BIG BREEZE IN THE MORNING, CALM IN THE AFTERNOON ON LAKE GARDA

Malcesine, July 10, 2025 – The third day of racing at the 2025 Moth World Championship kicked off early, with the first warning signal for the Blue fleet scheduled for 8:30 AM. Due to strong northerly winds, however, the fleet’s departure was postponed to 9:00. A slight drop in pressure finally allowed the boats to head out and complete two spectacular races. The first was sailed in a brisk 22–25 knots, while the second saw slightly lighter conditions around 18 knots—still fast enough to put on a show.

Leading the Blue fleet this morning was France’s Enzo Balanger, a three-time Foiling Week champion and helmsman for the Orient Express Racing Team Youth America’s Cup crew, who posted a 3–1. German rising star Richard Schultheis followed closely with a consistent 2–2, while American Riley Gibbs put in a solid performance with scores of 4–3. New Zealand’s Jacob Pye looked strong with a win in Race 1 but was forced to retire from the second after suffering a broken mast.

Balanger, Schultheis and Gibbs now top the overall leaderboard, which has finally taken shape following two races for each fleet—Yellow on Day 1 and Blue today. Among the women, Britain’s Hattie Rogers leads the rankings and sits in 34th overall.

Around 11:00 AM, the sailors returned ashore for a fleet reshuffle. The afternoon was scheduled for three more races per fleet, with the aim of returning to the planned schedule. However, the northerly wind persisted, preventing the southerly Ora from filling in reliably. A light breeze of 7–8 knots arrived around 2:30 PM, and the Delta flag was raised for the Yellow fleet at 3:00. Unfortunately, the wind dropped again, and at 5:00 PM AP over A was displayed for both fleets, officially postponing further racing to tomorrow, July 11.

Arnaud Psarofaghis, skipper and helmsman for Alinghi Red Bull Racing in the 37th America’s Cup, shared his thoughts: “This morning was fantastic—we had a beautiful, cold northerly breeze that allowed us to race in epic, borderline conditions. Sailing out there was incredible, even though I was a bit conservative. It was really interesting to see the top athletes pushing their limits at those speeds. The rest of the day was a bit of a mixed bag: the Yellow fleet nearly got in two races, but the breeze never really settled across the whole lake. Hopefully tomorrow we’ll see a slightly lighter northerly in the morning, and fingers crossed for some Ora in the afternoon.”

Sweden’s Felicia Fernström, part of the Artemis Racing Women’s team for the Puig Women’s America’s Cup, added: “I raced in the Blue fleet this morning in strong, choppy conditions. It was so much fun—especially flying downwind through the waves. This afternoon the Ora didn’t build as we hoped, and AP/A was posted for both fleets. I really loved racing this morning and truly hope we get more of those conditions. I’d love to race in both the north and south winds tomorrow—I can’t wait to get back out there.”

Tomorrow’s schedule calls for another early start, with the first warning signal at 8:30 AM. Two final qualifying races are planned for both the Yellow and Blue fleets before the championship enters its next stage. After the morning races, the fleet will be split into Gold and Silver for the Final Series, set to begin in the afternoon.

The 2025 Moth World Championship is made possible thanks to the vital support of sponsors and partners who believe in this sporting and regional project. Special thanks 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.

Francesca Frazza, July 10th 2025