ISAF Sailing World Championships - Aussies take 49er gold in Perth

by Jerelyn Biehl on 19 Dec 2011 The 49er Worlds, taking place as a part of the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Perth, now have medals decided with Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen adding another trophy to their cabinets and titles to their credit as they claimed the 2011 49er World Championship title on home waters.

With a comfortable seventeen point lead going into the medal race, the duo sailed a conservative race to ensure the gold medal and thrill the thousands of spectators. Meanwhile the race was behind them for second and third with the full 'Doctor' arriving after a week of waiting.

With a clean start, four boats started on port ducking the fleet heading off to the right including the Austrians and Americans. At the top mark, Erik Storck/Trevor Moore (USA) led the entire race until their pintle broke on the final upwind leg forcing a capsize and crushing a top five overall finish. The door opened for Kiwis Peter Burling and Blair Tuke who had been pushing hard with the Danes Allan Noerregaard and Peter Lang who took the lead while the frustrated Americans watched as their competitors sailed past.

At the finish, Noerregaard/Lang took the win followed by Burling/Tuke and Outteridge/Jensen. John Pink and Richard Peacock (GBR) crossed in ninth which pushed them out of the medals while the Toft Nielsen (DEN) brothers who had sailed consistently all week as well as Burling/Tuke tied on points with the nod going to the Kiwis for the silver.

Fourteen nations have now qualified for the London 2012 Olympics in addition to the host nation Great Britain for the 49er Class with an additional five to be determined at the 2012 49er World Championship to be held in Zadar, Croatia in May. The fourteen nations are: Australia, Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Sweden and the United States.

Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships website
49er Worlds website