Zhik Moth Australian titles -Outteridge pounces after Payne foiled

11:38 AM Sat 24 Jan 2009 GMT

'Skandia Geelong Week 2009, Melbourne (VIC) - 23/01/09 -MOTH CLASS - Olympic sailor Nathan Outteridge' Andrea Francolini /Skandia Click Here to view large photo

With just one race remaining, Australia's Nathan Outteridge has moved into first place on the Zhik International Moth Nationals pointscore thanks to consistent seconds, five all up from nine races. And his British nemesis Simon Payne made the mistake Outteridge was waiting in the wings for.

"I can't seem to win a race but I'm good at coming second," laughed a cold and wet Outteridge following this evening's 'dash for cash' off the breakwater at Royal Geelong Yacht Club.

"I've been consistent and I haven't made too many mistakes, when I have they haven't cost me too much," Outteridge added.

The big news of the day was pointscore leader heading into this afternoon's races, Great Britain's Simon Payne, was scored On Course Side in race eight and DNF in race nine after he split his trampoline from end to end and broke an axle, damage that will require overnight repairs before tomorrow's decider.

In race eight Payne (Mach 2) and Outteridge (Bladerider) were both running down to the start and were on the wrong side of the line when the starting signal sounded.

Outteridge, a World Champion and Olympic 49er sailor, realised he had jumped the start and returned to re-start while Payne failed to acknowledge the race committee's call and was subsequently scored OCS , which attracts the maximum penalty.

When the final scores are tallied tomorrow, following the tenth and final race, each competitor's two worst race results will be dropped.

Bora Gulari (Bora Gulari) from the USA took charge of race eight from the outset, beating Outteridge, who is putting in an extraordinary performance given he's just 12 weeks into the class, and Psarofaghis Arnaud (Oyster Fund).

In race nine David Lister (Manic) beat the fleet, a result that has moved him into third overall, with Outteridge second and John Harris (Sailingbits.com) finishing third in that race.

Today's conditions were a mixed bag with the Moths spending part of the afternoon in postponement until the winds abated on Geelong's Corio Bay.

In race eight the course was laid for a westerly breeze, which was shifting left and right. Eventually it clocked left to the sou'east with the final five Moths finishing their race in a sou'easterly sea breeze.

In race nine the sea breeze picked up to 16-18 knots, peaking at 22 knots.
While the breeze was at its freshest in the middle of the day, some contesting the Zhik International Moth Nationals, being conducted in conjunction with Skandia Geelong Week, were a little nervous about heading out but for 19 year old Samantha England from Melbourne, it was a case of 'bring it on'.

The tall blond cuts a striking figure amongst the near 40 Mothies vying for their national title. She's one of only two women on the starter's list and she's the only one sailing on foils with the second woman on the entry list, Kylie Lowry from St George Sailing Club in Sydney, sailing a low rider or scow Moth.

Skandia Geelong Week 2009, Melbourne (VIC) - 24/01/09
Kylie Lowry and Samantha England - Andrea Francolini /Skandia

"I love sailing upwind in heavy air," England admitted today. "I'm heavier and taller than a lot of the guys and I give them a lot of grief both on the water and on the beach. When I beat them they don't like it at all," laughed the vivacious sailor who joined the class 18 months ago from Laser radials and won the women's division at last year's World Championship.

"I prefer to race against the guys but it would be good to have a lot more girls sailing foils," she added.

England reckons she does her best work upwind. That's when she starts to give the blokes - particularly the lighter ones like Simon Payne who admitted yesterday "it's hard hanging on to the Amazon" on the upwind legs - a bit of curry.

Currently 12th on the pointscore after nine of ten races, England is hoping for a top twenty finish.

This afternoon ten foil Moths put on a show for the crowds off the breakwater with a 10 sprint race 'dash for cash'. It was a spectacular display with cart wheels and awesome speeds as the fleet was quickly reduced from ten to two - John Harris and Scott Babbage who sail an 18 foot skiff together.

In the end Babbage's boat handling skills proved superior, plus Harris' race came to a sudden stop when his Moth tipped over, a spill that cost him the $500 prize money as he was leading at the time.

