently sits in 27^th overall.

Top Ten for the day:

1 – Joe Turner (AUS) —- 4

2 – Nathan Outteridge (AUS) —- 7

3 – Rob Gough (AUS) —- 7

4 – Peter Burling (NZL) —- 7

5 – Scott Babbage (AUS) — 10

6 – Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI) —- 14

7 – Tom Slingsby (AUS) —- 14

8 – Matt Crockett (AUS) —- 15

9 – Iain Jensen (AUS) —- 17

10 – John Harris (AUS) —- 19

2011 Zhik Moth Worlds Preliminary Results Day 1

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Race Preparation

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Race Preparation

A day out from the event, Scott Babbage prepares for the World Championships.

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Moth Talk

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Moth Talk.
Episode 1- Winged Sail

Mark Heeley scouts the boatpark at Belmont, and gathers opinion on winged sails. Are they good, bad, or other?

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Sailor Profile- Amac

Sailor Profile: Amac

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds- Sailor Profile- Bora

Sailor Profile:  Bora

More Weed, More Wind, More Outteridge

Weed, generals, black flags and a few busts plagued the fleet, but none of it phased Nathan Outteridge who flew into his 5^th consecutive win, snapping the title of 2011 Zhik Moth Australian Champion.  After thanking his sponsors, Outteridge added a special shout to the “Moth Squad”, a group of Aussie mates that get out and train hard.  Samantha England (AUS) was first female at 34^th, and 15 year-old Jack Sherring (AUS) won first youth at 31^st.

Outteridge dominated the day by playing the favoured left side and finishing with a comfortable lead over the rest of the fleet.  Scott Babbage never gave anyone a chance for 2^nd with his consistent scores, and Joe Turner, after dropping a DNF was able to keep only top 10 finishes for a 3^rd place overall.

A busted mast slowed Tom Slingsby in race 4, and when back on the course for race 5 – black flag.  Ever quick, he finished the day back on his feet with a 3^rd.  Brad Funk earned most improved, nailing 3 hot races, and was the only non- “Moth Squad” member to penetrate the top 5 of the final race.

Famed designer of the Mach 2 model Andrew McDougall laughed at his scores, “I can’t f__’n start, and I can’t f__’n tack, but I’m f__’n fast!”  The man doesn’t lie, in the 5^th race he overtook 5 boats on the final run for a 4^th place finish.

Weed added an extra element to racing tactics, “Do you go for the capsize and clear?” wondered George Peet.  Fellow American Dalton Bergan admitted, “I can’t figure it out”, but at some point he must of for a 7^th place finish over all.  “Can we call the city Council?” asked Andrew Budgen of GBR.  But in the end, it’s all part of sailing as Tatsuya Wakinaga (JPN) says, “You know, it’s nature!”

Sailors take a lay-day to prepare for the 2011 Zhik Moth World Championships to begin this Saturday, 8 January.

FINAL RESULTS:

1 –          Outteridge     AUS         5

2 –          Babbage        AUS         15

3 –          Turner           AUS         22

4 –          Burling          NZL         34

5 –          Harris            AUS         40

6 –          McDougall    AUS         47

7 –          Bergan         USA         53

8 –          Jensen           AUS         58

9 –          Gulari         USA         58

10 –        Psarofaghis  SUI        64

Record Fleet Size: Kamikaze Tactics and the Fight to Foil

Day one of the Zhik Moth Australian Championship had a record-breaking 101 foiling Moths on the start line.  Scary thought?  “100 boats? It wasn’t too bad – just those port-tackers!  The stunt-drivers!” said local Aussie Warren Sare.

The fight to foil was the name of the game.  Getting to that first puff and flying up and out of the pack meant everything – and with a pin favoured start line, the fleet was chock-full of kamikaze port-tackers risking all to foil first.

“Once you’re [at the pin], you’re committed to doing something crazy,” admitted Sydney sailor Phil Kurts, adding with a smile, “If you’re going fast enough, a gap will appear.”

Local hot shot Joe Turner took race 1, who 4^th at the first windward mark made impressive gains and by lap two lead into the finish.  Iain Jensen landed 2^nd a whole 6 places in front of his 49er skipper Nathan Outteridge who suffered a bad start and worked back to 8^th.  Rob Gough, Scott Babbage and Tom Slingsby rounded out the top 5.

