49er Worlds - Gunfight at O.K.Corral

by Teri Dodds/Rob Kothe on 9 Jan 2008 The 2008 49er World Championships are being sailed in Melbourne Australia and today it will be the Medal Round shoot-out between Britain's Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes and the young guns, Australia's Nathan Outteridge and Ben Austin.

Both crew are on 58 points. While the young Aussies are nominally leading, its on a count back, that will matter for nought today. The Ukrainian sailors Leonchuck and Luka are just a point back, so there will be no two boat match racing today.

This all important Gold Medal race to be sailed off at 3pm, will be more like a three way Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

This morning it is once more bright and hot in Melbourne with little wind, perhaps 5-6 knots, but the afternoon sea breeze could reach 15-20 knots.

Yesterday after a delayed start, the 49er gold fleet began racing in light southeasterly breezes off Sorrento Couta Boat Sailing Club.

Four races were completed but there were mixed results for all boats as the breeze fluctuated in the earlier heats, but steadied to around 14 knots in the final race of the day where the Australians took advantage.

In Race One 24 of the 25 boats started on starboard, but USA13’s Secora team of Tim Hadlow / Chris Rast had other ideas with a stunning port start at the boat end.

With clear air they settled down and cruised to the top mark rounding ahead of GBR28 (Simon Wheeler / John Pink), and UKR14 (George Leonchuk / Rodion Luka), these placings did not change throughout the race.

The Aussies Nathan Outteridge and Ben Austin (AUS3) had a poor first work to round last of the 25 boat fleet, but had an amazing run and subsequent second work to bring them up to a ninth at the finish line.

The Brazilians (BRA29) had a flyer in Race Two coming off with a win, then the Norwegian Team of Christopher Gunderson / Frode Bovim on NOR20 came through with a win in the third race in the fluky breeze.

In the final race of the day, the Australians Outteridge and Austin had a great start mid fleet to be second around the top mark hot on the heels of the Brazilians (BRA29). By the bottom mark of the second leg they started to reign them in and by the top mark were ahead.

By the end of the final race the Aussies pulled out a four boat lead from the Brazilians (BRA29), followed by GBR21 (Paul Campbell-James / Mark Asquith), to take the win and top spot on the standings.