Zhik Moth Worlds 2011 Final Series - Crashes and comebacks

by Zhik Moth Worlds on 11 Jan 2011 Zhik Moth Worlds 2011 - Final Series day 1, Belmont, Lake Macquarie NSW.

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 second 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.

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 third. 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) fifth at the first mark, climbed through the fleet surfacing with a second, and Turner proved most consistent closing with a record of 3, 4, 3 (More consistent was Simon Payne (GBR) who had straight 22nd’s). And Outteridge? He was deep off the line, but he ripped through the fleet for a fourth.

The Wing-sail 'piloted' by Charlie McKee lit up the first leg of the course in seventh 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.

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

Damage took its toll on Funk and Dalton Bergan (USA), Funk lost a rudder, Bergan a rig and now carries two 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 fourth, now 12th 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 14th of January.

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2011 Zhik Moth Worlds Results --- Day 1 Final Series -- GOLD FLEET

Entries: 55 QS Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Overall
Sail No Skipper Code PlacePts Place Pts Place Pts Place Pts Pts Rank

1 3750 Outteridge Nathan AUS 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 4 7 1
2 3639 Turner Joe AUS 3 3 3 3 4 4 3 3 13 2
3 7 Babbage Scott AUS 4 4 2 2 8 8 6 6 20 3
4 3634 Harris John AUS 8 8 5 5 2 2 5 5 20 4
5 6 Gulari Bora USA 11 11 4 4 3 3 7 7 25 5
6 3786 Slingsby Tom AUS 7 7 10 10 9 9 2 2 28 6
7 3731 Gough Rob AUS 6 6 9 9 7 7 8 8 30 7
8 3769 Budgen Andrew GBR 13 13 6 6 6 6 10 10 35 8
9 3709 Jensen Iain AUS 5 5 7 7 16 16 9 9 37 9
10 4 Psarofaghis Arnaud SUI 12 12 8 8 5 5 13 13 38 10
11 3676 Beeby Scott AUS 10 10 18 18 14 14 12 12 54 11
12 3776 McKnight Joshua AUS 16 16 12 12 20 20 11 11 59 12
13 3820 Crockett Matt AUS 17 17 17 17 11 11 16 16 61 13
14 3656 Damic Luka AUS 25 25 16 16 13 13 15 15 69 14
15 3615 Peet George USA 23 23 15 15 17 17 14 14 69 15
16 3773 Burling Peter NZL 2 2 14 14 DNF 56 1 1 73 16
17 3657 Lister David AUS 20 20 21 21 15 15 17 17 73 17
18 3803 Rast Christopher USA 18 18 11 11 25 25 23 23 77 18
19 1 Payne Simon GBR 19 19 22 22 22 22 22 22 85 19
20 2 McDougall Andrew AUS 14 14 19 19 10 10 45 45 88 20
21 3783 Sare Warren AUS 22 22 26 26 27 27 24 24 99 21
22 3781 Logan Will AUS 33 33 29 29 21 21 18 18 101 22
23 3715 Russell Jason GBR 30 30 37 37 18 18 20 20 105 23
24 3 Funk Brad USA 9 9 20 20 23 23 DNF 56 108 24
25 3735 Wakinaga Tatsuya JPN 38 38 24 24 19 19 31 31 112 25

Full Results click here
Event website