After two generals, racers finally got out the gates for race 2, with Nathan Outteridge pulling a kamikaze manoeuvre.  He nailed a port start, terrifying more than a few starboard tackers with a few close ducks, and launched into clear air.  Outteridge cleaned up with minutes over 2^nd place Scott Babbage.

Race 3 started in a puff that cut out when the top guys hit the first mark – further separating those that foiled and those that did not.  ISAF Sailor of the Year Tom Slingsby lead the 1^st first beat, but the lighter and faster Outteridge and Babbage quickly overtook him on the run.  Outteridge took the win, after Babbage went for a quick swim putting him back to 2^nd.

The mixed fleet of international sailors suffered more than a few general recalls and black flags dragging out the 3 races to a staggering 6.5 hours.  Lake Macquarie’s light and shifty South Easterly clocking North challenged the visitors, favoured the locals (top 4 in race 1 were all Lake Macquarie boys), and was universally frustrating.

Forecast promises 10-15 knots and sailors hope to have a full day on the foils.

Day One Results:

1^st Babbage, 4,2,2    8

2^nd Nathan 8, 1,1     10

3^rd Gough 3,3,5       11

Event Program

Belatedly… the event program for the 2011 Zhik Moth Worlds & Australian Championships has been posted.

Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds – Racing & Social Program

Amendment #3 to Nationals SIs

Amendment #3 has been posted to the SIs for the Australian Championships.

Start time for Wednesday’s racing is 13:00.

Zhik 2011 Australian Championships – Sailing Instructions Amendment 3

Form Guide- the contenders and the chargers

With the first race of the Zhik Moth Worlds under a week away, all competitors are fine tuning their boats in preparation for what is shaping up to be the most interesting Moth World Championship to date. There is a flood of sailing talent turning up amongst the 115 entries from 10 countries so it is sure to be tight at the top.

There has been a great amount of debate in sailing media around the world about the solid wing sail which both Bora Gulari (USA) and George Peet (USA) have been expected to use when the action begins on January 8th at Lake Macquarie, NSW Australia. However in a late breaking report from Lake Macquarie, it appears that Bora and George may be looking at reverting back to the standard soft sail configuration.

Both were out training yesterday with standard soft sail configurations whilst Charlie McKee (USA) was out testing the solid wing sail instead. Is it possible that there is an element of gamesmanship going on at Belmont at the moment? We may still see the solid wing sail on the race course yet.

Regardless of the sail configuration, the best Moth sailor is going to take out the 2011 Zhik Moth Worlds. Let’s take a look at who are the contenders and the chargers for the 2011 Moth World title.

The Contenders

Simon Payne (GBR) Mach 2
Simon is the current Moth World, European & British Champion and is a very consistent performer. Simon dominated in Dubai and came 4th at the Moth Open Europeans. Simon is at short odds to defend his title here in Australia.

Nathan Outteridge (AUS) Mach 2
Nathan, the current Moth Open European champion, has been putting in some solid effort into his Moth Sailing of late, although this has had to take a backseat for a summer of 49er racing down under. Since the last 49er event at Sail Melbourne in mid December, Nathan’s focus has returned to the Moth and with the Worlds being sailed on his home waters of Lake Macquarie, Nathan is tipped to go one better than his 2nd place from the 2009 Worlds in Oregon USA. (Note: Nathan did not attend the 2010 Worlds in Dubai). Interestingly Nathan races while listening to an iPod that is housed on his Moth so expect to hear some cool tunes at the head of the fleet.

Bora Gulari (USA) Mach 2 (Object2 Skiffworks solid wing sail?)
Bora is the 2009 Moth World Champion and was a close 2nd to Nathan at the Moth Open Europeans this year. Bora is fired up turn the tables on Nathan from the Open Europeans however more importantly he is looking to become the first American to win a Moth Worlds at a venue outside of the USA. Bora is considered one of the favourites and there will be many Americans following his progress with interest regardless of what sail configuration he uses.

