Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Championship at Restronguet Sailing Club - Overall

Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Nationals top three (l-r) Jack Wetherell (2nd), Eddie Bridle (1st), Kyle Stoneham (3rd) © David Simmonds / IMCAUK

In a time of forecasts varying by the minute, the prediction of no wind on Sunday in the Carrick Roads was a constant in all the models, and that's exactly how it panned out.

Following the class AGM, which was postponed from the night before, Race Officer David Campbell-James had a chat with the competitors as the time approached midday, and the consensus was to call it a day, and the event was decided on the nine superb races achieved on Thursday and Friday.

Eddie Bridle was a worthy winner, combining great boatspeed upwind and down with excellent tactics and good starts. In the end he counted all firsts and seconds, discarding his only third place, which meant he won the event with a total of 12 points, 6 points clear of his nearest competitor, Jack Wetherell.

Kyle Stoneham completed the podium, just edging out defending champion Simon Hiscocks by a single point.

As one of his fellow competitors mentioned, the racing was incredibly tight at the top of the fleet, with constant place changes, but Eddie managed to pop out in front at the finish line. That's where it counts and when you're sailing well it's amazing how it all clicks together at the right time.

Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Nationals Top 10 - photo © David Simmonds / IMCAUK

Eddie has been in the class for a while now, and to reach the top step in the Nationals was a big moment for him:

"I'm obviously very happy, I've been doing it a while now, so it's definitely been on the agenda, and it's great to come away with the win as it has been eating away at me!"

His route into competitive sailing wasn't a traditional one, proving that the Moth attracts and nurtures talent:

"When I was really young I got thrown in an Oppie, as most people do, and I actually didn't take to it. I didn't sail for a few years, then ended up sailing in a Cherub with my dad. We also got a Moth - an old Bladerider - which was meant to be for my dad, but I hijacked it, and it's essentially been rolling on from then."

Eddie is keen to see others follow in his footsteps and highlighted how the time is perfect to get sailing a Moth:

"The boats are built really, really well these days. You can also pick one up for a price comparable with many dinghies, but I think you'll have a lot more fun sailing a Moth. I think it's just a great opportunity for people to get involved.

"If current members in the class can buddy up with a new member, or persuade someone they know to join us, then I think it'll just heighten the whole experience for everyone throughout the fleet. I think learning to sail a Moth is probably the most fun bit. When you nail a gybe or tack it's really rewarding."

Eddie Bridle on Day 1 of the Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Nationals - photo © Mark Jardine / IMCAUK

Josie Gliddon was the only female in the fleet this year, but was keen that more women should join in the fun:

"We've had more women in the past obviously, and hopefully we'll have more in the future. Everybody who knows me as a sailor knows that I do it to be the best I possibly can be.

"I'm small, but I still managed to get round a windward mark in fourth place in one race this week, and I think that Moth sailing is far more accessible than people realise. There are definitely some misnomers about it being carbon and expensive, so difficult to repair, but it's not, and one of things about the fleet is people have been doing it for a long time.

"We like challenges, and we don't necessarily do things because they're easy, but everyone is super-friendly and helpful, and that will always continue to be the way as it's such a good community."

Josie Gliddon on Day 1 of the Wetsuit Outlet International Moth UK Nationals - photo © Mark Jardine / IMCAUK

The team of volunteers at Restronguet Sailing Club have been incredibly accommodating and friendly to the Moth fleet, and the waters have been a bit of an eye-opener for some of the sailors who hadn't raced there before. Despite the lack of wind for the second half of the event, many were already looking forward to sailing at the club again in the future.

Patrick Clarke summed up what it has taken to host the event:

"We're very lucky at Restronguet that we have a strong team that have done a number of major championships in the past, such as the Finn Gold Cup, where we have provided the majority of the support to the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club.

"There is quite a lot of cooperation between the clubs, through the Port of Falmouth Sailing Association, and we've had support from Royal Cornwall Yacht Club, who provided the pin end RIB, and also from Mylor Yacht Club, who are our adjacent club here, who have provided two of the RIBs that we've needed for this event. When you count it all up, we've had in the order of 40 people helping out over the four days of the event."

The Moth remains one of the most exhilarating ways you can enjoy time on the water, and the class has some exciting initiatives planned to attract new sailors into the fleet. More news on this to follow, including interviews with sailors who have recently started in Moths and examples of how you can buy a superb Moth for far less than you may think.

IMCA UK would like to say a massive thank-you to the event and class sponsors:

Title Sponsor

Wetsuit Outlet - Wetsuit Outlet is Europe's largest technical watersports clothing and equipment retailer. Priding themselves on friendly, expert customer service, Wetsuit Outlet stock a huge range of the top watersport brands including Zhik, Gill, Musto, Sail Racing, Gul and more.

Event Sponsors

Maguire Boats - Builders of the Exocet and Aerocet Moths. Simon and the team at Maguire boats have put in a huge amount of time developing designs in the class, as well as spending countless hours during Moth class events repairing and fettling hulls and foils for the sailors.

Allen - UK manufactures of performance sailing hardware. The Allen design team works closely with many of the world's best Moth sailors and builders to design, create and produce race winning hardware that meet the demands of the International Moth class.

Class Sponsor

Noble Marine Insurance - continued support has allowed IMCA to subsidise entry fees for this year's championship, the support the class receives is directly linked to the policies they provide Moth sailors with a discount for class members.

Overall Results:
If you finished in the top ten at the International Moth nationals then enter your Gear Guide information here