First paralypmic Moth foiler

Sonar helm John Robertson gets airborne

In Weymouth recently Skandia Team GBR Sonar helm John Robertson became the first paralympic sailor to get foiling on a Moth. This was set up by Moth sailor and paralympic team coach Adam May.

May recounts: "We saw a thing on Sailing Anarchy a while back with Maureen Tucker, the gold medal Scud crew in Beijing, and she’d had a go on one of the Puma Bladerider Moths in Boston. She didn’t get it foiling, but she had a blast just having a go with the whole mentality of just wanting to give it a try and when I read that it was like ‘we can do that’."

Robertson, who lost the use of his legs following a motorcycle accident, was keen to have a go, so when the Paraolympic team descended on Weymouth to carry out some training, May took the opportunity to get him airborne.

"We got him out in the RIB and we had a think about how many people we would need to play safe and it was probably overkill but we had two coaches in RIBs - Mark Rushall was out as well." In addition there was the rest of Robertson's Skud crew.

"And we had a plan for when he capsizes - and he will - of how we get him back in and we had contingency plans if it looked like he was stuck or something. Catherine would be first in because she was already in a wetsuit and I’d be next in as I knew the boat. We were happy we could do anything, especially with the Moth being so light. Worst case, you just lifted it off him and cut whatever was in the way!

"In the end, when he did capsize, he just was able to drop down off the wing and then he just swum over to us on the RIB and then we pulled him back in. Then Catherine would right boat and we’d get the wing back on the side and transfer him that way."

After a few tries to get the feel for the lightweight tippy singlehanded on his fourth attempt Robertson bore away and was airborne as he shot off into the distance.

"He didn’t last that long, but he came back grinning ear to ear. It was very funny. He was very chuffed. We are pretty sure it is a first," concluded May.