2003 Moth Worlds Diary - Update #3
30 August, 2003

we had 3 races today in about 15-18 knots with huge 3m swell and small 1m waves within these waves.

chose not to use the foils today to prove that i can sail well without them as there has been a lot of speculation about them and me using them in the worlds.

i got a bad start in the first race but sailed well to round the top mark first. Thorpey capsized on the first run with les close behind. I gradually pulled away downwind and increased my lead to a minute or so on the next work to win the race.

the second race i got a good start at the unfavoured pin end and was a in about 30th position. had to play catch up from here. rounded the top in 3rd and caught up to mark and les downwind. had excellent speed upwind and passed les and was tailing mark. finished close to mark at the end to get 2nd with les in 3rd.

the wind picked up a little bit, and thorpey and I got a good start at the pin. les went right and i went up the middle. the 3 of us pulled away from the fleet again, with the lead changing between mark and i a few times in the very close racing that we had. we both sailed extremely well, but mark got inside me on the second last gybe mark to beat me by about 15 seconds. therefore i ended up with a first and two seconds, and mark got a 2nd and two firsts. les had three thirds.

in every race today, the 3 of us were a long way ahead of 4th-10th mainly due to our boat handling and speed. ended up being on the water for nearly 5 hours and i still have not had lunch.

two races tomorrow starting at 11am. hoping the seas are a bit smaller so i can use the foils one last time.

i am currently sitting in 3rd overall, but hoping to drop the 15th that i had the other day to put me into 2nd overall by tomorrow. it will be very difficult for me to win from here but I will be doing my best to finish the series with two wins.

looking forward to coming home soon and having a rest for a while i think. i am very sore and tired after a lot of sailing over the last 2 weeks. having a great time tho and making a lot of new moth friends.

regards,

rohan