Zhik International Moth Australian Champ

***Series Results [Elapsed Time] up to Race 9 (Drops = 2)***
Place	Ties	Sail No	Boat Name	Skipper	From	Sers Score	Race 9	Race 8	Race 7	Race 6	Race 5	Race 4	Race 3	Race 2	Race 1
1		11	BLADERIDER	Nathan Outteridge	RSYSB16S	15.00	2.00	2.00	2.00	[7.00]	2.00	3.00	2.00	[10.00]	2.00
2		3381	MACH 2	Simon Payne	HISC	19.20	[32.00F]	[43.00O]	0.80	3.00	0.80	4.00	0.80	9.00	0.80
3		9368	MANIC	David Lister	STGSC	19.60	0.80	5.00	3.00	2.00	[15.00]	0.80	5.00	[13.00]	3.00
4		3263	APPLIANCES ONLINE	Scott Babbage	WSC	30.00	4.00	[8.00]	7.00	4.00	3.00	[7.00]	4.00	2.00	6.00
5		3217	SOUTHERN SPARS	Andrew Brown	TBC	33.00	[9.00]	4.00	8.00	5.00	8.00	2.00	3.00	3.00	[11.00]
6		3281	BORA GULARI	Bora Gulari	BYC	37.80	6.00	0.80	5.00	6.00	[17.00]	6.00	9.00	[14.00]	5.00
7		3295	SAILINGBITS.COM	John Harris	A18L	49.00	3.00	10.00	4.00	14.00	9.00	5.00	[14.00]	[17.00]	4.00
8		3283	ALTITUDE	Rob Gough	RYCT	56.50	8.00	9.00	12.00	8.50	[16.00]	[12.00]	7.00	5.00	7.00
9		3573	READY!	Luka Damic	STGSC	58.80	13.00	6.00	6.00	0.80	[22.00]	11.00	15.00	7.00	[19.00]
10		3128	KA SAIL	Mark Robinson	CYCA	59.50	7.00	[14.00]	13.00	8.50	6.00	13.00	6.00	6.00	[13.00]
11		3252	OYSTER FUND	Psarofaghis Arnaud	SNG	65.00	11.00	3.00	[43.00C]	[18.00]	4.00	8.00	10.00	15.00	14.00
12		3262	CARBON NEUTRAL	Les Thorpe	BYRA	72.00	10.00	7.00	9.00	[15.00]	13.00	9.00	[13.00]	12.00	12.00
13		3570	OBSESSION	Alan Goddard	BSC	77.80	15.00	16.00	14.00	13.00	5.00	14.00	[19.00]	0.80	[23.00]
14		3288	THE MIGHTY BOOSH	Rod Ray	BISC	86.00	[32.00F]	12.00	10.00	20.00	7.00	20.00	8.00	[21.00]	9.00
15		3297	TBA4	Samantha England	BYS	91.00	12.00	15.00	15.00	11.00	12.00	18.00	[28.00]	[20.00]	8.00
16		3128X	UPGRADE	Lochlin Byrne	SYC/RBYC	93.00	[20.00]	[21.00]	16.00	16.00	11.00	10.00	12.00	11.00	17.00
17		9332	HTFU	Andrew Stevenson	STGSC	99.00	14.00	13.00	11.00	12.00	[29.00]	16.00	23.00	[23.00]	10.00
18	17.0S	3290	TBA	Peder Arvefors	BRASS	118.00	16.00	20.00	17.00	10.00	[25.00]	17.00	22.00	[24.00]	16.00
19		3260	PHLEGM FATALE	Stephen Donovan	STGSC	118.00	19.00	19.00	20.00	[29.00]	10.00	[24.00]	16.00	16.00	18.00
20		3321	IFFI	Martin Cross	BSCRPAYC	129.00	21.00	17.00	19.00	17.00	18.00	19.00	[27.00]	18.00	[21.00]
21		13279	BLADERIDER RX 2	Martin Gravare	GKSS	139.00	18.00	11.00	[37.00F]	25.00	23.00	15.00	18.00	29.00	[43.00C]
22		9343	TIGER ON A CHAIN	Phil Stevenson	STGSC	144.00	24.00	18.00	23.00	19.00	14.00	[28.00]	24.00	22.00	[24.00]
