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RSYS members Nathan Outteridge and his crew Ben Austin sailed the race of their life in the Medal Race of the 49er World Championship to claim the title off Sorrento, Victoria, this week
The Medal race was sailed in 15-18 knot gusty winds on choppy waters in front of host venue, Sorrento Couta Boat Sailing Club, thrilling onlookers both on and off the water.
Going into the race, worth double points, the two Aussies were positioned at the pin end of the start line with their two greatest rivals: defending world champs Stevie Morrison/Ben Rhodes (GBR) who were on equal points with the Aussies, and Rodion Luka/George Leonchuk (UKR) just one point behind them.
Outteridge takes up the story: “Rodion tacked onto port just before the start and we forced him to tack back and they capsized. So that was one out of the way,” he said.
Although Luka and Leonchuk got their skiff upright fairly quickly, they were at the point of no return, finishing the race in last place, their championship dreams over. Despite their placing, the Athens silver medallists took home the bronze medal.
Getting away clean off the line, the Brits right on their tails, the young Australians took off up the first work of the two-lap windward/leeward course, rounding just three boat lengths ahead.
By the time they rounded the windward mark for the second time, the Aussies had increased their lead over the Brits, coming home well in front of the rest of the nine others in the Medal Race.
Morrison/Rhodes came home in third place in the Medal Race, but it was enough to give the Brits second place overall. Morrison was the first to congratulate the Australian pair. “They were a bit quicker than us in that breeze. There was nothing we could do about it. Nathan and Ben are the best 49er sailors in the world.”
The pair will take a week or so off, then it’s into training and preparing for the Beijing Games, for which they have already been selected. “We will lose some weight for the light conditions there and work on our equipment to suit the conditions. We also want to work on our sailing in breezes of 8 knots and less,” Outteridge said.
Outteridge and Austin also paid tribute to their coach: 'we couldn’t have done it without Emmett Lazich, he’s been great,' they said.
Outteridge and Austin are the first Australians to win the 49er World’s since three-time world champion Chris Nicholson, with various crews, won in 1999. Ironically, all three sailors live close to each other on the NSW Central and North Coast, a well-known breeding ground for elite skiff sailors. – Di Pearson/Peter Campbell
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