Aussie whitewash

Yes, the outcome of the CST Composites Moth World Championship was just like the Ashes

Australian John Harris sailed away with the CST Composites Moth World Championship title, winning with one race to spare. With third being his worst result, Sydney-based Harris was clear winner.

John Harris is a past 18 foot Skiff World Champion, and has secured numerous Australian Championships on Sydney Harbour. Having had a go on fellow skiff crew member Scott Babbage's foiling Moth 18 months ago, Harris decided he had to take it on. And so - 13 months after purchasing his own boat, and competing at the 2007 Moth World Championships at Lake Garda, Italy, he has now proved himself to be at the top of the foiling game.



2nd and 3rd place were also taken by fellow Australians - Andrew McDougall and Mathew Belcher - making the Aussies easy winners in this 2008 championship, a surprising whitewash given the strong British and European turn-out.

The final day of the CST Composites 2008 Moth World Championships featured the last three races of the series, in conditions similar to Thursday. The fleet were sent out in the morning for the first two races in conditions averaging 18 knots gusting to 27. After lunch, winds were stronger at an average of 20 knots.

Top five places in each of today's races were as follows:

Race 1: 1st John Harris (AUS), 2nd Scott Babbage (AUS), 3rd Mathew Belcher (AUS), 4th Andrew Brown (NZL), 5th Alex Knight (GBR).

Race 2: 1st Andrew McDougall (AUS), 2nd Bora Gulari (USA), 3rd John Harris (AUS), 4th Mathew Belcher (AUS), 5th Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI).

Race 3: 1st Andrew McDougall (AUS), 2nd John Harris (AUS), 3rd Elco Boers (NED), 4th Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI), 5th James Owen-Smith (AUS).

Top British spot was secured by Alex Knight who finished 6th - with no mention in any of the form guides he snuck in as a dark horse on his Bladerider. Second Brit was former Olympic 470 sailor Graham Vials in 7th, also riding a Bladerider. Competition favourite and past World Champion, Simon Payne finished 8th overall with ex-Olympian Adam May 14th aboard his new Velociraptor.

USA favourite Bora Gulari was unable to complete the series due to other sailing commitments (he was helicoptered out on the Friday before racing finished) - however, he thoroughly enjoyed his time here at the CST Composites 2008 Moth World Championships and secured 20th spot. He is particularly looking forward to sailing in home waters in at the 2009 Moth World Championships in The Gorge, Portland USA.

Australian Sam England dominated the female competition, coming 16th overall, giving many of the men a good run for their money. The other ladies in the fleet finished as follows: Florence Beal (SUI) 55th, Helen Rollinson (GBR) 64th, Clare Dallimore (GBR) 77th, Katherine Knight (GBR) 79th.

Vendee Globe and former ABN AMRO Two skipper Seb Josse finished 23rd.

A surprise performance was that of the Swiss contingent, led by Arnaud Psarofaghis. Having won the Velocitek Speed Trials, Psarofaghis finished an impressive fourth overall despite being just 19 years old.

The Junior competition was strong with some fantastic talent coming up through the ranks. Sten-Mark Bachmann from Estonia finished 11th overall which is extremely impressive since he is just 16 years old.

Full results:

