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

Kiwi Peter Burling flyin' high.

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

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.

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.

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.