Daily reports live from the racing at the International Moth world championship, Torbole, Lake Garda, Italy.By the Moth WAGs editor in chief Lia Ditton...

Great pics taken by WAG Alex Harris...
Pro photographer Oskar Kihlborg left us some amazing shots to savour...

Club results file here

Great Photos here and here

Meet the WAGS [Wives and Girlfriends]...(WARNING: Adult content)

Disclaimer: The WAGS report is a semi-spoof write-up, with no offence intended. The purpose is not to undermine the event, for which many have worked very hard and wasted [sorry, invested] much time and money. There is a lot at stake. And for those for whom there is less at stake, there is Moth-World cred'. Thank you for coming.

Day 6, 30_06_07

The prize giving is in 15 minutes and while spots 1-3 are known, the rest of the knife-riders in the top ten are yet to be revealed. Racing today saw beautiful conditions with a perfect 15 knots on flat water for the first race, at the earlier hour of 1200, where Simon Payne showed us what he's really made of by gliding past the Blade-riders and claiming the first hoot.

The breeze was back up for the second round and the first windward-leward of the week. Mark Robinson gave us all a surprise by turning the corner first and the knife-riders pulled off some stunning bear-aways for our boat of happy-snapped WAGS. As per usual, it was then time to high-tail it out of the danger zone as the somewhat more unpredictable "crash-test-pilots" in the mid-fleet began to hair at us from all directions with a modicum of control.

In preparation for our zoom off towards the finish, low and behold, the Italian rubber club boat stalls and forces WAGS to the rescue! There is something delicious about a boat full of women towing a pair of helpless men. Our ladies were sure to take plenty of pictures!

While race one was a Scott-Si fight for first position, race two was bagged by Babbage with Si and Mark half a boat length apart in second and third respectively. Whoa! And where was Rohan?! Nowhere to be seen...

Day 5, 29_06_07

The racing was less dramatic today, with a rather boring Rohan-Scott-Amac Blade-rider posse leading the pack in race 1.

'How did you do in race 2?' asked WAG Lia, in the wait for race 2- and she's not even a blond WAG! The 'Italian Rubber Boat' and WAG depo then became a docking station with requests for 'tea and scones,' 'cappucinos,' and drinking bottles that had all been tossed merrily aboard in passing, in the wait for the start. What do you guys think we are- Clacket Lane Services?! Meanwhile as we edged up to the start in search of the perfect shot, hot-snapper Oscar professed a love of watching Sponge-Bob Square Pants, hmm...

Our Oscar.

Alex Harris decided that the moment to descend off the side of the RIB was while we were stationed in the runway to the mountain rounding mark, with photographer Oscar Kilhberg in pose with bad ass camera ready to shoot. 'What are you doing?!' Cried RIB-driver Lia. 'I'm nearly done.' Replied Alex. 'You are kidding me!' Said Oscar turning round. No shit Sherlock, WAG Alex was having a pee. And so forced to get out of the way of oncoming craft, WAG RIB-driver, Lia had no choice but to trawl Alex alongside. Alex fortunately didn't seem to mind, in fact she found it very funny.

Our top performers of the day were Ricki Tag and Rod Harris with an impressive series of rodeo gybes, capsizes and ouch-that-must-have-hurt tumbles.

Even with two races tomorrow to go, Mr R Veal has already siezed the title with Scott Babbage to be congratulated as number two. The chase for 3,4,5 and mid-fleet continues, but the WAGS may be signing off. It's been a tough week chasing moths, following our men and a day of lingerie shopping and a nice lunch in the village half way up the mountain might be in order. But, do not fear, we have more gratuitous boob shots for our own WAG page and I'll be sure to upload them shortly.

It's tough being an on-shore WAG.

Day 4, 28_06_07

Despite a seemingly benign, mirror-finish on Lake Garda at 1100 hours, the southerly 'Ora' breeze had filled in nicely by 1230 as the usual scramble to rig and ready began. Out on the water, the prospect of fitting in 3 races was looking good. The air was nippy in the shade, but us WAGS rallied together to lend spray tops and rash vests and so only froze after a series of bitter drenchings. The water temperature, according to the race committee was negative 13 degrees after the rain yesterday.

The first race was underway leaving John Harris over early, forced to loop-de-loop for a re-start and nearly taking out the paparazzi rubber ducks on the other side of the pin. Gary followed quickly in suit with some impressive cartwheels towards the yellow inflatable, before the WAG boat haired off to the middle mark. The fleet for the moment was trailing in a wonderfully orderly fashion, one after the other behind Rohan off towards Riva and the other side of the mountain. The sequence read Rohan, Scott, Si, Sam, Graham. After the first tack,numbers 1,2 and 3 stretched out with huge distances in between, but then one stuff-up nose-plough...? There was still everything to play for.

