Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Championship at Restronguet Sailing Club - Day 2

Don't always believe the forecast, especially when the different weather models are contradictory. We all know about the 'Windguru effect', where people have put themselves off getting out on the water and missed a glamour day when the forecast has been sub-optimal. Friday could have been one of those days.

Many of the forecast models certainly fell into the sub-optimal category, including rain, hail, thunder and lightning. Britain's summer seems to have been delayed somewhat, and it's not feeling like July at all, but what actually unfolded was an absolute cracker for foiling Moth sailing.

With the North Westerly breeze, Carrick Roads were perfectly set up for a good length windward-leeward course, and there was a notch more breeze than Thursday, combined with fewer lulls in it to catch out the unwary.

David Campbell-James acquiesced to some of the fleet's request to hold five races today, and with quick turnarounds this was achieved with the whole fleet back ashore before 3pm.

Race 9 Start on Day 2 of the Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Nationals - photo © Mark Jardine / IMCAUK

The top four helms are in a class of their own so far, and all of the race wins have been from the group of Eddie Bridle, Jack Wetherell, Kyle Stoneham and Simon Hiscocks.

Races five and six in the series were won by Jack Wetherell, who managed to hold off the downwind charge of Eddie Bridle in each.

Jack Wetherell on Day 2 of the Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Nationals - photo © Mark Jardine / IMCAUK

Jack was happy with his day and updated us ashore on how things went:

"I had a really good first two races, where I managed to win both. The breeze was a little bit more stable and I had two great starts so was able to execute my strategy. I had excellent speed upwind, but Eddie was still a little quicker than me downwind, so it was nip-and-tuck, ebbing and flowing throughout the race, and the same for race 3, which he ended up getting me on. The final two races of the day got a bit tricker, and for me it was all about avoiding a big score."

Eddie Bridle on Day 2 of the Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Nationals - photo © Mark Jardine / IMCAUK

For Eddie Bridle, the event is proving to be superb, and he's now discarding his only third place, to lead Jack in the overall rankings by six points:

"Jack and I had a good battle. I seemed to just miss out by a boat length or two on the finish line, which was quite frustrating, but there were a lot of lead changes and it was a good bit of racing.

"It was a better day and the holes in the wind were more manageable. Sometimes right worked and sometimes left worked, and I don't think I found the rhythm of it, if there is one. Lots of options and always a way out. I seem to be going the right way and keeping it clean is putting me up there. I'm trying to stay in the top three in my races and avoid any howlers!"

Eddie Bridle on Day 2 of the Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Nationals - photo © Mark Jardine / IMCAUK

It was very noticeable that the top few sailors were hiking their Moths as hard downwind as they were upwind, driving their boats hard to gain extra speed, and Eddie thinks this is part of the reason for the separation in the fleet:

"Hiking hard and pushing more gets you more speed and you're able to point lower downwind. Everything just gets easier then. You've always got to work it."

Alex Barone on Day 2 of the Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Nationals - photo © Mark Jardine / IMCAUK

Alex Barone is sailing one of the older boats in the fleet, but is having a fantastic time:

"It was really nice today. Conditions were not what was forecast and it was a bit windier than yesterday, which was really good, combined with flat water, which is perfect for the Moth. With the wind from the north it's a bit shifty, so picking your route upwind and down is really important, but I think I've pretty much got it sorted now."

Alex Barone on Day 2 of the Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Nationals - photo © Mark Jardine / IMCAUK

On sailing an older design Alex is pragmatic:

"If you want to be up at the front of the fleet then you definitely need one of the new platforms, but I like sailing the boat just because it's so fun to sail. No matter where you are in the fleet, you've always got competition, and I think - if anything - sailing outside the top five is nicer in a way."

Andrew Friend on Day 2 of the Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Nationals - photo © Mark Jardine / IMCAUK

The home-build segment of Moth sailing has been around since way before the class was foiling, and Andrew Friend is out on his latest design, which he's already picking up some decent results on:

"This is my first event in the boat and yesterday I didn't have any major breakages. Today felt like it was actually racing, which was nice. I had problems, such as my inability to tack, but they're nice problems to have as they don't involve any glue!

"Today was great as you didn't have to think too much about foiling. It was windy enough to just sail - the last race less so. I love this racing where you have to think about where you going to go, rather than the bang the corner racing that we often have, especially when you can't tack, so I need to work on that, but it's great here. Picking your course on where you think is going to be good rather than just drag racing."

Storm clouds come in during Race 9 on Day 2 of the Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Nationals - photo © Mark Jardine / IMCAUK

I may have exaggerated a bit when I said it was all glamour today. In the final race a thunderstorm which looked like it might miss the race area entirely decided to switch course, quenching the wind and then drenching everyone. Thanks to Grand Prix finishing, which awards a place to all who have finished a lap, everyone recorded a result before packing up in the torrential downpour.

Nine races have now been completed, putting the event one race ahead of schedule as the weekend's forecast looks lighter, but by now we're learning not to believe everything we see in the weather models...

Race 6 Start on Day 2 of the Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Nationals - photo © Mark Jardine / IMCAUK

IMCA UK would like to say a massive thank-you to the event and class sponsors:

Title Sponsor

Wetsuit Outlet - Wetsuit Outlet is Europe's largest technical watersports clothing and equipment retailer. Priding themselves on friendly, expert customer service, Wetsuit Outlet stock a huge range of the top watersport brands including Zhik, Gill, Musto, Sail Racing, Gul and more.

Event Sponsors

Maguire Boats - Builders of the Exocet and Aerocet Moths. Simon and the team at Maguire boats have put in a huge amount of time developing designs in the class, as well as spending countless hours during Moth class events repairing and fettling hulls and foils for the sailors.

Allen - UK manufactures of performance sailing hardware. The Allen design team works closely with many of the world's best Moth sailors and builders to design, create and produce race winning hardware that meet the demands of the International Moth class.

Class Sponsor

Noble Marine Insurance - continued support has allowed IMCA to subsidise entry fees for this year's championship, the support the class receives is directly linked to the policies they provide Moth sailors with a discount for class members.

Results after Day 2: