International Moth Open at Stokes Bay Sailing Club

Adam May chases Jason Belben at the Stokes Bay International Moth open © Adam May

With around 30 days until the start of the 2007 World Championships, the Stokes Bay open meeting was a good indication of the form guide in the UK. While some chose to remain at their home clubs for private testing, three sailors out of the top four at the last Worlds were in attendance placing their emphasis on race practice.

A shifty Northerly of 5-10k on Saturday resulted in tricky marginal foiling conditions with big shifts and pressure patches over the course. Local Jason Belben won the first two races after close battles with World Champion Simon Payne. Payne lead both races at times, but Belben was foiling early and sailing fast. Payne got the better of him in the third race of the day though with a convincing win, with May also sneaking past Belben just before the finish. Tim Boon, Rod Harris, and Ricky Tagg all showed well in the tricky conditions, all featuring in the top three at times.

Rumours of big breeze on Sunday looked to be unfounded early in the morning, although it was slowly increasing as the fleet rigged, and was getting hairy on the sail to the start. The pressure was manageable, but the short steep chop made life very difficult downwind. Only Payne, Belben and May made it to the start line, with the rest of the fleet returning to shore to watch through the rain.

Payne led off the line, with Belben and May having words with a local cruiser who decided to yacht through the startline and see the action close up. May led round the windward mark after a capsize by Payne on his final tack up the beat, but a big pitchpole in front of the fast approaching Musto Skiff fleet let Jason Belben into the lead. Next it was Belben's turn to take a swim though, and up the second beat there was only about 10 lengths between the three boats. Payne led round the windward mark for the second time, but managed an impressive pitchpole with May and Belben close behind. May gybed a fraction early for the mark and had to soak low to get down to it, allowing Belben into the lead, when suddenly Payne burst back into the race having benefitted from flatter water out to sea. The committee had shortened the course, so it was a short reach to the finish with about 15 lengths from 1st to 3rd, and the open meeting in the balance. A pitchpole by Belben within meters of the line let Payne and May through though, for a dramatic conclusion. With the breeze regularly around 25 knots the race officer sent the fleet ashore, and with a worsening forecast the remaining races were abandoned giving the open meeting to Simon Payne.

The fleet meets up again at Hayling Island over the weekend of the 9th and 10th of June, for the final open meeting before the Worlds on Lake Garda at the end of the month.

Overall Results:

1st Simon Payne, 2,2,1,1
2nd Jason Belben, 1,1,3,3
3rd Adam May, 3,4,2,2