Scott Babbage (AUS) Mach 2
Scott has been consistently in the top group at the last three world championships but lately he seems to have found some new speed. Scott impressed at the Open Europeans in August 2010 where he brought home a bronze medal and recently took out the Sydney International Regatta in convincing fashion proving that he should be one to watch. Scott will also have to juggle his other role of Regatta Director for the Zhik Moth Worlds however with some good preparation and delegation, expect his focus to remain firmly on the racing during the Worlds.

A- Mac (AUS) Mach 2
A-Mac is the “Grand Father” of the Moth Class and the man behind the Mach 2 Moth, which is essentially the weapon of choice for most competitors here at Belmont. A-Mac finished 2nd to Simon Payne at the Dubai Worlds after getting off to a flying start and is known to be quick in a straight line. Whilst there might be some younger and fitter sailors competing at Belmont, you can be sure that the old fox has a few more tricks up his sleeve. Will A-Mac be bringing a standard Mach 2 or will there be a Mach 2.5 at Belmont?

Brad Funk (USA) Mach 2
“Super Funk” came 3rd at the Dubai Moth Worlds and has been putting in the hard yards in his Moth of late. Brad is also increasing his training program for his London 2012 Laser campaign so expect him to be in good shape at Belmont. Brad is known to be very quick in light airs.

Tom Slingsby (AUS) Mach 2
Tom is the current ISAF Sailor of the Year and triple Laser World Champ who has turned his hand to the Moth class over the past twelve months.
Tom believes that sailing the Moth provides him a refreshing change to the grind of Olympic/One Design racing as well as a great outlet to have fun and learn more about this exciting form of sailing. Most things Tom does turns to gold, so expect him to master the Moth class sooner rather than later and be somewhere at the top during the Zhik Moth Worlds.

John Harris (AUS) Mach 2
The 2008 Moth World Champ and 2001 18’ Skiff World Champion has been devoting all his time to his Moth over the past twelve months and will be somewhere in the mix at the business end of the regatta. John has campaigned the 18’ Skiff the Rag & Famish over the past ten years and is known as a very consistent performer. John’s company sailingbits.com will be on site during the Zhik Moth Worlds providing all vital equipment needed for competitors including a full range of Zhik gear.

The Chargers

Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI) Mach 2
Arnaud has not had a great deal of training opportunities of late in Switzerland, however he has arrived at Belmont with plenty of time to recapture the form which saw him win the 2009 Moth European championships. Arnaud tied for 3rd with Brad Funk at the Dubai Moth Worlds but was relegated to the”leather medal” 4th place position on a count back.

Joe Turner (AUS) Mach 2
Our spies tell us that Joe has been ripping it up at the Lake and has plenty of pace. His form is hard to gauge but if the rumours are true, he is quick and will feature.

George Peet (USA) Mach 2 (Object2 Skiffworks solid wing sail?)
George “Bear” Peet is a Volvo Ocean Race veteran as well as a Melges 32 World Champion with the all-conquering Bliksem Racing Team. Bear was also planning on using his Object 2 Skiffworks solid wing sail at Lake Macquarie however our spy’s tell us that like Bora, he too might be having second thoughts. Bear knows his way around a race track and could feature if things go his way.

Rob Gough (AUS) Mach 2
Gough had a disappointing Moth Worlds in Dubai by his own standards, however he hit back with a solid 6th place at the Moth Open Europeans in 2010. Rob won a couple of heavy air races at the Sydney International Regatta held in December 2010 so he will be looking forward to some strong conditions at Belmont.

Dalton Bergan (USA) Mach 2
The Seattle based charger came 5th at the Dubai Worlds and is a quiet achiever amongst the US contingent at the Moth Worlds. Dalton should be up there if all goes to plan.

Euan Mcnicol (AUS) Mach 2
Euan has won three 18’ Skiff World Championships (2000, 2005 & 2009) as well as a 14’ Skiff World Championship in 2006. Euan is a professional sailor and coach who was one of the key team members on the Secret Mens Business 3.5 which was the overall winner of the 2010 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Euan is no stranger to high performance boats so he will be at home at the Lake in his Moth.

Luka Damic (AUS) Scalpel
Luka will be using a Scalpel Moth that was designed and built by Luka and Marty Johnson in Sydney. On his day, Luka can be very quick and will also be wearing his CST hat during the worlds for anyone who needs any assistance with their CST components.

