2004euros
2004 European International Moth Championships
Portland Sailing Academy
UK
2004.07.18
2004.07.23
9 races and 2 discards.
1
AUS 9338
Foil
rohanveal
1
1
6
2
1
3
1
DNS 33
2
11
2
GBR 4059
simonpayne
Foil
8
11
11
1
4
1
2
1
3
20
3
GBR 4063
adammay
Foil
6
DSQ 33
21
5
2
2
3
2
1
21
4
GBR 4050
ianforsdike
Low Rider
2
2
1
6
6
6
4
5
7
26
5
SIN 9330
markrobinson
Foil
3
12
26
4
3
4
8
3
4
29
6
GER 1040
svenkloppenburg
7
4
3
7
8
7
6
6
6
39
7
GBR 4062
grahamvials
Foil
DNF 33
13
15
3
5
5
10
4
5
45
8
GBR 4040
lizpudney
9
5
7
12
10
9
7
7
11
54
9
GBR 4001
philiphenry
16
3
5
11
9
11
9
15
13
61
10
AUS 9294
martinweatherstone
DNF 33
DNF 33
2
8
7
DNF 33
5
8
8
71
11
GBR 4043
martinharrison
4
6
4
10
12
DNF 33
DNF 33
27
10
73
12
GBR 4051
michaelkerslake
5
21
10
15
15
8
16
9
14
76
13
GBR 4026
alanwatson
14
10
18
9
11
15
11
10
12
77
14
GBR 4052
timollerenshaw
11
8
16
16
18
10
12
12
9
78
15
GBR 4024
colinnewman
12
9
12
13
17
16
13
11
16
86
16
GBR 4046
russellwheeler
10
14
13
19
20
12
17
13
17
96
17
GBR 4002
stewartwalker
DNF 33
15
8
14
16
19
15
17
15
100
18
GBR 3985
robertgarner
DNF 33
7
9
18
21
17
18
16
22
106
19
GBR 4060
paulhignett
DNF 33
19
DNF 33
17
14
14
14
14
19
111
20
GBR 4039
simonpropper
18
18
14
21
13
13
20
20
18
114
21
GBR 4014
sampascoe
13
16
17
22
19
24
19
19
20
123
22
GBR 4018
robcampbell
15
20
20
23
25
18
21
21
21
136
23
GER 1036
michaelschulzmerkel
17
23
22
27
28
22
24
24
27
159
24
GBR 4066
lyndonbeasley
DNF 33
22
28
25
27
20
22
22
24
162
25
GBR 4033
jameshofman
DNF 33
27
24
26
26
21
23
23
25
168
26
GBR 4022
benfarrenprice
DNF 33
17
19
20
22
DNF 33
DNF 33
DNF 33
DNF 33
177
27
GER 1008
leoarnoldt
DNF 33
DNF 33
23
24
23
RET 33
DNF 33
18
23
177
28
GBR 3933
alancampbell
DNF 33
25
25
29
29
23
26
25
28
181
29
GBR 4048
thomaswhicher
DNF 33
26
27
28
DNF 33
DNF 33
DNF 33
DNF 33
26
206
30
GBR 4064
tomedom
DNF 33
DNF 33
DNF 33
DNF 33
DNF 33
DNF 33
25
26
29
212
31
GBR 3989
mikecooke
DNF 33
24
DNF 33
DNF 33
24
DNF 33
DNF 33
DNF 33
DNF 33
213
32
GBR 4031
andrewhawes
DNC 33
DNC 33
DNC 33
DNC 33
DNC 33
DNC 33
DNC 33
DNF 33
DNF 33
231
Day 1 - Australia serves Veal for breakfast
Race one was held in 15 - 20 knots and Rohan Veal dominated from the
start to go on and win by around 6 minutes from Ian Forsdike in his
conventional Hungry Tiger. Mark Robinson finished 3rd on foils but
suffered after a few too many pitch-poles. The British foilers struggled
with the conditions and did a fair bit of swimming!