Lap 2 and the left hand side of the course, by the furthest away mountain was now offering a nice lift, unfortunately leaving the spectactor boat waiting for the line-up in the wrong place! Finish- Rohan, Scott, Si, Sam, Graham.

El Presidente, Mark Robinson, then Simon Payne docked against the WAG boat for repairs and recovery, while the ladies aboard gave an emergency blow job- it took all three of us to tend to the "deflatable" Italian rubber boat.

For the Second race, the wind was up, to an estimate of 22-25kts and the waves whipped and cresting. Giant freezing washes of cold water lapped the dinghy. Scooting upwind to the windward mark was a miserable, dangerous prospect. The Rib fleet chose the mountain shadow then tore up in the lesser-waves to the windward rounding mark. Gybing for our mothies became a matter of survival, not a carefully orchestrated performance. Allen, Doug [in his "modern classic"] and numerous others wisely opted for the "Granny tack," in the shadow of the mountain. [We gave them a good hearty round of applause!]

At the end of play, Carlos' Blade-rider and the UEA boat were both sporting mast stumps with spiky shards of carbon, while Mike Slade went one step further with a completely broken stick. After the hooter had rung out for numero uno, there came the "suicide finishers," those who frankly couldn't be doing yet another gruelling leg and were hanging out, going slowly and waiting to be pipped immediately after. The Finnish guy with the yellow boat had a particularly long swim waiting.

Rohan may have come first, but all three press boats high-tailed it over to a screaming, frantically waving Rohan, who it transpired was only a little cold and wanted his jacket from Dr Lex. Meanwhile Si Payne snuffed it in second place only metres from the finish, and was tragically overtaken.

Goodness, gracious me! We had just warmed up and indulged in Kaffee and Kuchen [coffee and cake] when the AP postponement flag was dropped at 1730 in favour of race three.Yep, you guessed it- RV took 1, SB 2 and SP 3. The diminishing sun, cast a low and glittery gold leaf on the rippled water- race 3 was absolutely stunning to watch and the easing 18-20 knots offered a welcome happy medium of conditions. Back at the yacht club, around of "cervezi" beers was well earned.

Email of the day [28_06_07]

I just wanted to thank you for your delightful commentary on the Moth Worlds. I’ve been following the regatta avidly from my desk at work. What, you think I have something else to do here – well actually I have, but my mind keeps wandering back to Garda and to the persistent question; What is a WAG?

Women About Garda? Water Assistance Girls? Wealthy And Gorgeous? What About Gelato? Warming After Gin? Waifs And Gnomes? Wasted And Game? White Assed Girls? Women Armed (with) Guns? Watching Airborne Gizmos? Wenches And Galleyslaves? Watermellons Are Green?

This is important stuff. Whatever it stands for, I’m OK with it, as long as it has nothing to do with the canine companion of an Australian kid’s rock group. Your account make me wish I and my Hungry Beaver (tip of the hat to Thorpy’s Hungry Tiger which heavily influenced the design) were there, so I could sit on the beach with the rest of you, whingeing about too much or too little wind and socialize with the WAGs. But alas, I’m taking my boat to compete in the somewhat lower profile event: the Brigantine Yacht Club Moth Invitational this Saturday near Atlantic City, New Jersy (USA). If history is any guide, we anticipate no wind, little water, and a fine battle in the parking lot. “Mines Bigger – Size doesn’t mater, everybody knows it’s the shine…”

Thanks, and keep up the fine work.

Bill Beaver

Email #2

Thoroughly enjoying them here too - quite the best Champs report format I've come across.
Please say hello and good luck from Jim to Alex Adams, and say I hope he's *not* putting into practice all I taught him about pitchpoles with Halo...

Champwilde.

Day 3 27_06_07

Rained off, but as Ricki Tag sitting next to me [hoovering up a plate of tomato pasta] said, 'It was nice earlier.' Ah, the quote of the day.

Waiting for wind...

There is a petition running in favour of a lecture by Dr Lex Bertrand on High Performance and on where and what exactly the "High Performance Institute" is other than a large man's T-shirt.

While free beer flowed from the restaurant of Circolo Vela Torbole yesterday evening, the T-Totallers over in the dinghy park, ventured out into the "froth and bubble" [Alex again] to show us all how it was done! Check out Oscar's images on the HomePage Or video on Jean-Pierre's site.