Adam Beashel (AUS) Mach 2
“Beasho” needs no introduction and is taking time out of his ETNZ America’s Cup and Audi Med Cup responsibilities to jump into the Moth Class and learn all about this exciting form of racing. Beasho only picked up his Mach 2 in early December and has been quickly working out how to make them go. Adam and his family live on Lake Macquarie so he has had plenty of time to train in race conditions over the past month. Having sailors such as Beasho at this event is what makes the Zhik Moth Worlds so unique providing such a range of sailing talent from all sectors of the sailing world.

Charlie McKee (USA) Mach 2
The Double Olympic Medalist and US Sailing legend has been a huge promoter of the Moth class in the US over the past few years. Like A-Mac, Charlie is sure to come to Belmont with a few tricks up his sleeve to keep the young “whipper snappers” in check.

Other sailors who will feature include British Skiff champ, Andy Budgen in his bright yellow machine, IMAC President and former Singapore Sailing High Performance Manager Mark Robinson, Dave Lister from Sydney and Iain Jensen who is Nathan Outteridge’s crew on the 49er.

Japanese National Champion (and Zhik Japan CEO), Hiroki Goto is leading the charge from Tokyo along with long time America’s Cup Trimmer Tatsu Wakinaga who will be competing in his first Moth World championship.

In the Women’s division, we will see some great competition amongst a bunch of talented women sailors including Haylee Outteridge, Samantha England, Emma Spiers, Kerstin Sommer and Emma Aspington from Sweden. Hopefully these talented sailors encourage a larger group of women to join the Moth Class.
Emma Spiers points out that the girls need to love the boats because there is not much else too attractive in the boat park!

The “Pre Worlds”, Zhik Australian Moth Championship will be raced this week on January 5th and 6th with the first race of the Zhik Moth Worlds kicking off on January 8th 2011.

All the action can be followed at www.mothworlds.org including race updates, news, results, daily video highlights and excellent imagery from Thierry Martinez.

Amendments to the NOR and SI for Wingsails

Amendments have been issues to the Zhik 2011 Australian Championships & Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions to cover the measurement of Wingsails.

Read the amendments to the Notice of Race.

Read the amendments to the Sailing Instructions.

Read the official letter from IMCA President Mark Robinson.

Authorisation for Class Rule Change – Wingsails

Permission from the IMCA is hereby given for the following class rule changes to be implemented for the 2010-11 Australian Championship and 2011 World Championship only.

The following new class rule is added for this event only:

9.12 If the rig is a wing sail it is to be measured in its entirety according to the ISAF Guide to Sail Area Calculation with the total sail area being not greater than 8.00 m2. Rule 8. Spars is not valid for wing sails. The leading edge length of the wing shall not exceed 5185 mm. Fittings and structure that are for the sole purpose of attaching or retaining the wing to the boat shall be disregarded for the purpose of sail area measurement provided they are no bigger than is reasonably required for that purpose.

The following new definition is added to the class rules for this event only:

Definition:
Wing means a rigid or semi-rigid structure (encompassing a traditional yacht’s mast and mainsail structures), similar to an aircraft wing fixed approximately vertically to provide propulsion from the wind.

This rule change is issued by the IMCA Executive Committee, under the authority of the IMCA Council of Presidents and with the approval of the International Sailing Federation under RRS87 and ISAF Regulation 26.5(f).

Mark Robinson
IMCA President

Authorisation for Class Rule Change – Wingsails

Sailing Instructions are available now

Sailing Instructions for the Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds & Australian Championships are now available.

Download the documents now.

CST Composites renews their support of the Moth Class

Long time supporter and title sponsor of the 2008 and 2009 Moth World Championships, CST Composites has renewed their support of the Moth Class for the Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds.

Clive Watts, general manager of CST Composites has generously donated one of CST’s new high modulus rectangular booms for the winner of the junior division at the 2011 event.

The new boom design is another step forward in weight saving and stiffness. European Open Champion Nathan Outteridge will use the new boom, along with a quiver of CST masts as he looks to take home the 2011 Worlds title.

On-site Registration

On-site registration for the Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds & Australian Championships starts on the 4th of January.