Pos	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Tot	Net
1	John Harris	Australian 18 sailing League	2	2	2	2	1	-3	2	14	11
2	Andrew Mcdougall	Black Rock YC	11	1	3	1	-17	1	1	35	18
3	Mathew Belcher	RQYS, SYC	4	-11	1	3	3	4	7	33	22
4	Arnaud Psarofaghis	Ste Nautique de Geneve	1	3	4	10	-22	5	4	49	27
5	Scott Babbage	WSC	3	4	-12	6	2	6	12	45	33
6	Alex Knight		5	5	5	-26	5	7	16	69	43
7	Graham Vials	Derwent Reservoir	9	-14	8	9	8	10	10	68	54
8	Simon Payne	Hayling Island SC	6	6	10	11	9	14	-15	71	56
9	Glenn Raphael	MSSC / DOSSC	-14	7	11	8	7	11	14	72	58
10	Andrew Brown	Takapana Boating Club	17	9	(DNF)	14	4	8	9	157	61
11	Sten-Mark Bachmann	Rein Ottoson Sailing School	13	12	9	5	12	(DNC)	11	158	62
12	Martin Gravare	GKSS	7	8	7	12	13	-27	19	93	66
13	James Owen-Smith	Davies Bay Yacht Club	-36	10	17	13	14	9	5	104	68
14	Adam May	WPNSA	15	16	13	7	-20	12	8	91	71
15	Mark Robinson	Singapore Sailing Federation	19	17	19	20	-25	17	6	123	98
16	Samantha England	Blairgowie Yacht Squadron	-33	15	25	17	15	15	13	133	100
17	Christopher Graham	JASC	-30	19	14	18	11	21	23	136	106
18	Eelco Boers	WSV	22	18	22	33	10	(DNC)	3	204	108
19	Ben Crocker	Balmoral Sailing Club	18	20	16	-21	19	19	20	133	112
20	Bora Gulari	Bayview Yacht Club Michigan	8	(96.0 RAF)	6	4	6	2	DNC	218	122
21	Lochlin Byrne	SYC	20	13	40	(DNC)	16	13	24	222	126
22	Jason Belben	Stokes Bay Sailing Club	16	24	24	16	27.5	-30	21	158.5	128.5
23	Sebastien Josse	Yacht Club de Monaco	-27	25	26	22	24	20	18	162	135
24	Sven Kloppenburg	Ratzeburger Seglerverein	23	23	(DNF)	15	27.5	24	26	234.5	138.5
25	Peter Becker	AYC & NYYC	35	21	15	25	35	(DNC)	22	249	153
26	Andrew Friend	NPC/QMSC	28	27	21	(DNC)	31	23	27	253	157
27	Ian Forsdike	Gragham Water	29	26	29	(DNC)	23	22	29	254	158
28	Michael Lennon	Hayling Island SC	10	55	18	19	30	29	(DNC)	257	161
29	Nigel Oswold	Friday Harbour Sailing Club	32	35	23	23	29	26	(DNC)	264	168
30	Christian Brandt	BSC	25	31	20	29	32	32	(DNC)	265	169
31	Ziegert Jean-Pierre	SNG	21	22	(DNF)	DNC	18	16	17	286	190
32	James Roche	Weston SC	26	28	36	(DNF)	36	37	28	287	191
33	Gary Ireson	Hollowell SC	12	34	(DNF)	DNC	21	25	25	309	213
34	Paul Hignett	LVSC	42	30	27	24	57	33	(DNC)	309	213
35	Tim Boon	Hayling Island SC	39	(DNC)	28	27	46	45	37	318	222
36	Adrian Murphy	QMSC	40	41	41	(DNC)	41	42	34	335	239
37	James Mckenzie	St George	48	48	42	(DNF)	38	35	30	337	241
38	Anthony Chapman	Rutland SC	58	45	35	28	(DNC)	52	33	347	251
39	Carlo Maege	FSV	37	32	(DNF)	DNC	37	34	32	364	268
40	Russell Wheeler	IOSSC	-65	53	38	31	58	51	38	334	269
41	Mikis Psarofaghis	CVSNG	38	36	34	(DNC)	39	31	DNC	370	274
42	Nikolaus Liebscher	YCW	60	52	37	30	56	50	(DNC)	381	285
43	Andy Mills	Jericho Sailing Centre	51	42	31	(DNC)	40	DNC	36	392	296
44	George Peet	Bay View Yacht Club	24	33	(DNF)	DNC	33	18	DNC	396	300
45	Rod Harris	Parkstone Yacht Club	31	29	(DNF)	DNC	26	28	DNC	402	306
46	Douglas Imrie	ELYC	47	46	39	(DNC)	45	40	DNC	409	313
47	Jason Russell	Hayling Island SC	64	50	(DNF)	DNC	54	46	35	441	345
48	David Edwards	SCS	(DNC)	39	33	DNC	42	41	DNC	443	347
49	Alex Adams	WPNSA	53	40	30	(DNC)	DNC	36	DNC	447	351
50	Franco Ferluga	STV	52	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	44	38	31	453	357
51	Tim Ollerenshaw	Grafham Water SC	46	43	(DNC)	DNC	43	39	DNC	459	363
52	Douglas Culnane	SYBYC	45	54	(DNF)	DNC	47	43	DNC	477	381
53	Ricky Tagg	Hayling Island SC	34	37	(DNC)	DNC	34	DNC	DNC	489	393
54	Simon Propper	GWSC	62	49	(DNC)	DNC	51	47	DNC	497	401
55	Beal Florence	Club Nautique de Founex	63	58	(DNF)	DNC	55	49	DNC	513	417
56	Paul Hayden	Gurnard SC	41	51	43	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	519	423
