US International Moth Championship at Upper Keys Sailing Club - Slalom
by Alan Block 22 Mar 2014 00:25 PDT
21-23 March 2014
Tropical calms foil racing
Slalom cancelled – US Title Races begin Saturday
Bucking the forecast models for the normally dependable Easterly trade winds, the local breeze struggled to fill in all day today, leaving one of the largest US Moth National Championship fleets in history to find something else to do besides racing dinghies.
Most worked on their boats, tweaking titanium, steel and carbon fiber bits, or splicing tiny lines stronger than steel cable. Ian Andrewes needed more competition, so he dusted off his Puma Ocean Racing paddleboard, challenging a handful of Moth racers in a buoy-and-back race on Buttonwood sound. Tampa's Ben Moon showed Andrewes, Dalton Bergon, Zack Maxum, and George Peet how it's done, running away with a 10 second win over the next best. While Moon was clearly happy about his win, he'd rather go sailing. "I'm not here to paddleboard," said Moon.
Forecast models show significant breeze tonight and tomorrow before noon; stay up to date at the US Moth Class Facebook Page which features feature photos, interviews, and near-live video of the US Championship from Friday to Sunday. You can see an unofficial entry list here, and photos and videos are posted in the gallery here.
11th Hour Racing US Moth Class Tenet Of The Day
As one of the world's most elite and high-profile racing classes, the International Moth Class takes stewardship of the waterways seriously, working hard to emphasize the responsible use of energy and resources in the context of sailing. Working with 11th Hour Racing, a program of the Schmidt Family Foundation, the Moth Class has come up with a number of initiatives to help all sailing events improve the energy profile and performance of racing boats and increase the personal investment of sailors in the health of our waters. This week, we're focused on how to ensure our impact at each venue is positive; each day, the US Championship news will include an essential tenet of the US Class's philosophy for running a clean, responsible regatta.
Today's tenet: Improve Your Venue
Once you understand your local venue, work with your hosts to ensure your impact is positive. Here in the Keys where everything is protected and the water is crystal clear, beach cleanups don't accomplish much, but we can help responsible fishing practices prosper and avoid illegal or unsustainable food like the locally protected Conch; stick with local, sustainable food like Stone Crab claws (only one claw is harvested from local crabs, allowing them to regenerate it quickly and keep the fishery strong), and try the Lionfish, an invasive species that tastes quite good. Measure garbage use and share methods for reducing the amount of trash your event generates from year to year.
About The Upper Keys Sailing Club
The Upper Keys Sailing Club is a hidden gem located on the bayside of Key Largo, offering a great venue for small boat sailing. Its members sail a variety of boats ranging from Force Fives and Waves to J24s, Nonsuches, and Hunters. In addition to hosting the Moths this year and on top of a regular club racing schedule, the UKSC hosts the Force Five Midwinter Championship, the Buccaneer Blast Youth Championship, the Key Largo Catboat Rendezvous and the Buccaneers & Mutineers Midwinter Championship.