Think canoe. Think adding trampoline wings onto each side. Think hoisting a large high tech sail. Bolt on some hydrofoils and add wind. Voila! International Moth, the breeding ground for sailing technology advances.
Howth Yacht Club hosted the inaugural International Moth Irish Open this weekend. The growing fleet certainly displays quality, with two Olympians and two professional sailing coaches amongst the numbers.
Racing on Saturday fell victim to 40 knot gusts. During a temporary lull, Howth's adopted Scot, Graeme Grant, launched and tore around the harbour, giving spectators a taste for what was to come.
The six pilots went afloat on Sunday, sailing windward-leeward races in about 20 knot winds in flat waters near the harbour mouth. The ends of both the East and West Piers were packed with open-jawed spectators watching the bunch burn around the courses. Four races later, the winner of the Teapot Trophy had been decided. The wiry Graeme Grant topped the pile, followed by the two Olympians, Ryan Seaton and Annalise Murphy.
Fresh from the Moth World Championship in Hawaii, Annalise recorded the weekend's highest speed of 24.1 knots (45 kph) and pocketed the special prize.
Generous support from WD40, Team PR Reilly and Hyde Sails allowed the event to realise the success it deserved.
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