To make things easier, please ensure you bring the following:

– Proof of National Authority Membership. Or have your National Secretary email it.

– Proof of $10M AUD third party liability insurance (ie. copy of policy). Please ensure your insurance covers Australian waters.

– A signed copy of your boat’s measurement certificate.

– A signed copy of the sail measurement form for every sail you plan to use in the regatta.

World Championship Golden Cleat

Yes Tipsters it’s on again. Australia’s premier Moth tipping competition
returns for 2011 on the International stage – “World Championship Golden
Cleat”.

You’ve lurked the forums, you’ve read all the blogs, now put that ‘word
on the street’ to good use. No need to download a fancy iPhone App
either, just good old fashion pen and paper is all you need to enter –
and it’s free!

Simply predict place getters 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 10th of each heat – piece
of cake

World class ‘prizes of dubious quality’ are up for grabs, setting a new
standard in the ‘quality’ of the ‘dubious-ness’.

Want to know more? Download a full set of “The Rules”.

Note: The “2011 World Championship Golden Cleat” Committee wish to draw
attention to clause 1.3 of ‘The Rules’ – Should this tipping competition
be found to be in breach of any rules or regulations it will be
cancelled, and those responsible will deny any knowledge of said
competition.

FlyMount will give us the best view of the action

Flymount is partnering with the Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds to give us a unique view of the action on the water.

The Flymount is the ultimate camera mount for extreme sports and action photography. The Flymount allows you to capture amazing footage from a different perspective by securely attaching to your equipment. Its compact size and low weight means that it can be clamped on and forgotten about until the end of your session. With its unique cradle mount protecting your camera from unwinding under shock, the Flymount is the safest and most robust choice on the market.

For more information, visit flymount.com.au

SP-High Modulus Sponsors the 2011 Zhik Moth Worlds

The International Moth Class Association (IMCA) is delighted to announce partner sponsorship by SP- High Modulus of the Zhik Moth Worlds due to be held on Lake Macquarie from January 8th through to January 14th 2011.

SP- High Modulus, the Marine Business of Gurit, work alongside the world’s leading boat designers, integrating structural design, materials science and process engineering for the build of performance boats.

The versatility and durability of SP-High Modulus products and the in-depth engineering knowledge deliver significant performance gains that are needed in the high performance classes including the foiling Moth.

With the 2011 Zhik Moth Worlds less than a month away, the sponsorship announcement provides a significant boost for this major international sailing event. This championship is set to showcase some of the world’s best sailing talent racing on the most innovative sailing craft ever seen.

“SP-High Modulus is proud to support the Zhik 2011 Moth World Championship. The competition’s design ethos of high performance, innovation and lightness match the qualities that SP-High Modulus has been delivering to the marine market for over 30 years” commented Niall Kinch from SP- High Modulus.

With the majority of the craft competing at the Zhik Moth Worlds having been manufactured using SP-High Modulus Composite materials in their hulls and rigs, SP- High Modulus will also be providing a “Smash Repair” facility which will be available for all competitors to perform running repairs on their boats during the event. If Lake Macquarie delivers its renowned strong sea breeze conditions, this facility could be in high demand.

The Zhik Moth Worlds has received 113 entries from 10 countries and is shaping up as a showdown of some of the world’s best sailors from the Olympic and professional sailing sectors.
IMCA Australian President, Scott Babbage, is excited to have SP- High Modulus on board as a partner sponsor of the Zhik Moth Worlds: “SP- High Modulus is the world leader in marine composites and we are looking forward to benefiting from SP- High Modulus’ energy and expertise” He added: “The SP- High Modulus brand has a natural fit with the Moth Class so this association is a logical one which we believe will be mutually beneficial”.

All competitors are now locked into their final preparations as they build up to race one on January 8th 2011.

Call for volunteers

Given the large number of entrants for the Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds, we are seeking extra volunteers.

If you are bringing people to the event who would like to help, or know of people wanting to get involved, then please get them to email in with their availability and the roles they would like to fill.

We are looking for:
– Rescue and course boat volunteers (both drivers and crews).
– Shore crews to assists launch and retrieval.
– Measurers

And plenty more aside.

