Two bullets for the Bora

Nathan Outteridge takes the lead at the Syz & Co Moth Europeans

Three races took place today on a tough, physical day at the Syz & Co Moth European Championship. Held in 17-20 knot winds, the foiling Moths put on a breathtaking spectacle. American Bora Gulari, the 2009 Wold Champion claimed two first places and one second and at the end of day two holds second place overall. However after his two bullets yesterday, followed by two seconds behind Gulari today, Australian 49er World Champion Nathan Outteridge is the overall leader today.

Australian Rob Gough who is sixth overall commetned: “The competition is really tight in the leading group. The boats go very fast and yet when they get to the mark, there is no more than one metre between each boat!”. The Tasmanian says he feels like at home, because the wind conditions and the air temperature are close to those in his country, on the other side of the world. A long trip for this regatta? “It is so rare to have 85 Moths on the starting line, it is definitively worth the effort!" he says.

Bora Gulari, the hero of the day with two first places and one second, states: "This class is fantastic. We are like a big family, and it is really great to be here.” A comment on the very tight results of the leading group? What makes the difference? He answers modestly with a smile: “luck or … just a windshift maybe!” The well-named Bora - his name comes from the Mediterranean wind, the bora, a northern wind can be very violent. “What I like above all with the Moth is the silence. Once you fly…"

Andrew McDougall, designer of the Mach 2 and the Bladerider, also travelled from Australia to take part in the European championships. When he arrived in Switzerland two days before the beginning of the festivities, he was told that his boat wasn't there yet. Finally, his Moth arrived in Switzerland yesterday evening, too late for the first day of racing. The assembly was done this morning with the help of other competitors - Arnaud Psarofaghis, Simon Payne and Chris Graham, all came to give him a hand.

“The first race was a disaster: I realised that, in the rush, I had forgotten to put the stopper and the boat started to take on water!" said McDougall. "But after, I recovered from my jet-lag and the races were extraordinary! The last time I sailed on an Alpine lake was here in Switzerland, in Interlaken, 25 years ago. I remember a very light wind. Then, I went into windsurfing, and I did not longer sail any Moth for 15 years. When I decided to go back into the Moths in 2001, I spent 9 months thinking about how to make it fly better. ” The result is obvious: Mach 2 and the Bladerider represent the majority of the boats present on the championship.

Results after day two here