57	Jonathan Peats	DOSC	49	38	(DNC)	DNC	52	DNC	DNC	523	427
58	Gerold Pauler	SLVR	69	56	(DNC)	DNC	60	53	DNC	526	430
59	Alan Goddard	BSC	50	(DNC)	DNF	DNC	50	44	DNC	528	432
60	Patrick Ruf		54	47	(DNC)	DNC	48	DNC	DNC	533	437
61	Chris Anstead	QMSC	44	44	(DNC)	DNC	62	DNC	DNC	534	438
62	Giovanni Galeotti	RYCB	(DNC)	DNC	32	32	DNC	DNC	DNC	544	448
63	Wil Wargnier (Bladerider)	Club Nautique de Founex	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	53	48	DNC	581	485
64	Helen Rollinson	BCYC	67	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	49	DNC	DNC	596	500
65	Cyril Ducrot	SNT	(DNC)	57	DNC	DNC	59	DNC	DNC	596	500
66	Daniel Hall	WLYC	74	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	61	DNC	DNC	615	519
67	John Ilett	MBSC	43	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	619	523
68	Mike Cooke	B.C.Y.C	55	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	631	535
69	Alan Watson	Bristol Corinthian Yacht Club	56	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	632	536
70	Martin Fear	BCYC	57	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	633	537
71	Mike Owen		59	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	635	539
72	Naomi Tachibana	Hayama Moth Sailing Club	61	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	637	541
73	Dave Chisolm	Waldringfield Sailing Club	66	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	642	546
74	Robert Campbell	GWSC	68	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	644	548
75	Joe Bousquet	CMBA	70	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	646	550
76	David Hopper		71	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	647	551
77	Clare Dallimore	CSCM	72	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	648	552
78	Lukas Schenk	SVM	73	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	649	553
79	Nils Warnken	KYC	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	Tom Whicher	WSC	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	Toby Heppell	RVA	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	Jens Schoenberg		(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	Piers Thomas	SVYC	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	Alan Campbell	WGCSC	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	Doug Pybus	Queen Mary Sailing Club	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	Ozren Blazina	Sailing Club Opatija	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	BURKHARD STAABS		(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	Boris Goetz	Scuttle But	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	Stefan Schneider	ASC	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	V Hostettler	St Philibert	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	C Weber	CCN	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	Jean Nivet	Ascea-st Grenoble	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	Colin Newman	Draycote Water SC	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	Michael Airey	DWSC	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576
79	Katherine Knight	Parkstone Yacht Club	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	672	576

Other placing's in the event were as follows:

1st Masters title (over 45yrs) had Andrew McDougall (AUS).
1st Female sailor was Sam England (AUS).
1st Junior (18 years and younger as of 31 December 2008) – Sten-Mark Bachmann (EST).
1st Non-Foiler (Skiff, scow) – Russell Wheeler (GBR).

European Champions:
1st Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI)
2nd Alex Knight (GBR)
3rd Graham Vials (GBR)
4th Simon Payne (GBR)
5th Sten-Mark Bachmann (EST)