Moth World Championship: Schultheis siblings world class, silver for SailGP record winner
129 challengers turned up for the Moth World Championship in Malcesine on the eastern shore of Lake Garda in Italy. Among them were many of the greats of international sailing. The best-known player was three-time SailGP record season winner, America's Cup winner and Laser Olympic champion Tom Slingsby, who had already won World Championship gold in the foiling class of champions in 2019 and 2021. This time, the exceptional sailor had to admit defeat to Enzo Balanger after ten heats despite winning the final race.
Moth World Cup: a lifelong dream come true
The new French world champion had taken five victories in ten races and was unstoppable in the shortened programme. His exuberant response: "This title really was a lifelong dream. It was an incredible week. I had a few minor setbacks, but we solved everything and stayed focussed. A big thank you to my entire team." At the 46th Moth World Championship since 1973, New Zealander Jacob Pye sailed to third place, also securing the title of Youth World Champion.
However, the biggest leap on the final day was made by two-time World Sailor of the Year Tom Slingsby, who catapulted himself from fifth place to second place with his final race win. Slingsby said: "I had a bit of a slow start with a few problems, but then found my rhythm. Enzo was simply in a class of his own this week - congratulations to him. The calibre of the young riders in this class is incredible."
The future of moth sailing is in good hands." Tom Slingsby
Young Richard Schultheis from the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein narrowly missed out on a medal in the battle for a place on the World Championship podium. The Berlin-born 49er sailor, who has long since proven his world class in the Moth, was in a medal position until the final day, but then dropped back to fifth place with eleventh place in the last race. The fickle winds left him and others with no chance of advancing again. A further three planned heats could not be held due to the unstable wind conditions.
The flying siblings: Schultheis twice as good
Richard Schultheis, who grew up in Malta with his parents and sisters, has been racing under the black, red and gold flag since the new season. He is a member of the perspective squad of the German Sailing Team and the NRV Olympic Team of the North German Regatta Club on Hamburg's Outer Alster. Together with Fabian Rieger, the 20-year-old helmsman forms a 49er team that has already demonstrated dream team qualities in their first joint outings this year with silver at the Trofeo Princesa Sofía and the Semaine Olympique Française.
After the Moth World Championships, Richard Schultheis is now back in the 49er and is preparing for the World Championships in the Olympic skiff with his Berlin-based skipper Fabi Rieger from the Seglerhaus am Wannsee club. The World Championships for 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 will take place from 7 to 12 October off Cagliari in Sardinian waters. The Moth remains Richard Schultheis' second Eldorado. As a 19-year-old, he already proved that he is one of the best by finishing fifth at the last World Championships.
This also applies to his sister Victoria Schultheis, who made her first name her programme at the Moth World Championships and won the women's title in 39th place. The helmswoman from Malta prevailed against Hattie Rogers (46th, Great Britain) and Lisa Schweigert (70th) from the Wörthsee Sailing Club. The Masters title was masterfully won by the experienced American Brad Funk, who finished the world title series in tenth place. Click here for the final results of the Moth World Cup.
Moth World Championship: 13 German starters
Also worth mentioning is Mathis Menke as "Self-build world champion". The moth and speed lover from the Buchholz Sailing Club builds his own boats, often hitting the nerve of the times. In 55th place at the World Championships, he was one place behind Maximilian Mäge from the Bavarian Yacht Club as the third-best German competitor at these world title fights on Lake Garda, in which a total of 13 German challengers took part. Kai Adolph from the Bayerischer Yacht-Club won the Grandmaster classification.
The field of sailing celebrities at the Moth World Championship once again showed where the professionals like to train and where they have maximum fun sailing. America's Cup winners and Olympic champions were among the best. Russell Coutts' son Mattias Coutts, the defending champion, had to be satisfied with twelfth place this time, while the young American Harry Melges finished fourteenth.
Shortly before the Emirates Great Britain SailGP next weekend in Portsmouth, Tom Slingsby, helmsman of the Australian Bonds Flying Roos and Diego Botin ("Los Gallos", Spain) and other SailGP helmsmen sailed themselves into shape: Switzerland's Sebastian Schneiter raced to 17th place in the Moth World Championship, Canada's SailGP helmsman Giles Scott to 18th place, his predecessor Phil Robertson sailed to 21st place and Great Britain's pilot Dylan Fletcher to 27th place.
REPLAY! Thrilling scenes from the final day of the Moth World Championship 2025 with commentary from the best:
