Please select your home edition
Edition
Noble Marine 2022 YY - LEADERBOARD

International Moth Northern Championship 2025 at Rutland Sailing Club

by Gareth Davies 2 Apr 11:23 BST 29-30 March 2025
International Moth Northern Championship at Rutland © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

The first of the Moth Opens took place over the weekend of the 29th and 30th March and after the success of the Dinghy Show even a sketchy forecast could not put off the Moth or Switch sailors with this being the first event of the year. With the Worlds in Lake Garda this year for a lot of the sailors it was time to dust off the boats and begin their training.

The expert race team held the usual detailed briefing and went through the race program and told the fleet there was the potential of three to six races each day with a target of twelve over the weekend. The target time for each race was 20 minutes and with the wind building from the favourable westerly direction the race team could set 1.2 mile windward marks.

A very keen fleet launched in a lighter than expected breeze, which with the help of a few gusts got everyone up and foiling and heading down to the start area.

Race 1 got under way with the U flag keeping everyone well behaved, most of the boats were not foiling of the line, as the breeze had not fully set in and this made for a tactical beat as timing of tacks were crucial to make sure the sailors linked the gusts together and could remain foiling. Several Mothies found a few big holes in the wind and had to watch others foil past. With the last 200m to the mark being even more tricky with big holes in the wind and several sailors parking up at the top mark.

By the second lap the wind had begun to settle in. Jack Wetherell took the line honours in the Aerocet with Alex Adam next in the P1, Ronan Wallace took 3rd in the Bieker, Matt Lea in the Rocket was fourth and Joe Adams closed out the top five in the Exploder. Five different designs in the top five. More importantly was that all the different designs including the Ninja, Mach 2, Exocets and two home builds all enjoyed close racing across the fleet.

By race 2 the wind had increased, and the gust had become stronger the fleet got away cleanly, with Jack Wetherell leading from start to finish with a sizable lead early on as he seemed to rip up wind and through the danger zone at the top mark which sometimes felt as if the wind was going from 12 to 20 knots and shifting considerably with our arms being given a good work out. It also caused several capsizes during tacks and interesting bear aways around the windward mark in some of the fresh gusts.

Jack took the win with Matt Lea in second while Ronan finished in third, Joe Adam came in fourth and first of the Exploders. Alex Adams took fifth which considering the injury Alex currently has and the conditions this was some achievement. Nic Streatfield held on in the Exocet to come home in sixth place. All designs completed the course which had become more testing with the gust speed elevating during the race.

Race 3 the wind had set in with some 20+kt gusts across the course, the last 200 meters to the windward mark was still challenging with the wind shifting and changing in strengths. Although these days the boats can take everything that's thrown at them several of the fleet rounded the windward mark and with the club only 400 meters away headed in for warm showers and a beer or two.

The remainder of the fleet continued to chop and change positions as the conditions increased. The only position that did not change was Jack as he led the fleet with another first, Gareth Davies held second position after a tussle with Matt Lea. Again three different boat manufactures in the top three and James Phare took fourth and Joe Adams took fifth place.

Discussion between the sailors were had on the water regarding the speeds downwind with the flat but cold-water speeds from 29 to 32 knots being recorded and one of the main challenges when going across the finish line was how to stop at that speed, a conversation that was continued on the shore.

By race 4 the wind had freshened considerably the fleet had decreased although there were more starters than finishers with a number taking the early showers when rounding the windward mark. Those that did continue to race were rewarded with full send conditions downwind and the race officer held his nerve to send the race a full two laps.

Jack Wetherell took the win again with Gareth Davies second, Mat Lea was third, fourth Place was James Sainsbury in his home-build Moth. It was great to see James back after his accident and its yet to be decided if James has more metal in him than the new metal foils!

The fleet headed down to the pub in the evening for a meal and beers and several discussions were had regarding new foils and boat designs, along with tales of the day where most of the sailors had a spectacular capsize.

Next up is the Grafham Water Inland Championship and with the variety of new and older boat designs at this event it may be decided to be the first event to support the handicap system with two windward marks set on the racecourse for new and older designs. Watch this space for confirmation.

This was also the first event that the Switch had joined the Moths adding to the fleet size and competitive racing.

