America's Cup talent fills the top of the Moth Worlds in Perth

Enzo Balanger has retained his International Moth world title in Perth, taking seven race wins from the 14-race series at Mounts Bay Sailing Club on the Swan River.

The Frenchman, who sails for La Roche-Posay Racing Team in the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup, arrived as defending champion and sailed like one. In a fleet packed with world-class foilers, his ability to find another gear when it mattered proved decisive.

Australian Ryan Littlechild finished second. A rising star of GB1, the Challenger of Record, he pushed hard throughout the championship.

Britain's Hattie Rogers, a trimmer for the British women's America's Cup team, GB2, claimed the Women's International Moth World Championship title. She did it with 20th place overall in a predominantly male fleet.

Perth tests the fleet

The racing was relentless. Perth's shifting pressure and demanding breezes tested the sailors, and the week delivered high-speed foiling, dramatic overtakes and some spectacular crashes.

Why the Moth matters to the America's Cup

The championship was another reminder of why the Moth has become such an important training ground for America's Cup sailors. These single-handed foiling dinghies demand athleticism, fast reactions and an instinctive feel for flight control. Those skills carry over directly to the AC75.

The boats are smaller and the sailors are racing alone, but the demands are the same: speed, precision, tactical intelligence and a determination to win. With Naples and the 38th America's Cup approaching, the links between the Moth class and the top level of professional sailing are only getting stronger.

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