High as a kite from their high-risk jaunt into the teeth of some mean waves and fierce gusts, the three musketeers led the British troops into dance... as the evening [it has been reported] degenerated into debauchery- aren't camera phones wicked?!

And we leave you with a shot of the first unmanned foiling moth...[shot from the RIB/taxi home].

Day 2 26-06-07

Racing has been postponed until 4pm, but with the current sea state, a total cancellation is expected. It has so far been too rough to refuel the "Italian Rubber Boat."

The Brit pack having T in the park…

While Britannia may not have ruled the waves yesterday, Sam Pascoe achieved a highly commendable 3rd place, while Adam May snuck into 4th. Bravo! Rohan and Scott were 1+2, while fellow OZ, Les Thorpe is hanging out at 5 with Ben Crocker pulling his weight in at 6th.

Today WAG Lena Eskilson, would like to see "more sailing, less repair." [Wouldn't we all?!] Her husband Per [SW 471] has the small container in the dinghy park. Lena says that Torbole is a "nice area to visit" -she can recommend the hospital. Yesterday she brought her husband rubber gloves for his epoxying. Per has managed not only to break his prodder-spreader unit arms twice [2 arms out of three, over 2 days], but also his mast and his main foil. Ooo.

In homage to the maritime traditions of Royal Britannia, Adam May has initiated a Water-to-Foil salute. Any swimming sailors being passed are requested to salute any fellow foiling GBR Mothies by the raising of right hand to forehead. Here, here!

1_25_06

Yesterday there was a random Swiss guy running around the rubber beach area with a pot of epoxy, offering to assist the repair of any battered craft. We are wondering if he will be around today. He deserves a special round of applause for displaying an exceptional Moth Community spirit.

Last night the pressure of ripping off his stern seemed to have got to defending World champ, Simon Payne, who could be seen terrorising the ducks with a Stanley knife and calling them dinner. Apparently he does this at home and has in the past laid a trail of breadcrumbs from the Emsworth Mill pond to his oven.

While the race start has been postponed until 4pm [there are currently white horses on Lake Garda] it has been suggested that a cricket match, OZ v. UK might even up the score instead. One of the duff Blade-rider centreboards has been willingly offered as a bat.

Britalian

[The Brit Guide to speaking Italian in Torbole]
Ciao Bella- Hello hot stuff!
Attenzione- Get out of my f****** way
La Barca- my wicked flying machine

Day 1, Race 1

Was CARNAGE! Another day of 20 something knot winds and short, sharp chop left a wake of destruction. On-shore WAGS were on-hand to receive broken rudders, fetch trolleys and administer TLC to battered egos. The on-water WAG boat, on the other hand, was transformed from spectator to search and rescue, as Simon Payne [running in 3rd] succeeded in ripping off the back of his boat [inc. gantry] followed in quick succession by Luka, suffering the same fate. [According to his better half, Kylie, Luka was in 4th place; then went for a few swims before winding up back in 10th and dropping out as a casualty.] Both were difficult to rescue with rig still up. Any suggestions on how to pop a tensioned rig are most welcome, to avoid the slow tow home.

1_25_06

Minor snappages included El Presidente's wand attachment; Ricky Tag made a good crunch of his main foil; Jason Belben popped a prodder-spreader unit arm; Rainmondo created a work list of his own and the rest are currently hiding away in shady corners with pots of smoking epoxy and are yet to be tallied. But the Moth community has rallied together, where Adam May certainly deserves an award for most "spare-prepared" with this trawler-able box of tricks.

1_25_06

Right time for the race analysis-
Amac [a.k.a AMEX, an investor/designer in 'Blade-Rider'] was the BR pace car of the day, in lap 1-2 onlt. However he let the side down in race II with an OCS was DSQ'd and therefore DNF [with a broken foil]. Poor local favourite, Italian Rainmondo, with the prototype BR is now out of the running, with a boat that's been stripped of its foil, its rudder and whatever else required. The scene on the field was bewildering [and that wasn't because I was a WAG!]. Boats were flying everywhere upwind and downwind; lapping each other and stuffing it left right and centre. Every mark rounding was a mine field of obstacles- moth wings in the air and skippers scrambling to re-right. Occasionally, a mothie was to be found hunched over the hull showing signs of having lost "the will to foil!" Others simply retired with a vision of a bubbly, yellow glass of Veltins brew in mind.
So, to summarise; positions 1-5 were claimed by the dark side. The Blade-Brigade seized the day. Gentleman racers and those sailing designer Moths [Simon Propper] and modern Classics [Doug Culnane] who went out for "a bit," fear-not were safely in by now.

