British Moth flies at Skandia Geelong Week 2009


12:05 PM Fri 23 Jan 2009 GMT
'Simon Payne (Mach 2) - Skandia Geelong Week' Andrea Francolini / Audi &copy Click Here to view large photo
Great Britain's Simon Payne has firmed his stranglehold on the Zhik International Moth Nationals on a day that was frustratingly light until late this afternoon. In stark contrast to yesterday when the racing was cancelled at Docklands due to high winds, the Moths spent most of the afternoon in postponement shore side at Geelong's Corio Bay.

Following today's wins in race five and seven, his fourth of the series, Payne (Mach 2) is leading the pointscore on 10.2 points ahead of Australian Olympic 49er sailor Nathan Outteridge (Bladerider) on 18 points and Scott Babbage (Appliances Online) on 26 points.

Payne, the 2006 Moth World champion who began sailing the class as a child and has returned as an adult, and the Mach 2 designer, Andrew McDougall, only got the new boat foiling properly two days before the series began on Tuesday. Built at McConaghy's in China, it's a brand new design and the first to be raced in Australia - and it's proving fast and seaworthy.

The diminutive Payne doesn't like to talk about how he'll hold the advantage for the remaining three races, 'if I start thinking about writing a winner's speech I get a bit over-awed,' he laughed this evening.

'I prefer to break it down, sailing is a series of small steps.'

He says getting a good start is key to his success, and trying to stay clear of the weed in Corio Bay - a tough ask when you are two feet above the water on foils and doing 24 knots of boat speed, the sort of pace the mothies were setting in this afternoon's second race.

Payne is not surprised by Outteridge's early success in the Moth class. 'He's a fantastic sailor and it's a privilege to sail against guys like him'.
As for Outteridge, he's biding his time. 'I'm just hangin' in there. Hopefully he'll make a mistake,' he said of Payne.

The 37 Moths tussling for their class' national title on a sparkling Corio Bay completed the first of three scheduled races this morning, came ashore then headed back out for the 1400hrs start of the second.

After drifting around in a breeze that tantalised but refused to settle in from one direction the race committee sent the competitors back to the beach to await a decision on whether racing would resume or be abandoned for the day.
As Skandia Geelong Week's sports boats crews relaxed back at Royal Geelong Yacht Club after their races a belated sou'easterly sea breeze finally blew in, rattling rigging in the marina and sending the Moths scurrying back out to a new course area for the final two scheduled races.

In 16 knots of building pressure the lightweight International Moths, which only average 30 kilos in weight and have a hull like a rowing skull with two huge hiking wings either side, skated along up on their foils in this afternoon's race six, which finally began at 1705hrs. Race seven began at 1806hrs this evening which meant a later than usual un-rig. Luckily tomorrow's start is a late one with the first of the two scheduled races due to start at 1400hrs once the bulk of the Passage Race fleet has arrived from Williamstown.

Luka Damic (Ready!) scored his first win in race six, beating David Lister (Manic) and Payne. In race seven Payne led Outteridge and Lister when the results were tallied.