Day 2 - The non-foilers dominate the light winds
Held in a shifty 6-7 knots, the foilers struggled to get airborne the entire race,
and therefore had to drag their underwater area around the course. They all struggled
and the conventional boats lead the way. Amazingly Rohan Veal found some pressure on one
of the beats and a reach to pull through the fleet enough to take the first win of the day
on the final leg into the finish. The rest of the foilers could only watch and learn! The
next race was even lighter and most of the foilers finished in the twentys, although once
again Veal managed to foil occasionally and used it to pull through to 6th with Ian Forsdike
claiming the victory.
Day 3 - Veal causes Payne after being eaten up in the first race
The fleet had a short wait ashore today to allow the sea breeze to settle in strength
and direction, before race officer Dr Frank Newton got the fleet away in 9 knots
from the South West.
With more than 8 knots to play with the 5 foilers amongst the 35 strong fleet were
happy. Graham Vials port tacked the fleet up on foils and headed out to the right,
with Rohan Veal, Mark Robinson and Simon Payne. Adam May started at the committee boat
end and headed left though to lead round the windward mark. On the first reach of the
starboard hand W course May had a bit of a flying out of the water incident which allowed
Veal through to take the lead! These five boats enjoyed a really close race all the way to
the finish. With the wind dropping for the final round there was plenty of place changing
depending on who could get up onto their foils and stay up! Simon Payne kept the pace up
on the reaches and foiled through to take the race after Veal snagged a bunch of weed
(the non-potent type) on his foils on the last lap, which meant he could not foil at all
downwind. Rohan grabbed second from a fast catching Vials, with Robinson and May also
finishing within seconds of each other. With the breeze in the 6-9 knot region sailing
the foilers becomes very tricky. You need 8 knots of breeze to get up on foils, but with
the apparent wind then generated you only need about 7 knots to stay in the air. So it is
possible to sail past another foiler who is sat in the water and all they can do is watch!
Broad reaching with the boom near the centreline and doing almost twice the windspeed the
hydrofoil moth is a bizarre sight!
Ian Forsdike continued to stamp his authority on the conventional Moth fleet, and after a
battle with Sven Kloppenburg from Germany they took sixth and seventh respectively.
Race two of the day started in approximately 9 knots again, enabling the foilers to foil
up the first beat and the five of them get round the windward mark and pull away from the
fleet. Simon Payne lead early on before being overhauled by Rohan Veal. Payne then battled
with Robinson for much of the race until the final beat where May managed to foil for a
fraction longer and even with an extra tack in the little beat to the finish, sneaked
through for second. May, Robinson and Payne all crossed the line within 2 seconds of each
other! A great indication of how close and exciting the racing on hydrofoils is. Vials
finished fifth, and Forsdike lead the rest of the fleet home in sixth.
The UK class has received some bad press recently about the adoption of hydrofoils into
the class but the AGM last night clarified many things, and with a one configuration rule
being proposed for the future and a class discussion on the implications of rule 52, the
class officers ran a very professional meeting.
With perfect conditions for foiling today, many of the guys with hydrofoils offered their
boats out to other fleet members, which proved to be a great success! To see people enjoying
sailing the boats around long after racing had finished was a good advert for the class!
../img/events/2004euros/Euros2004.jpg
oceanimages.co.uk
Liz Pudney and Martin Weatherstone racing to the windward mark.
Day 4 - Brits have Veal for dinner
Another amazingly tight day of racing signified day 4 of the Europeans.
With perfect foiling conditions of around 12 knots, the hydrofoil equipped boats
leaped out of the start and into a commanding lead. Adam May lead round the first
mark from Rohan Veal and Simon Payne. Veal ground May down to sneak ahead of him by
the short run at the bottom of the P course. Payne got through on the run and all
three boats rounded the leeward mark together. Payne got clear on the beat and moved
into first with Veal and May battling for second. Veal got ahead of May down a reach,
but May got him back on the run and held him off until the finish. With never more
than 10 lengths between the two boats it was a great battle for two rounds.
Such was the speed of the Hydrofoil boats in these conditions that they managed 4
laps of the P course to the conventional boats 3!
A British 1,2 in the race was encouraging for the guys that are still learning
loads about how to sail these boats!
