US International Moth Championship at Upper Keys Sailing Club - Overall

Ben Moon and Jason Carroll carry the bin as racers scour the beach for bottles, cans, and other trash, ensuring that the Moth Class 'leaves no trace' when it departs Key Largo © Meredith Block / US Moth Class

At the awards ceremony, Anthony Kotoun couldn't conceal his smile at winning three races of seven enroute to his second US International Moth Championships © Meredith Block / US Moth Class

Final day cancelled, Kotoun is 2014 US Champion

Breeze arrives minutes after race deadline

The weather failed to cooperate on Sunday, with less than 4 knots of wind on the course until just minutes before the 3 PM race deadline. The 15-knot Southerly breeze was just too late to allow more racing for the 2014 Line Honors US Moth National Championship, though that didn't keep the sailors at bay. First, the full fleet assembled for a beach clean-up, ensuring that the Moth Nationals 'left no trace' on shore. Then, as the time limit expired and the breeze kicked in, a group of Upper Keys Sailing Club volunteers and friends and families of the racers set up an impromptu race course just a hundred yards off the docks of the UKSC for an afternoon of fun. Racers used a perfect moth breeze to practice, tune, or just rip around – and a few took the opportunity to take their 'better halves' for a 20-knot spin across Buttonwood Sound.

By virtue of the cancellation, Anthony Kotoun (USVI, Newport) becomes the Line Honors US Moth US Champion for the second time; his first title came in Charleston, and he was a happy man as he accepted his informal 'trophy', winning over a fleet of. "We may not have had the best wind today, but over the past year we've really come to appreciate this as possibly one of the most perfect Moth sailing venues in the world," said Kotoun.

57 year-old John Bartlett (Austin Texas) took the US Class's first-ever US Masters (over 50) title with 13th place overall, while 24-year old Ian Andrewes took the Junior trophy (under 25) at 12th overall. Miami's Brad Funk, a member of the US Sailing Team for the Olympic 49er Class, took second place overall, while Seattle's Dalton Bergan followed by a point in third. Sweden's Emma Aspington was the top female performer.

You can find video interviews with many of the competitors and action race videos on the US Moth Class Facebook Page. The full photo and video galleries are here, and the US Moth Class will alert you when the full HD highlight video from the event is available over the coming weeks. It was shot by legendary photographer and videographer Onne Van Der Wal and will be worth the wait.

The US International Moth Championships fleet screams downwind toward the beach in one of half a dozen impromptu races after official racing was cancelled on Sunday in front of the Upper Keys Sailing Club - photo © Meredith Block / US Moth Class

11th Hour Racing US Moth Class Tenet Of The Day

As one of the world's most elite and high-profile racing classes, the International Moth Class takes stewardship of the waterways seriously, working hard to emphasize the responsible use of energy and resources in the context of sailing. Working with 11th Hour Racing, a program of the Schmidt Family Foundation, the Moth Class has come up with a number of initiatives to help all sailing events improve the energy profile and performance of racing boats and increase the personal investment of sailors in the health of our waters. This week, we're focused on how to ensure our impact at each venue is positive; each day, the US Championship news will include an essential tenet of the US Class's philosophy for running a clean, responsible regatta.

Today's tenet: Track Your Progress

Whether racing or helping the environment, you'll never know you're getting better if you don't measure your progress. Do the same with cleanups and sustainable practices. We believe setting goals is essential, and so is the follow-up. If your aim is to reduce trash, measure the amount (in garbage bags) that your regatta produces, and work to get better the next time. Check with your fleet to find out if they were able to reduce their footprint by eating local, sustainable seafood and vegetables. Include discussions on whether you achieved your goals in your agenda for regional and national meetings, and every year, work hard to get better.

About The Upper Keys Sailing Club

The Upper Keys Sailing Club is a hidden gem located on the bayside of Key Largo, offering a great venue for small boat sailing. Its members sail a variety of boats ranging from Force Fives and Waves to J24s, Nonsuches, and Hunters. In addition to hosting the Moths this year and on top of a regular club racing schedule, the UKSC hosts the Force Five Midwinter Championship, the Buccaneer Blast Youth Championship, the Key Largo Catboat Rendezvous and the Buccaneers & Mutineers Midwinter Championship.