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 2nd 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, 20th), and Japanese Olympian Tatsuya Wakinaga whose great endurance earned him consistent 15th 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 1st and 2nd place. Scott Babbage (AUS) tussled with Iain Jensen (AUS) throughout the day, Babbage with a quick turn of shame recovered to 4th 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 7th and 8th, respectively.
More damage control down the fleet – Charlie McKee (USA) and the Wing-sail after screaming up the first leg and ultimately landing a 5th place in the first race, had to limp ashore for rig damages, that continued to hold him back for a 21st 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:
| Rank | Skipper | Country | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Overall | |
| 1 | Nathan | Outteridge | AUS | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 2 | Peter | Burling | NZL | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 3 | Joe | Turner | AUS | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
| 4 | Scott | Babbage | AUS | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 14 |
| 5 | Rob | Gough | AUS | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 15 |
| 6 | Iain | Jensen | AUS | 1 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 18 |
| 7 | Tom | Slingsby | AUS | 6 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 18 |
| 8 | John | Harris | AUS | 9 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 24 |
| 9 | Brad | Funk | USA | DNF | 8 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 27 |
| 10 | Arnaud | Psarofaghis | SUI | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 27 |