Rohan Veal stamped his authority back on the fleet with a win in the next race though.
Starting in around 10 knots of breeze the foilers got clear of the fleet early on again,
with Mark Robinson leading around the top mark, from Veal, Payne, Vials and May.
Robinson had a 'flying out of the water and crash back down moment'! allowing Veal
to take the lead from Payne and May who was up to third after Robinson and Vials
lost distance due to leaps out of the water! May made a gain on the leaders through
foiling for a fraction longer up the beat, but the wind dropped to around 6 / 7 knots
for the reaches, and the foilers sat in the water dragging their large foils with them,
looking around to wondering when they would be caught by the conventional boats...May got
a little gust on the second reach to get foiling and get into the lead briefly. In trying
to stay on foils though down the run he sailed extra distance and all three boats went
round the leeward mark together. Rohan managed the 'hull down' beat best and lead round
the windward mark, with May second and Payne third. Payne took May at the gybe mark and
all three boats finished in close order. In the dying wind the conventional moths began
to eat into the foilers lead. Mark Robinson and Graham Vials were caught by Ian Forsdyke
and Martin Weatherstone who finished fourth and fifth.
Sailing these boats is superb, but the racing has been closer than any of us could have
imagined. On a personal note this is the most fun racing I've done, really close, fast,
and tactical. Hydrofoil racing is the future!
Day 5 - No Wind!
No racing today. The fleet launched after a bit of a delay, but the wind remained
very light and variable within Portland harbour and racing was abandoned for the
day at 2:00.
Day 6 - Veal, European and British Open Champion. Payne, European and British Champion
Although not looking too promising early on Portland harbour came good to provide perfect
conditions for the final days racing of the International Moth European and National
Championships. Needing two races today to trigger the second discard race officer Dr
Frank Newton wisely moved the start time forward and had the fleet on the water as the
sea breeze arrived. Rohan Veal from Australia could not be caught as open champion but
three brits, Simon Payne, Adam May and Ian Forsdyke could still win the Europeans and
National championships.
Sailing reverse "P" course the fleet got away first time (minus Veal in the first race after
a big drinking episode the previous night) and as the wind built to 10-12knts finally
there was enough wind for the foilers to fly upwind! Good news for Payne and May but it
tough for Ian Forsdyke sailing his Australian Hungry Tiger Design without foils at this
event. Australian Mark Robinson was first around the windward Mark only to stack it
halfway down the reach letting May and Payne through.
Never more than a few boat lengths apart for much of the race, Payne in his Australian built Fastacraft "Prowler" design and May in his British built Full Force "Mistress" design extended on the other foilers and screamed around Portland harbour contesting the titles. In the end the race officer shortened the course and it was Payne who took the gun with May second and Robinson third. Graham Vials held on to fourth and Ian Forsdyke was first non foiler home in fifth place with Sven Kloppenburg of Germany coming in sixth.
The final race of the event started in similar conditions and Rohan Veal was back on the water to record yet another win rounding mark one in first place. May was a close second with Robinson third, Vials fourth and Payne fifth. Incredibly May closed the gap on Veal and, on lap two stole the lead. Crucially though Payne moved in to third. In the conventional moths Kloppenburg and Forsdyke swapped positions with Martin Weatherstone only a few yards back in his new Hungry Tiger.
At the finish May won with Veal second. Payne brought it home in third place meaning he
took the 2004 European and National Championship by a single point.
After an awesome weeks sailing in Portland (now known as "Foilertown" by many) with
great organisation by the race team and W&P Sailing Academy, Moth legend John Claridge
presented the prizes. Australian Rohan Veal won the Open Championship, Simon Payne won
the European, National Championship and Masters title. Alan Watson sailed very well to
clinch the Veterans title, Liz Pudney was first lady. Graham Vials won best newcomer and
the up and coming Philip Hendry couldn't stop smiling after a go in Rohan Veal's "Prowler"
foiler and won first youngster.
With the 2005 World Championships in Melbourne in January, the next European Championships
in Lake Garda mid next year and a new UK builder providing winning boats these are great
times for the International Moth class in Europe.
Authors: Simon Payne and Adam May