Zhik Moth Worlds attracts a red hot field of 112 entries

With just over a month to go before race one of the Zhik Moth Worlds, regatta organizers have received a talent filled 112 entries from ten countries who are all ready to test themselves and their boats on Lake Macquarie NSW, Australia in January 2011.

Head lining the entry list is ISAF Sailor of the Year & three time Laser World champ Tom Slingsby (AUS) who is looking to add yet another world title to his growing tally, however Tom will have a big challenge on his hands because there will be Four previous World Champions; Simon Payne (GBR), Bora Gulari (USA), John Harris (AUS) , & Chris Dey (AUS) along with another Four Olympians all pushing hard for the title.

To pick a favorite for this event is almost impossible with a lineup of champion sailors from Australia, NZ, USA, Great Britain, Singapore, Japan, Ireland, Sweden, Germany & Switzerland. (See entry list below) Interestingly, competitors will be racing with a variety of rig & foil combinations with the Mach‐2 package being the most popular.

Current World Champion, Simon Payne (GBR) will be looking to recreate the form which won him the 2010 Moth World championships in Dubai, however there will be a stack of Aussies led by Nathan Outteridge, Andrew McDougall (Aka “A‐Mac”), Scott Babbage & Dave Lister who will be all putting pressure on the Brit over the course of the week.

Nathan Outteridge (AUS) is the current Moth Open European Champion and has been in solid form of late having just won the Zhik Australian 49er National Championships with his crew Iain Jensen (AUS) who is also competing at these worlds. Both have been putting in some long hours on their home waters of Lake Macquarie.

Along with the depth of talent turning up at Lake Macquarie, the latest advances in Moth rig technology are keeping the class at the forefront of sailing development and will ensure that these Moth Worlds will be the most watched edition yet.

2009 World Champ Bora Gulari (USA) has thrown down the gauntlet to his fellow competitors and will be arriving at the Lake with a solid wing sail on his Mach‐2. The yet to be measured sail has been designed and built by Canadian C‐ Class Champions Object 2 Skiff Works and it will be sure to provoke intense interest both within the class and the sailing community. The new wingsails are yet to race and the big questions on everyone’s mind are‐ Who else is bringing one? Will it be faster? Will it break and will it measure? All will be known in the course of time.

Other sailors to watch include seasoned America’s Cup campaigners, Adam Beashel (AUS), Charlie McGee (USA) & Tatsu Wakinaga (JPN) along with Volvo Around the world sailor George Peet (USA) who could surprise the seasoned Moth guru’s.

The Zhik Moth Australian championships will be held on January 4th & 5th and should be a great form indicator for the Zhik Moth Worlds which starts on Saturday January 8th. Stay tuned for updates at www.mothworlds.org

The Zhik Moth Worlds is also supported by:

Zhik: Gear for the fast wet athlete

NSW Sport & Recreation

Notice of Race Amendment #1

The Notice of Race for both the Zhik 2011 Moth Australian Championships and the Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds have been amended.

The schedule for the Worlds has been modified to move the reserve day back 1 day to the 12th January. This will allow the organiser to catch up if any races are missed in the first 4 days of the regatta.

For the Worlds, the total number of races for a split fleet event has been reduced from the ambitious 21 races, to 18. 9 in qualifying and 9 in the finals.

A media rights, cameras and electronic equipment clause has been added to both.

Check the Notice of Race page for the full notice.

Zhik to Sponsor 2011 International Moth World Championships

The International Moth Class Association (IMCA) welcomes the timely addition of Zhik as title sponsor of the Zhik 2011 International Moth World Championships and Australian Championships, to be held on Lake Macquarie, Australia in January 2011.

IMCA Australian President, Scott Babbage, is delighted to have Zhik onboard. “Zhik is a natural fit to sponsor the Moth Worlds, with their clear dominance in the fleet, we now also look forward to building an even stronger relationship as title sponsor”

“Zhik has always been a strong supporter of the Moth fleet.”, said Managing Director of Zhik, Brian Conolly, “Moth sailors and Zhik designers have the same philosophy, both being attracted to technical innovation. Zhik has enjoyed working with the top sailors in the Moth class to help design faster wet gear”.