Zhik International Moth Australian Champ

Hosted By Royal Geelong Yacht Club

PROVISIONAL RESULTS

Updated: 23/01/2009 20:33:09

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR FULL RESULTS

Series Results [Elapsed Time] up to Race 7 (Drops = 1)
PlaceTiesSail NoBoat NameSkipperFromSers ScoreRace 7Race 6Race 5Race 4Race 3Race 2Race 1
13381MACH 2Simon PayneHISC10.200.80 3.00 0.80 4.00 0.80 [9.00] 0.80
211BLADERIDERNathan OutteridgeRSYSB16S18.002.00 7.00 2.00 3.00 2.00 [10.00] 2.00
33263APPLIANCES ONLINEScott BabbageWSC26.007.00 4.00 3.00 [7.00] 4.00 2.00 6.00
49368MANICDavid ListerSTGSC26.803.00 2.00 [15.00] 0.80 5.00 13.00 3.00
53217SOUTHERN SPARSAndrew BrownTBC29.008.00 5.00 8.00 2.00 3.00 3.00 [11.00]
63281BORA GULARIBora GulariBYC45.005.00 6.00 [17.00] 6.00 9.00 14.00 5.00
73295SAILINGBITS.COMJohn HarrisA18L50.004.00 14.00 9.00 5.00 14.00 [17.00] 4.00
83283ALTITUDERob GoughRYCT51.5012.00 8.50 [16.00] 12.00 7.00 5.00 7.00
93128KA SAILMark RobinsonCYCA52.5013.00 8.50 6.00 13.00 6.00 6.00 [13.00]
103573READY!Luka DamicSTGSC58.806.00 0.80 [22.00] 11.00 15.00 7.00 19.00
113570OBSESSIONAlan GoddardBSC65.8014.00 13.00 5.00 14.00 19.00 0.80 [23.00]
123262CARBON NEUTRALLes ThorpeBYRA68.009.00 [15.00] 13.00 9.00 13.00 12.00 12.00
133252OYSTER FUNDPsarofaghis ArnaudSNG69.00[43.00C]18.00 4.00 8.00 10.00 15.00 14.00
143288THE MIGHTY BOOSHRod RayBISC74.0010.00 20.00 7.00 20.00 8.00 [21.00] 9.00
153128XUPGRADELochlin ByrneSYC/RBYC76.0016.00 16.00 11.00 10.00 12.00 11.00 [17.00]
163297TBA4Samantha EnglandBYS84.0015.00 11.00 12.00 18.00 [28.00] 20.00 8.00
179332HTFUAndrew StevensonSTGSC95.0011.00 12.00 [29.00] 16.00 23.00 23.00 10.00
183260PHLEGM FATALEStephen DonovanSTGSC104.0020.00 [29.00] 10.00 24.00 16.00 16.00 18.00
193290TBAPeder ArveforsBRASS106.0017.00 10.00 [25.00] 17.00 22.00 24.00 16.00
203321IFFIMartin CrossBSCRPAYC112.0019.00 17.00 18.00 19.00 [27.00] 18.00 21.00
219334LEALea SitjaSGSC115.00[43.00C]40.00F 19.00 22.00 11.00 8.00 15.00
229343TIGER ON A CHAINPhil StevensonSTGSC126.0023.00 19.00 14.00 [28.00] 24.00 22.00 24.00
233420TBABrent PearsonKBSC139.0021.00 26.00 [27.00] 23.00 21.00 26.00 22.00
243472TRX 1James Owen-SmithDBYC140.0018.00 22.00 28.00 21.00 17.00 34.00 [43.00C]
253309HYDROPHOBICMichael BoodeRGYC142.0028.00 23.00 20.00 [29.00] 25.00 19.00 27.00
263271RED BARONGreg WiseASC143.0022.00 21.00 [35.00] 25.00 30.00 25.00 20.00
2713279BLADERIDER RX 2Martin GravareGKSS147.0037.00F 25.00 23.00 15.00 18.00 29.00 [43.00C]
289365BUCCANEERNed DallyASC163.0024.00 32.00 24.00 30.00 [33.00] 27.00 26.00
299364SILVER SHADOWMartin JohnsonWSC166.0025.00 24.00 26.00 [43.00C]26.00 36.00 29.00
303305BLACKADDERAlastair GibsonBSC174.0029.00 30.00 21.00 26.00 31.00 37.00 [43.00S]
313279NNMagnus GravareGKSS184.0027.00 28.00 37.00 27.00 35.00 [40.00] 30.00
329256SMITHIan SimBSC188.0026.00 33.00 30.00 33.00 38.00 28.00 [43.00C]
339360VERTICAL HORIZONMatthew DayWSC191.0043.00C 43.00C 43.00C 38.00F 20.00 4.00 [43.00C]
343232SUMMITWill LoganRYCT194.0030.00 31.00 36.00 32.00 37.00 [38.00] 28.00
353359CHATTERBOXStephen TillmanASC196.0032.00 35.00 33.00 35.00 29.00 [41.00] 32.00
368978WINGNUTMichael WillcocksLCSC199.0031.00 37.00 31.00 [43.00S]36.00 33.00 31.00
379168FRANKylie LowrySTGSC203.0033.00 34.00 34.00 34.00 34.00 [35.00] 34.00
381THE TRAMPJames MackenzieSTGSC205.0034.00 38.00 32.00 36.00 [40.00] 32.00 33.00
391260SAILFASTHiroki GotoSFC209.0037.00F 27.00 43.00C 31.00 32.00 39.00 [43.00C]
403182RENEGADEJonathan EmonsonGLYC226.0043.00C 43.00C 43.00S [43.00C]42.00F 30.00 25.00
413178TEKNOLOGIKABruce McLeodSTGSC235.0043.00C 36.00 43.00C 43.00C 39.00 31.00 [43.00C]
429311ON THE PROWLDavid BarnesXXXX258.0043.00C 43.00C 43.00C 43.00C 43.00C 43.00C [43.00C]

(Ties: S=Score R=Race B= Bettered. Penalties: A=ARB B=BFD C=DNC D=DNE E=ESP F=DNF G=RDG L=Late Entrant M=DGM N=ENP O=OCS P=Protest Q=DSQ R=RAF S=DNS U=DUT V=AVG X=EXC Z=ZFP Y=SCP #=NoData [x.y]=Discarded)


At 1800hrs tomorrow, Saturday 24, the top 10 on the Zhik International Moth Nationals pointscore, following race eight and nine, will be invited to participate in a 'dash for cash' off the breakwater at Royal Geelong Yacht Club. Ten Moths will start and each sprint race the last two will drop off until there is a match race between two Moths, who will have to literally grab the $500 cash from the outstretched hand of one of the race committee members on their way through the finish gate.

Tomorrow's forecast is for west to north westerly winds 15 to 20 knots reaching 25 knots ahead of a south westerly change of 15 to 25 knots.




by Lisa Ratcliff - Skandia media



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