Wilmot and Page announce Aust racing retirement

by Clare Murray on 29 Jan 2008
Three time world 470 Men’s champions Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page, today announced they have just one more race left in Australia before retiring.

The affable pair will line up in the double points medal race at their final world championship campaign being sailed out of Mordialloc Sailing Club.

Sadly they are too far from the top of the leaderboard to win a record fourth world crown but admit they are going to enjoy medal day on the water regardless of the outcome.

It won’t be the World No.1 ranked pair’s final ever race, they are headed to Beijing to finish their outstanding careers with the one event which has so far eluded them – an Olympic gold medal.

Wilmot/Page completed Races 11 and 12 in 15th and second place respectively to scrape into the top 10 seedings for tomorrow’s medal race.

“I think the best we can do is fifth now … it’s the last race we’ll ever do in Australia so we just want to go out there and have fun,” Wilmot said onshore.

“It was good to come alright in the end and we are looking forward to getting fat and retiring and not sailing 470s anymore – no its (the world championships) is just fun – we can’t medal so we may as well go out and do the best we can,” he added.’

The same can’t be said for regatta leaders Alvaro Marinho and Miguel Nunes of Portugal.

The pair has been sailing together for the past 11 years but hasn’t quite managed a podium finish as yet at a world titles.

A pair of fourth place finishes in 2007 and 2003 however that could all be about to change tomorrow.

With a slender three point lead heading into tomorrow’s double points top 10 medal race, the Portuguese “definitely want to win this one” according to Marinho.

Fate may well have intervened when Sail Melbourne organizers handed them the 001 bow number at the start of the regatta, which Marinho added they were keen to hold on to.

“It was the best sailing out there today we’ve had all week,” he added.

“And it’s all too close to worry about other boats, I think we just have to go out there and try to win,” Marinho said with regard to tomorrow’s medal race.

World No.3 ranked Gideon Kliger and Udi Gal (ISR) had another great day on the water, pegging back one point from the Portuguese, finishing sixth and fourth for an overall total of 54 points.

A further six points behind is Nicolas Charbonnier/Olivier Bausset (FRA) who have joined the top three following a three and 12 finish today for a total of 60 points.

Early regatta leaders and 2003 world champs Gabrio Zandona/Andrea Trani (ITA) sailed themselves back into contention with a second in Race 11 and a win in Race 12 for an overall total of 74 points and outright fourth position.

Disappointed world No.4 ranked Aussie pair Mat Belcher and Nick Behrens managed to resurrect some pride today, finishing eighth in the first race of Day 6 action, backing it up with line honors.

Behrens said it was great to sail well and finish at the right end of the fleet.

Belcher/Behrens have endured a horror week on the water which included a mid-race collision and an OCS to leave them in 20th position overall and out of tomorrow’s medal race.

Tomorrow’s medal race is scheduled to start at 3pm.

Full results will be available shortly at ww.sailmelbourne.com.au