The build-up to the World Championships began with the Oceania Moth Championship, held from 30 December 2024 to 2 January 2025. The winds, ranging from 17 to 28 knots, tested the fleet’s skills and resilience. Some competitors capsized or nearly-capsized in the tricky conditions, but New Zealand’s Matthias Coutts emerged victorious, clinching both the Overall and Youth titles. Fellow Kiwi Jacob Pye secured second place in both categories, while Riley Gibbs of the USA took third Overall and first in the Open category.
Oceania Moth Championship results:
Overall: 1st Matthias Coutts (NZL), 2nd Jacob Pye (NZL), 3rd Riley Gibbs (USA)
Youth: 1st Matthias Coutts (NZL), 2nd Jacob Pye (NZL), 3rd Ryan Littlechild (AUS)
Open: 1st Riley Gibbs (USA), 2nd Richard Oldman (USA), 3rd Massimo Contessi (ARG)
Master: 1st Brad Funk (USA), 2nd John Harris (AUS), 3rd Keagan York (AUS)
Grand Master: 1st Philip Rees (GBR), 2nd Ed Gatehouse (GBR)
Women: 1st Hattie Rogers (GBR), 2nd Wakako Kajimoto (AUS), 3rd Nicole van der Velden Vizcays (ESP)
The World Championship qualifying series began on 4 January 2025 and spanned three days of grueling racing. Sailors faced winds ranging from 10 to over 25 knots, creating a mix of exhilarating speeds and tactical challenges.
Day 1 Highlights: Racing commenced with the fleet split across two courses, Alpha and Bravo. High winds led to intense action but also forced the race committee to halt proceedings after just two races. Local sailors Matthias Coutts and Jacob Pye each won their respective races, highlighting their familiarity with the challenging Manly conditions.
Day 2 Highlights: Variable winds oscillating between 12 and 20 knots kept competitors and race officials on edge. Despite delays and some abandoned races, the fleet completed four races. Coutts continued his dominance, while Pye bounced back from a 10th place finish in Race 3 to secure two more wins.
Day 3 Highlights: The final day of qualifiers saw flatter water and shifting breezes as conditions improved. Both fleets managed to complete all scheduled races, bringing the total to nine races. Sailors could discard their worst result, creating an even tighter leaderboard. Coutts’ consistency placed him firmly in the lead, followed by Pye and USA’s Richard Didham, who climbed from 19th place on Day 2 to third Overall.
After nine fiercely contested races in the qualifying series, Matthias Coutts from New Zealand emerged as the leader with 11 points, demonstrating exceptional consistency with race finishes predominantly in first place. Fellow Kiwi Jacob Pye followed closely with 16 points, showing his ability to bounce back despite one lower result. The USA’s Richard Didham and New Zealand’s Jack Bennett tied with 28 points, while France’s Enzo Balanger rounded out the top 5 finishing with only 1 point behind on 29 points.
Top 5 After Qualifiers:
1. Matthias Coutts (NZL, Youth) – 11 points (Race placings: 1, 2, 1, 1, 3, 7, 1, 1, 1)
2. Jacob Pye (NZL, Youth) – 14 points (Race placings: 1, 1, 10, 1, 1, 7, 2, 1, 2)
3. Richard Didham (USA, Open) – 28 points (Race placings: 2, 38, 3, 2, 9, 5, 1, 2, 4)
3. Jack Bennett (NZL, Youth) – 28 points (Race placings: 4, 3, 1, 8, 9, 6, 2, 2, 2)
5. Enzo Balanger (France, Youth) – 29 points (Race placings: 3, 5, 27, 3, 5, 3, 6, 3, 1)
Hattie Rogers of Great Britain leads the women’s category with 144 points, earning consistent finishes across nine races (14, 17, 24, 17, 20, 18, 21, 16, 21). Finland’s Sinem Kurtbay follows with 179 points (22, 19, 22, 26, 26, 22, 26, 17, 25), while Australia’s Wakako Kajimoto rounds out the top three with 189 points (23, 38, 25, 29, 25, 21, 24, 23, 19).
The top 20 competitors include 12 Youth (U21) sailors, seven Open competitors, and one Master (45-54), reflecting a dynamic mix of emerging talent and seasoned racers.
The Top 20 competitors represent a diverse array of countries. New Zealand and Australia lead the pack, each with five sailors in the Top 20. The USA follows closely with four competitors. France, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Malta, and Spain each have one sailor among the Top 20, showcasing the international appeal and competitive spirit of the event.
As the competition heads into the finals, the sailors are preparing for even stiffer competition. The forecast suggests conditions will remain varied, testing the versatility and endurance of every competitor. With Matthias Coutts leading the pack and local sailors showing strong form, New Zealand fans have much to cheer for.
Stay tuned as the 2024/2025 PredictWind Moth World Championships continue to deliver spectacular racing and showcase the best talent in the sport. Who will claim the coveted title and etch their name in the history books? Only time, and the waters off Manly, will tell.
