James Boyd Photography / www.thedailysail.com

From World champ to National Champ

Simon Payne works his magic at the Moth Nationals in Torquay

Tuesday July 13th 2010, Author: James Boyd, Location: United Kingdom

A mill pond-like Torbay greeted the fleet for the final day of the 2010 UK Moth Nationals, hosted by the Royal Torbay Yacht Club.

The prospect of a dying breeze however did not deter race officer Bob Penfold and his team from setting a course in the light southerly breeze. After a short postponement ashore and a drift out to the start line the fleet were able to commence race 9 of the championship in a building 7 knot breeze.

Foiling off the line while many low rode Phare, Cooke and Tagg made good progress up the left hand side of the beat, while the majority of the fleet opted for the right. Dave Edwards was one of the few able to make the right pay, perfectly laying the mark just behind a local passenger ferry that had decided the best way to view the racing was to be part of it. Approaching the new ‘entrant’ Phare hailed starboard, but to no avail as the ferry narrowly avoided running him over causing an early capsize.

On the following run a pack comprising Payne, Cooke, Belben, Tagg and Arnaud Psarofaghis emerged at the front of the fleet. Payne was able to hold this lead for another lap before the Swiss sailors was able to slip past into first. This lasted until the final leg when Psarofaghis slipped to third allowing Payne and Cooke through to first and second respectively.

Ben Paton and Tom Offer, in their first Nationals sailing Ninjas, also had a good race bringing their steeds home in 7th and 10th respectively.

Following a general recall Race 10 got underway in slightly more breeze with more of the fleet foiling off the startline with Payne heading in for an early ice cream.

Following a solid first beat and being chased closely by Mike Cooke, Arnaud Psarofaghis showed good pace to lead the fleet. Mike Lennon however making up for a disappointing race 9 showed a bout of speed to take the lead in the hope that the Swiss sailor would fall sufficiently for the Hayling sailor to claim second overall. This however was not to be as Mike Cooke had another fast race to achieve 2nd, followed by Tagg, Belben and Arnaud in 5th. Lovering, Edwards, Paton and Penfold rounded out the top 10.

Commenting on the week ashore Payne noted “the UK fleet is in really good shape” with many using the Nationals as key preparation for the Europeans in Switzerland next month.

However with a consistent set of results Payne was able to claim a convincing victory over Arnaud Psarofaghis in second with Mike Lennon taking third. Race 2 winner Jason Belben was fourth overall followed by Hayling sailors Ricky Tagg and Jason Russell in fifth and sixth.

Congratulations must go to Bob Penfold and his team on the Committee boat for running a smooth series and for also running two races against all the odds on the final day. The class’ thanks also go to Bill Butcher and the team for getting the fleet underway in ‘challenging’ launching conditions for an excellent week of racing.

Results:

Pos Helm R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 Tot
1 Simon Payne 1 3 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 44 10
2 Arnaud Psarofughis 2 2 44 6 1 3 3 1 3 5 20
3 Michael Lennon 3 4 2 2 3 6 2 3 6 1 20
4 Jason Belben 4 1 6 5 9 2 5 7 4 4 31
5 Ricky Tagg 5 5 9 3 8 5 4 6 5 3 36
6 Jason Russell 8 8 7 4 6 16 10 4 11 12 58
7 Richard Lovering 7 17 4 11 4 10 7 10 19 11 64
8 David Edwards 6 6 5 8 44 13 12 16 8 6 64
9 Ben Paton 21 13 15 14 13 8 8 11 7 8 82
10 Tim Penfold 13 9 14 7 14 9 11 24 13 9 85
11 James Phare 10 19 8 10 10 18 9 8 15 16 86
12 Alex Adams 11 44 11 18 7 7 13 9 14 44 90
13 Mikis Psarofughis 9 7 3 44 11 44 44 5 9 7 95
14 Tom Offer 23 24 10 13 19 15 44 44 10 10 124
15 Paul Hignett 16 11 19 12 21 17 19 15 16 20 125
16 Peter Barton 15 16 31 20 25 12 17 18 21 14 133
17 Paul Hayden 14 10 18 16 5 44 15 14 44 44 136
18 Doug Pybus 44 12 12 15 16 44 20 22 20 19 136
19 Dougie Imrie 26 15 20 17 20 21 18 19 18 13 140
20 Mike Cooke 44 44 44 44 44 4 6 12 2 2 158
21 Oliver Vidal 44 44 16 9 44 14 44 13 12 15 167
22 Jonnie Hutch 18 23 13 19 12 11 29 44 44 44 169
23 Giovanni Galeotti 12 44 24 24 17 24 14 17 44 44 176
24 Rod Harris 17 30 26 23 15 30 16 21 44 44 178
25 Sam Tozer 22 14 22 21 23 44 44 44 17 17 180
26 Martin Fear 19 28 23 22 27 26 30 20 25 18 180
27 Graham Simmonds 24 25 30 27 24 19 25 26 26 23 192
28 Jonathan Peats 27 31 21 25 22 23 22 28 33 25 193
29 Andrew Friend 25 27 28 26 18 25 23 25 28 44 197
30 Phillippe Oligario 28 22 32 28 28 31 24 23 44 44 216
31 Simon Propper 44 44 27 33 44 20 21 27 24 22 218
32 Alan Watson 36 26 29 29 44 22 34 44 22 21 219
33 Thomas Lambert 31 21 39 34 29 28 32 44 23 24 222
34 Daniel Hare 29 32 34 31 26 27 26 44 30 28 229
35 Colin Newman 32 29 38 37 31 29 28 30 27 26 232
36 Jamie Hare 34 33 33 32 44 34 27 29 31 44 253
37 Katherine Knight 35 35 35 36 44 33 31 31 32 27 259
38 Tom Altman 30 34 37 38 32 36 33 44 29 29 260
39 Gareth Davies 20 20 17 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 277
40 Chris Anstead 44 18 25 30 44 32 44 44 44 44 281
41 Mike Owen 33 44 36 35 30 44 44 44 44 44 310
42 Patick Cunningham 44 44 44 44 44 35 44 44 34 44 333
43 Leo Carswell 44 44 44 44 44 37 44 44 44 44 345

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