1_25_06

Race II, saw a greater death toll, as the wind frothed and the lake bubbled [> Alex Harris getting creative!]. John Harris split his rudder etc. [He threw it in the trash on the way to the race office]. Also in the second race- did we mention that Amac got OCS'd?! Adam May appeared to be ripping it up downwind FASTER than Rohan Veal, although that may have been on a different lap! Ok, whatever, so Rohan took possie one, while the WAG boat got consumed by the spectator sport of arse-over-nose flips; post-plough stacks and other fantastic inversions.

1_25_06

NEWS FLASH- There is a campaign running for Lay Day to become Ladies Day [by the Ladies, obviously]and the advent of "The Virgin Sails." Note not The Virgin's Sails. The position of the 's' is very important here, [otherwise we wouldn't be WAGS would we, we'd be WAGS-in-waiting.]
And it's not a case of we think we can do better, we would just like a go, please. Thank you to Adam May and Gary for being so forthcoming. Forthcoming to the Virgin Sailors or with their boats has yet to be established.

The WAGS remain on hand to rescue, retrieve and regroup.
Lia Ditton, Alex Harris and Kylie Lowry

Monday 25th June 2007
The morning of Race 1+2

The atmosphere this morning on the turf is intense. GBR Team Cappuccino, with their newly erected HQ [a family sized tent] surreptitiously met earlier this morning to make way for foil sanding and hull buffing. BR's and Fowlers alike have been getting the same treatment. 'Is it going to be windy?!' 'Is it going to be wavy?!' These are the real questions del giorno.

I find John Harris waiting around. He is waiting for "The Creator." "Ah! For HIM," I reply, referring to he-who-cannot-be-named. John Harris snapped a foil section yet again yesterday, which was nursed overnight at Hospital 'Spade-rider' [a.k.a Camp Epoxy]. He waits anxiously for news.

When racing finally began yesterday, your dearly beloved WAGS, in the ["Italian Rubber Boat"] were summoned by a helpless dismasted Ned Kelly [Aus] and so alas were absent for the start. The upshot was a clean sweep for Veal with Payne in second somewhat later, followed by Scot Babbage and Ronstan's Jason Belbon.

Race two saw the fleet quick out the blocks and flying off to the port side of the course were the usual suspects with Veal, while Sam Pascoe and local favourite Rainmondo Tonelli put in an early tack off to the starboard mountain. Moths creaming up to the windward mark could be tracked by their sunlight-reflecting tramps, as Payne, Babbage, and Belbon trailed in hot pursuit. Excitement mounted towards the conclusion of lap one, as Payne sailing higher and faster than Belben succeeded in giving Babbage and Belbon the slip. But where was Simon on the second lap? Out of the running…? A snapped Cunningham had taken him back to base.

The Skipper's summons has been announced on the tannoi. "…five, four, three, two, one… It is eleven past eleven, the official time of this competition!" Only in Italy!

WAGS Pre-Moth Worlds low-down Day II
Sunday 24th June 2007

The day in the life of a competitive moth sailor begins with an URGENT need to be at the club. However, on WAG arrival, said moth sailors are found to have lost that urgent need in favour of cappuccino #1. Now there's a surprise. After Armageddon yesterday, where the fleet were made to wait an hour while the race committee had lunch [or so it appeared] and then were strewn mercilessly upside down around the course, as the wind honked from a 24 to a 28 knot blast, 'How have you capsized?!' is the plastic-table conversation of the moment. One hydrofoiler-turned-aerofoiler, Mark Robinson [a.k.a El Presidente] is said to be developing his own style with the 'Singapore Sling;' a graceless movement of forward catapulting. [I am sure that he will be more careful not to take the tiller-extension with him next time.] El Presidente noted that while in such pose of capsize [rig in the water, transom in the air] he was still creaming 8 knots downwind on the GPS. Very impressive! Alex, on the other hand, has coined 'The Moth Rewind-'a back flip capsize, followed by a brief righting and a back flip capsize, while Rod hilariously managed to right the boat and set her off sailing without him! Oops.

