PRESS RELEASE: The CST Composits International Moth World Championships 2008

PRESS RELEASE
15 May 2008

The CST Composites International Moth World Championships 2008 will be held between the 5th and 11th July at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy in the United Kingdom.

The event is tipped to have the largest fleet of Foiler Moths ever assembled.

The 2007 Champion and ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2007 nominee Rohan Veal will not be competing in the event to defend his title, however, there is still almost two months until the event so this could change.

There is wide speculation doing the internet rounds as to who will win this year, and by all reports the top 15 competitors are all in with a good chance. This should make for a spectacular regatta with the final winner worthy of the crown.

Being held in the UK, there will be a strong contingent of Pommies doing their thing, however, there will be competitors flying in from around the world – Australia, Austria, USA, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and many more. Event organisers are predicting over 100 boats which will make for a spectacular event.

With the Aussies taking out the Ashes in 2007, the Pommies look to be attempting a come-back. Competition will be stiff.

Apart from the usual rivalry between countries, the big competition will be between the different boat designs – will it be a Bladerider whitewash like last year? Or has Prowler done enough design changes to take them on? Or will the new Velociraptor blow them all away at it's first outing? Then there are the Home Builders who always do the class proud with their creative designs.

Contenders for the crown include Simon Payne (GBR), 2006 World Champion and 3rd in 2007; Scott Babbage (AUS), 2nd in 2007; Adam May (GBR), 3rd in 2006 and designer of the Velociraptor; Andrew McDougall (AUS), 6th in 2007 and designer of the Bladerider; newcomer Bora Gulari (USA) who is putting in hours on the water; Graham Vials (GBR) who is always a contender for the title; another newcomer Mat Belcher (AUS) who recently won the Australian Championships despite being new to the class.

For a taste of what is to come, please see attached photo from the 2007 International Moth World Championships held on Lake Garda, Italy.

If you would like any further information, please visit the International Moth Class Association web site at www.moth-sailing.org or contact the Media Officer for the event – Alexandra Harris at alex@sailingbits.com


Photo by Alexandra Harris, Lake Garda Italy 2007.

Off the Air

Yep, that's been me. Off the air. Working. Head down as they say (I hate the rest of that expression).

Anyway, the mayhem at work should hopefully begin to normalise soon.... hopefully. After 15 May we will be dealing with the stragglers and trying to finish off the season. Then it's into the new financial year.

Enough about work (even though that's pretty much all I have been doing!).

SailingBits.com is coming along which is great! Keeps us interested and we have more new products to add too! Exciting stuff.

We are also on the count-down to going to Weymouth UK at the end of June... that 'holiday' can't come soon enough. It's been a long and exhausting year. I can see the light at the end of that tunnell now...

My parents have also moved to the country so I am trying to get up there at least once a month to see them, get away and ride my horses. It's just too far for me to drive on my own after an exhausting week at work, so I have been lucky enough to travel with various friends and family (because yes, John goes sailing every spare minute of every day... lucky me!).

Getting way to the country is good for the heart. And being. I wish I could get away more often!

Anyway, a reminder that (because I am the Media Officer), The CST Composites 2008 International Moth World Championships will be held in Weymouth UK between 5th and 11th July 2008. I will be there so be sure to tune in for updates!