The Zhik 2011 International Moth World Championships will feature some of the World’s best sailors on their home turf. Included in the high calibre fleet will be 3-time Laser World Champion Tom Slingsby and current Moth European Champion Nathan Outteridge. Born and bred on the New South Wales central coast, Outteridge will be keen to claim the Moth World Championship to add to his swag of titles. However, he will not go unchallenged, “To some extent I feel I have home waters advantage, I’ve spent my life sailing on the lake… It’s a great place to sail. There are many people who could win the worlds… past world champs John (Harris), Bora (Gulari) and Simon (Payne) come to mind straight away and no doubt there will be a handful of other top sailors who are new to the class like Tom Slingsby. I think it will be a close fought regatta and I am really looking forward to it.”

Fellow Australian and 2008 World Champion, John Harris, will be another serious contender for the World Title. Having put aside his 18ft Skiff aspirations, Harris has put it all on the line in the quest for his second Moth World Championship. “Whilst the competition will be tougher… the ingredients to be successful are the same – a fast and reliable boat, excellent boat-handling, sound race tactics and good physical fitness and recovery. I will be doing my best to be as strong as I can be in all of those areas!”

While they may claim home court advantage, the Australians will not have it all their own way. 2009 World Champion Bora Gulari is expected to make the trek down under, along with reigning World Champion Simon Payne. American Brad Funk will also add to the invasion of formidable international rivals.

Online entries are now open for the Zhik 2011 International Moth World Championships. To enter or for more information go to www.mothworlds.org

Apollo Hotel supports 2011 Worlds

Newcastle’s Quality Hotel Apollo International has stepped up as a supporter of the PUMA 2011 Moth Worlds.

The Quality Hotel Apollo International is a short 10 minute drive to Belmont 16 Footers, with a bus stop located directly out the front of the hotel.

The Hotel offers:
– 4 star accommodation with 24 hour reception.
– Complimentary car parking and Internet.
– Licensed restaurant onsite.

Rates:
From $115 (Garden Rooms) single or double, room only.

Quality Hotel Apollo International
290 Pacific Highway, Charlestown, NSW 2290
Phone: 02 4943 6733
Fax: 02 4942 1149
Email: desk@apollointernational.com.au
Web: www.apollointernational.com.au

Entries are now up!

Entries are now up for the 2011 PUMA Moth Worlds.

2011 Moth Worlds Notice of Race Available

The Notice of Race for the 2011 Moth Worlds is now available for download.

The event will run over 7 days from the 8th – 14th January. The schedule is:

Thursday 6th January 2011 – Registration & Measurement
Friday 7th January 2011 – Registration & Measurement

Saturday 8th January 2011 – Race Day
Sunday 9th January 2011 – Race Day
Monday 10th January 2011 – Race Day

Tuesday 11th January 2011 – Reserve Day

Wednesday 12th January 2011 – Race Day
Thursday 13th January 2011 – Race Day
Friday 14th January 2011 – Race Day

Given sufficient entries, the series may be divided into qualifying and finals, with the fleet split into groups of approximately equal numbers.

Enter online now.

2011 Moth Australian Championships Notice of Race Available

The Notice of Race for the Moth 2011 Australian Championships is now available for download.

Check the Notice of Race page to download.

The event will consist of a 7 race series over 2 days, starting on the 5th of January 2011.

Entries are open to all Moth sailors affiliated with the International Moth Class Association either directly, or through their National Authority. Enter online now.

Nathan Outteridge wins the 2010 Syz & Co Moth Europeans

The Australian Nathan Outteridge wins the SYZ & CO MOTH EUROPEANS in the Open category, in front of the American Bora Gulari and the Australian Scott Babbage. The British Simon Payne is the European Champion before the two Swiss Arnaud Psarofaghis and Matthias Renker. Two superb regattas finished a splendid week today, with Bora Gulari winning the first one and Nathan Outteridge the second one.
Summer heat, “Lord of the Rings”’ like landscape, amazing sun, blue skies, one had it all for the last day of the competition except for… the wind. But the competitors did not have to wait for too long. Finally the Maloja wind rose, weaker and more irregular, between 10 and 15 knots, and allowed a start at 2.05 pm.

