12 Jan 2010

Australian Institute of Sport sailors Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen have won the silver medal in the 2010 Seiko 49er World Championship regatta after a tremendous performance in the final day of racing at Freeport in the Bahamas on 10 January.

Outteridge and Jensen were in fifth position overall at the start of the final day of racing, just seven points behind second place. First places in two gold fleet races helped the Australians make up the difference and a third in the medal race secured them second place overall (84 points) behind Spain’s Iker Martinez and Xabier Fernández (57 points). Italy’s Pietro and Gianfranco Sibello won third place (96 points).

‘Nathan and Iain maintained good speed, particularly downwind,’ Australian sailing team 49er coach Emmett Lazich said.

‘They sailed near-flawlessly and won the day’s opening two races by a very comfortable margin.’

‘After the Spanish picked up a fourth in the opening race, second was the best the boys could hope for. They kept cool under plenty of pressure from the Italians and French.

‘As their coach, it was delightful to watch.'