First and Second place, Dalton Bergen and Charlie McKee duke it out
at the start of race 6. Photo Liz Davies
With a couple of Moth sailors away on big boat duties, 15 Mothistas descending on the Gorge for this weekends Moth Madness. As the competitors arrived on Wednesday for practice, little did they know Mother Nature was laying in wait. After "no wind wednesday" was spent hanging out and doing boat work, Thursday morning was awesome, 15 - 20 knots of breeze and flat water allowing the sailors to send it down wind at 25 knots boat speed with super high speed gybes order of the day. As the wind built after mid day everyone was back in anticipating the weekends racing. Friday dawned full on, the Gorge in meltdown with the breeze hanging in at 27 - 33 knot at the Stevenson pier, racing cancelled! Saturday, not much better may be 5 knots less breeze and with Sunday forecasted as even bigger, the RC decided to go for it wisely cramming 7 races into a morning and evening session to give us an event that will be remembered. And what wild wild races with the breeze rarely below 25 knots. Dalton sailed supremely to take 6 bullets only challenged by Adam Lowery in the last race. Adam was racing his new Mach 2 for the first time and was clearly on a charge, disappointed that Sunday racing was cancelled. Charlie, Matt and Zack battled it out for the minor placing and Hans took a well deserved 5th sailing an old bladerider, showing what youth and talent can do in a older boat.
Mid gybe!Photo Liz Davies
With Moths rarely racing in such conditions the wipe outs were spectacular and multiple, with everyone experiencing being flattened in the gusts whilst foiling up wind. It also shows how fast the sailors in the class are developing their skills as racing was tight through the fleet and all making it around the course in some shape or fashion.
Columbia Gorge Racing Association put on a great event under difficult circumstances and pulled off an event that was spectacular sailing, and tight racing in wonderful surroundings.
The circus now moves on to the North Americans in Harbor Springs, weekend of August 6th through 8th where Bora and Bear will be rejoining the racing. Charlie McKee and Adam Lowry will be demoing the Moth the weekend before.
Results:
1 Dalton Bergen
2 Charlie McKee
3 Matt Pistay
4 Zack Maxam
5 Hans Henken
