2025 International Moth Worlds at Fraglia Vela Malcesine, Lake Garda, Italy - Day 1
by Francesca Frazza 9 Jul 2025 04:41 NZST
6-13 July 2025
The 2025 Moth World Championship officially kicked off today on the waters of Lake Garda, hosted by Fraglia Vela Malcesine. A total of 137 sailors representing 25 nations faced the first day of racing in conditions that were anything but typical for Malcesine, with unstable weather creating a complex, yet exciting, opening. With an outstanding line-up featuring some of the biggest names in international sailing, the first day delivered a thrilling—albeit partial—debut.
The day began with the skippers' meeting led by the event's Principal Race Officer, Tim Hancock. Following the briefing, the Yellow fleet launched on schedule at 12:00 for their first races.
Weather conditions, however, did not play along: several storm cells circling to the north of Lake Garda prevented the expected southern breeze from establishing itself. Only the Yellow fleet managed to complete two races, both sailed in a northerly wind that started around 12 knots and dropped steadily to 5 knots by the end of the second race. The fading breeze was due to the approach of a thunderstorm front, which prompted the Race Committee to call the Yellow fleet back to shore under AP over H for safety reasons. The Blue fleet, which had not yet raced, was also sent back under the same signal shortly afterward.
After a short wait ashore, AP over A was displayed for the Yellow fleet, officially postponing further racing to the following day. About twenty minutes later, the same signal was issued for the Blue fleet.
As for results—available only for the Yellow fleet—the leaderboard is currently topped by defending Moth World Champion Mattias Coutts (NZL), with an 8-1 scoreline. He is followed by Ryan Littlechild (AUS), who posted 5-4, and Brad Funk (USA), who sits third with 2-8.
Giles Scott (GBR), double Olympic gold medalist in the Finn class and currently sixth in the Yellow fleet standings, commented: "Today was the first day here at the Moth Worlds, and it was a pretty stormy one. Those of us in the Yellow fleet were lucky enough to get two races in. They were tough races, especially with the sudden change in conditions as the storm came through. A lot of sailors didn't make it to the finish in the second race—I was glad not to be among them. Overall, I'm happy with my day. Hopefully tomorrow Lake Garda returns to its usual form. I love racing in the 'Ora' breeze from the south, and I hope we get more races like that in the coming days."
Australian Iain Jensen, double Olympic medalist in the 49er class, also shared his thoughts: "It was a tricky day. I had a really good second race where I finished second—that felt great. With such patchy wind, the second race was really hard, and a lot of people came off the foils at the top mark. I managed to stay flying and gained quite a few places. I'm almost happy with my day—let's say the second race lifted my spirits after a tough first one. Tomorrow I'll aim to make fewer mistakes and race more like I did in that second one."
Today's races were followed by a happy hour at Fraglia Vela Malcesine, with bruschette served by Frantoi Redoro and beer offered by Birrerie Stiegl.
Tomorrow, the racing schedule will continue with fleets remaining unchanged: sailors who competed in the Yellow fleet today will stay in Yellow, and those assigned to Blue will remain in that group. The first warning signal is scheduled for 13:00, starting with the Blue fleet, which will aim to complete three races. The Yellow fleet will then return to the water for one race.
Once each fleet has completed up to three races, the reserve day—scheduled for Wednesday, July 10—will be used for additional races, ensuring the championship stays on track.
The weather forecast calls for a return to Lake Garda's typical conditions, with the much-anticipated southern breeze, the "Ora," expected to blow consistently in the coming days. These conditions should allow for the full race schedule of the 2025 Moth World Championship to be completed.
The 2025 Moth World Championship is made possible thanks to the vital support of sponsors and partners who believe in the value of this sporting and territorial project. Special thanks go to UniCredit, title sponsor of the event, and to Falconeri, Zhik, Funivie Malcesine-Monte Baldo, Frantoi Redoro, Birrerie Stiegl, Distilleria Marzadro, Cantine Tinazzi, and Speck Stube.
The event is held under the patronage of the Veneto Region and the Municipality of Malcesine.
Find out more at www.fragliavela.org/en/regatta/2025-moth-world-championship