Thursday 10 July 2008

PRESS RELEASE: 10 July 2008 - Australia's Successful bid for the 2011 Moth World Championships

The International Moth Class Association has selected Belmont, Australia as the venue for the 2011 Moth World Championships.

Situated on Lake Macquarie, 90 minutes North of Sydney, Belmont will provide ideal conditions for the large fleet of Moths expected at the regatta. Belmont 16' Skiff Sailing Club will host the event, and given it's recent experience with the OK Dinghy World Championship in 2006, other large regattas and the upcoming A Class World Championship, the 16' Skiff Club will have the experience and resources to put together a successful championship.

A long standing record of 95 boats competed in the last Moth Worlds on Lake Macquarie in 1995, yet that record should be smashed in January 2011 given the explosive interest in the Foiling Moth fleet, and the ramping up of production from builders around the globe.

The local Australian Moth fleet has been re-energized by their successful bid. Australian 49er Olympians Chris Nicholson and Nathan Outteridge have both expressed interest in competing as have Rohan Veal and Emmett Lazich with a move to rejoin the class and recapture their World Champion titles past. Given recent successes from Australian 18' Skiff sailors John Harris and Scott Babbage, several other 18 sailors may make the now well-worn transition into what is arguably the highest perfomance dinghy on the planet. Given the swelling ranks of talented sailors and newcomers to the class, their ascension to the front of the fleet will be hard fought.

Summer conditions on Lake Macquarie are usually hot, dry and sunny, with regular North-East seabreezes regularly over 20 knots. These conditions will be ideal for the expected fleet of well over 100 foiling Moths.

For more information, please see the International Moth Class Association of Australia www.moth.asn.au or the Belmont 2011 Moth World Champs web site http://mothworldsbelmont2011.blogspot.com or contact Phil Stevenson at phil@moth.asn.au



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