See more photos

Overall Results:

PosBoat nameSail NoHelmR1R2R3R4Pts
1stMoth4965Jack Wetherell‑11113
2ndLong Awaited/Invisable4854Matt Lea‑42338
3rdRhino4938Gareth Davies6‑92210
4thGreased Lightning5011Joe Adams545(DNC)14
5th 4951James Phare‑974516
6th 49James Sainsbury8(DNC)10422
7thSalty Diva4905Jeremy Hartley787(DNC)22
8thGae Bolga4999Ronan Wallace33(DNC)DNC26
9thExploder5012Andrew Jarvis10106(DNC)26
10thP1/GBR4906Alex Adams25(DNC)DNC27
11th 4762John Evans‑14129627
12thPigeon3944Phil Bevan16138(DNC)37
13thMoth4492Nic Streatfield126(DNC)DNC38
14thDirty Martini4673David Jessop1111(DNC)DNC42
15th 4672Jonny OConnor1514(DNC)DNC49
16th 4Alex Harris1715(DNF)DNC52
17thCinderella5035Andrew Friend13(DNC)DNCDNC53
18thNo name4966David Smithwhite(DNC)DNCDNCDNC60
18thVoodoo4501Thomas Garner(DNC)DNCDNCDNC60

Switch Results:

PosBoat nameSail NoHelmR1R2R3R4Pts
1st 4Simon Hiscocks‑21113
2nd 20Matt Beck1‑2225

Related Articles

Moth Lowriders Cobwebaway Breaker at Bartley
Show us what you've got... For those of us of a certain age, Bartley SC was a hotbed of 1980s and 90s International Moths in the Midlands, with half a dozen or more afloat each weekend in club racing. It was agreed that Bartley would be the ideal opening to the UK Lowriders season. Posted on 11 Mar
19 Winners Crowned at Foiling Week Pensacola 2025
Nineteen winners have been crowned and the inaugural Foiling Week Pensacola Nineteen winners have been crowned and the inaugural Foiling Week Pensacola has come to a close after seven days of racing, community events, and social engagements. Posted on 4 Mar
Foiling Week Pensacola reaches halfway mark
As USA's Given wins Kite Foil Regatta The kitefoil regatta officially hit the books as the first regatta of Foiling Week Pensacola and was joined by a host of other special events to complete an impressive opening program for the inaugural week of festivities. Posted on 28 Feb
Battle for the Bar
The unofficial name for the Capel Sound Invitational, from the stellar waters and the drinks By their own admission, this is the unofficial name for the Capel Sound Invitational. Yes, it pays reference to the location where they serve drinks, but it is also for the stretch of water it is named after. Posted on 24 Feb
Foiling Week flocks to Pensacola
With high-speed racing and community events The world-renowned Foiling Week is set to make a splash for the first time in Pensacola, Florida in an exciting expansion following 11 successful editions in Lake Garda, Italy. Posted on 24 Feb
P&B POSH preview
Paignton Open for Single Handers will also host the Fire Nationals Paignton Sailing Club are pleased to announce that entries are now open for their 2025 POSH regatta being held on the 10th and 11th May and this year is being sponsored by P&B. Posted on 17 Feb
Race the best
International Moth class is returning to the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show After a decade or so's absence the International Moth Class association is returning to the Dinghy Show. Exhibiting under the theme 'Race the best' the class aim to dispel some of the misconceptions. Posted on 15 Feb
The engine room
Without them we are lost. This is about the things aloft both ahead and behind the stick. Without them we are lost. This is not about the tiny little room under the companionway stairs. Rather, it is about the things aloft both ahead and behind the stick.Yes. The rags. Only, they are anything but for wiping up spills. They are supreme tech. Posted on 9 Feb
2025 Moth Lowrider Australian Championship
A group of Moth enthusiasts raced their more traditional Moths at Saratoga Sailing Club in NSW A group of Moth enthusiasts raced their more traditional Moths at the Australian Scow and Lowrider Australian National Championship, hosted by the Saratoga Sailing Club on the NSW Central Coast. The championships consisted of ten races in early January Posted on 13 Jan
Zhik's Team Riders dominate Moth Worlds
Hattie Rogers and Jacob Pye on the podium in New Zealand Zhik, world leader in performance sailing apparel, proudly celebrates the exceptional achievements of its sponsored athletes at the awesome 2024 Moth World Championships in New Zealand. Posted on 9 Jan