Josh McKnight hits the front at Moth Worlds

by Lulu Roseman on 26 Aug 2012 Josh McKnight has turned the tables on Scott Babbage to take the overall lead today at the Zhik Nautica Moth Worlds on Lake Garda by a slim two point margin.

Three races were held this afternoon in shifty conditions that saw McKnight score a second, fourth and a first in what has been an adrenalin charged day and by far one of the most challenging.

'I'm stoked and just need to have a good day tomorrow. I am also stressed out as there is still one more day to go and it's just so close on points,' McKnight said.

'The first race was really tricky with two different breeze conditions blowing on the course. In the second race I got buried at the start and managed to sail back through the fleet to a fourth gaining on one boat on the final gybe into the finish.

'The day's final race was even trickier as the breeze became even lighter. I was in second place around the top mark but got smoked by AMAC (Andrew McDougall). I then hiked hard upwind to move into a comfortable lead but I ended up overlaying the mark by a massive margin. Luckily I sailed fast enough to lead around the downwind mark and sail though the line for a win.'

2012 Zhik Nautica Moth World Championships
Final Series - Top 10 results after 6 races (1 discard) and qualifying rank

1. Joshua McKnight (AUS), 2+2+(4)+1+2+4+1=12
2 Scott Babbage (AUS), 1+1+1+2+(16)+5+4=14
3. Anthony Kotoun (ISV), 4+3+2+10+(33)+1+2=22
4. Bora Gulari (USA), 3+5+(11)+3+8+2+8=29
5. Julian Salter (AUS), 8+9+6+7+(38)+3+7=40
6. Brad Funk(USA), 18+6+(10)+4+1+8+5=42
7. Rob Gough (AUS), 12+4+3+5+(11)+10+10=44
8. Andrew McDougall (AUS), 7+7+12+8+7+(34)+3=44
9. Eric Aakhus (USA), 17+8+(15)+6+10+6+11=58
10. Chris Rashley (GBR), 5+12+9+11+13+9+(20)=59