Nathan Outteridge explains his day: “I was not very good in the first race. I was winning, but I made a mistake on a tack and Bora and Simon took advantage of it and overtook me. Then, I managed to pass Simon again, but not Bora. Between the two races, Bora told me he was not feeling too well and that he was thinking of giving up the second race. He nevertheless tried, but had to stop. I still decided to go on full speed, because I wanted to win the last race of the championship.” He continues: “I am happy because I got much closer to Bora. I changed boat and material and I feel much nearer to Bora. I was second at the World Championships in the USA last year, but I was not as close. I intend to participate in the next year’s Worlds at home in Australia and hopefully I will win again! ” The Australian is a great champion, no doubt. He started to sail the moth hardly two years ago, but he is seriously concentrating on preparing the Olympic Games with the 49er. Moreover, he explains he had just won the “Sail for Gold”, a leg of the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Wheymouth, South of England. He then drove all night long to get into Engadin on time and to win the European Championships! “A successful trip!”

In bad shape after a food poisoning last night, Bora Gulari nevertheless managed to win the first race, but did not finish the second: “I did not have the strength to finish the second race. I am however happy with my second place, because I decided to come here a last minute. I’m going back home and will get ready for the next World Championships in Australia and I intend to take my revenge on Nathan!”
Arnaud Psarofaghis who finishes second of the European Championship explains: “I had no speed today. I fought more against my boat than against the other competitors. I could not really go for it.” He continues: “The week was fantastic, with very varied and very tactical conditions. It was fantastic to sail with the other competitors, we had so much fun! ” What is coming next? “I will get ready for the World championships in Australia and I will carry on with the D35 season on Lake Geneva.”

“I am really happy, it has been a fantastic year for me so far! ” says the new European champion, Simon Payne, just off his boat. “Three important victories this year, the World Championships, the British Nationals and now the European championships, I am really happy! ” Let’s remember some of Simon’s achievements, as this is his 5th European championship victory and he has been World champion already twice (2006 and 2010).
How did the duel with Arnaud go today? “I had a good day, also I was not very fast down- wind. I was very carefully watching Arnaud’s position. I sailed in a very conservative way, in particular in the second race, when the general recall and the black flag was announced. I made a very careful start, but I succeeded to overtake Arnaud at the last mark.

Jean-Pierre Ziegert, organizer and President of the Swiss Moth class is happy: “I was hoping for superb championships, but the reality went beyond all my hopes. The weather conditions, the number of races, the quality of the navigation on the water, the atmosphere, all has been there. The week has been extraordinary. I couldn’t have dreamed better!” As a participant, the President finished in 5th position of the European championship (and 11th of the Open): “I started the championship with a surprisingly good ranking. I started full speed, since the sailing came as liberation after the stress of the championships’ organization. However as the days went by the tiredness took over and I finished the championships with a superb result, but not as good as I thought at the beginning of week.”

Ricardo Payro, the Head of Communications of the SYZ & CO Private Bank, gives us his impressions of the week : “One absolutely splendid week for everyone! For the organizers, as the European championships were at the level of a world championship, with exceptional athletes competing. For the competitors, all the conditions were met: they sailed under idyllic conditions, with wind and flat water. For the public on-site, it was amazing to be able to watch this spectacle from the shore, in the beautiful Engadin region. A large public has also followed the races on Internet thanks to the GPS tracking system. If everyone is happy, then the title sponsor is obviously happy!.
European Open Championship final ranking:

1. Nathan OUTTERIDGE (AUS 3750) – 18 points
2. Bora GULARI (USA 6) – 20 points
3. Scott BABBAGE (AUS 7) – 44 points
4. Simon PAYNE (GBR 1) – 44 points
5. Arnaud PSAROFAGHIS (SUI 4) – 52 points
6. Rob GOUGH (AUS 3731) – 76 points
7. Matthias RENKER (SUI 3626) – 103 points
8. Chris GRAHAM (UAE 9) – 106 points
9. Chris RAST (USA 3768) – 106 points
10. Jason BELBEN (GBR 3619) – 113 points

Podium European Championship :
1. Simon PAYNE (GBR 1)
2. Arnaud PSAROFAGHIS (SUI 4)
3. Matthias RENKER (SUI 3626)

Podium Swiss Championship :
1. Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI 4)
2. Matthias Renker (SUI 3626)
3. Jean-Pierre Ziegert (SUI 3464)