23		3271	RED BARON	Greg Wise	ASC	152.00	17.00	22.00	22.00	21.00	[35.00]	25.00	[30.00]	25.00	20.00
24		9334	LEA	Lea Sitja	SGSC	158.00	43.00C	[43.00C]	[43.00C]	40.00F	19.00	22.00	11.00	8.00	15.00
25		3420	TBA	Brent Pearson	KBSC	162.00	[32.00F]	23.00	21.00	26.00	[27.00]	23.00	21.00	26.00	22.00
26		3309	HYDROPHOBIC	Michael Boode	RGYC	165.00	23.00	[43.00C]	28.00	23.00	20.00	[29.00]	25.00	19.00	27.00
27	17.0S	3472	TRX 1	James Owen-Smith	DBYC	183.00	43.00C	[43.00C]	18.00	22.00	28.00	21.00	17.00	34.00	[43.00C]
28		9365	BUCCANEER	Ned Dally	ASC	183.00	25.00	27.00	24.00	[32.00]	24.00	30.00	[33.00]	27.00	26.00
29		3232	SUMMIT	Will Logan	RYCT	186.00	5.00	24.00	30.00	31.00	36.00	32.00	[37.00]	[38.00]	28.00
30		3279	NN	Magnus Gravare	GKSS	194.00	22.00	25.00	27.00	28.00	[37.00]	27.00	35.00	[40.00]	30.00
31		9364	SILVER SHADOW	Martin Johnson	WSC	209.00	43.00C	[43.00C]	25.00	24.00	26.00	[43.00C]	26.00	36.00	29.00
32		8978	WINGNUT	Michael Willcocks	LCSC	214.00	26.00	26.00	31.00	[37.00]	31.00	[43.00S]	36.00	33.00	31.00
33	21.0S	3305	BLACKADDER	Alastair Gibson	BSC	217.00	43.00C	[43.00C]	29.00	30.00	21.00	26.00	31.00	37.00	[43.00S]
34		3359	CHATTERBOX	Stephen Tillman	ASC	217.00	27.00	29.00	32.00	35.00	33.00	[35.00]	29.00	[41.00]	32.00
35		1	THE TRAMP	James Mackenzie	STGSC	223.00	28.00	28.00	34.00	[38.00]	32.00	36.00	[40.00]	32.00	33.00
36		9256	SMITH	Ian Sim	BSC	231.00	43.00C	[43.00C]	26.00	33.00	30.00	33.00	38.00	28.00	[43.00C]
37		9360	VERTICAL HORIZON	Matthew Day	WSC	234.00	43.00C	43.00C	43.00C	43.00C	[43.00C]	38.00F	20.00	4.00	[43.00C]
38		9168	FRAN	Kylie Lowry	STGSC	238.00	[43.00C]	[43.00C]	33.00	34.00	34.00	34.00	34.00	35.00	34.00
39		1260	SAILFAST	Hiroki Goto	SFC	252.00	43.00C	43.00C	37.00F	27.00	[43.00C]	31.00	32.00	39.00	[43.00C]
40		3182	RENEGADE	Jonathan Emonson	GLYC	269.00	43.00C	43.00C	43.00C	43.00C	[43.00S]	[43.00C]	42.00F	30.00	25.00
41		3178	TEKNOLOGIKA	Bruce McLeod	STGSC	278.00	43.00C	43.00C	43.00C	36.00	43.00C	[43.00C]	39.00	31.00	[43.00C]
42		9311	ON THE PROWL	David Barnes	XXXX	301.00	43.00C	43.00C	43.00C	43.00C	43.00C	43.00C	43.00C	[43.00C]	[43.00C]

(Ties: S=Score R=Race B= Bettered. Penalties: A=ARB B=BFD C=DNC D=DNE E=ESP F=DNF G=RDG L=Late Entrant M=DGM N=ENP O=OCS P=Protest Q=DSQ R=RAF S=DNS U=DUT V=AVG X=EXC Z=ZFP Y=SCP #=NoData [x.y]=Discarded)

Tomorrow the final race of the Moth Nationals will begin at 10am.

by Lisa Ratcliff