The second hour of conversation degenerates into the discussion about toilet cubicle number two, which apparently leaves older moth sailors with their legs dangling! In speculation of today's wind conditions, John Harris wonders if there could be a direct proportion between the cup-size of Italian bella spotted from the balcony while "checking out the breeze" and the strength of wind expected. The table grew silent…

The tally for the OZ v. UK Ashes trophy has continued to mount. A decision has yet to be made as to whether a coffin or an urn will be required. Adam May in his post-virgin outing, ascended on his port wing bar to the sound of snapping carbon. A second 'May Fly' saw the beam with a similar bend, leaving May and creation as a crumpled mess in the piss. Panic Not! The WAGS in the 'Rubber Boat' came to the rescue and after three failed attempts by Gin to become a cow-girl, the idea of rope-throwing was well, thrown out the window, in favour of simply coming along side.

Back out on the course, moths could be spotted by their vertical trampolines. Sven [still in dry suit, boiling in his bag] was hunched in a seemingly "I've given up the will to foil" pose. Being the charming WAGS we are, we offered the Swede a "taxi" home, which regretfully he turned down. A couple of hours later, he had succeeded in drifting back to the club and was scaling the rubber beach.

Naturally the jesting turns to our red and black bat friends. It is amazing how creative four men over a cappuccino can become! The 'Blade-rider' costume for children under 10, it was envisaged should sport a mock-carbon six pack of the Blade-rider logo. Where's a laser in the sky when you need one? Despite the efforts of Dr Lex Bertrand of the "High Performance Institute" [Rohan's Coach] otherwise known as 'Lex Luther,' Blade-riders have proven indistinguishable on the field. Caps, shorts, wetsuits, rash vests, brain washing- the Bladerider Brigade is growing. Hospital 'Blade-breaker,' has already been gifted the beautiful homemade sign, "Camp Epoxy" by Mistress Chief, Sam.

Meanwhile in the dingy park, apart from suffering from an infestation of German Windsurfers [I don't care how hunky the chicks] the latest style faux pas continues to be the ghastly plastic sandal - the Croc. The style award goes yesterday to Simon Propper for his trans-Europe expedition in an E-type Jag. Still humming from the trip, his only grumbling was that his co-pilot was not blond and beautiful, although he did manage to get around this at times by closing his eyes and fantasizing.

WAGS will be on hand again to rescue, retrieve and regroup from the Italian Rubber Boat. We will keep you posted.
Lia Ditton and Alex Harris

WAGS Pre-Moth Worlds low-down Day I
Saturday 23rd June 2007

The dinghy park becomes a hive of social activity from circa 0800 hours, whereupon the male moth species gathers for "important" pre-World race preparations. Having ejected said WAG out of bed, snuck in 5 minutes of "checking out the breeze" from the balcony- i.e Italian talent spotting and down-top viewing, it is essential that the cover of one's beloved moth be inspected prior to cappuccino #1. After much back-slapping and 'how was your night?' followed by an update on the Blade-Breakers; the faffing, bumbling and "important" boat work begins. It must time for cappuccino #2.

Having overcome yesterday's "First Day Fright" watching Lake Garda a-froth with giant mountainous waves, there is a definite sense of relief that today there is virtually no wind. It must be time for a sail, or cappuccino #3. OH MY- lunch time has rolled around and the 'Veltins' Beach Bar dishes up a tasty pasta meal, (and that's not referring to the bar maid, although Sam and Alex [the boys on tour] might disagree). Our European neighbours by this time, are attempting a minor invasion of the beach-towelled over-bronzed , headed up by a singularly un-missable Speedo-flip-flop-sock sporting German.

Camp Aussie, 'The Spade-riders' decked out in red and black and adorned heavily with batman logos, hide around the corner. Is it a case of all the gear and no idea?! Back on the grass, Prowlers meet Mistresses with equal carnage of ripped trampolines, missing foil flaps and displaced camber-induces. The event is hotting up and No! listen to me when I'm talking- that Italian will be there later… The day so far having been arduous and stressful in the heat, fellow moths congregate under the trees to talk wing-bars and ride height, without reference to Italian totty (or so they say).

Now the bravado really begins! It must be time for a sail. In the process of rigging, Allan Watson has already plunged, unplanned off the rubber beach [mats on rocks, no sign of sand or pebbles in sight] and into Lake Garda! He did eventually resurface coughing and spluttering; shaken not stirred. Adam May's creation with the fantastic paint job of an unfinished Bob-Sleigh was finally launched and in true May style was immediately foiling, even if a couple of C-Class catamarans are now missing a mast.

The WAGS will be on hand in the "Italian Rubber Boat" to rescue, retrieve and regroup. We will keep you updated.
Lia Ditton and Emma Wilkins