Australian Institute of Sports sailors Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen have claimed their second consecutive national title, winning the Australian 49er Championship hosted by Wangi RSL Amateur Sailing Club at Lake Macquarie in New South Wales this week.

The Australian 49er crew of Outteridge and Jensen cruised to victory, winning three out of four races in the final of the four day regatta, defeating the New Zealand crew of Peter Burling and Blair Tuke.

The Australian Sailing Development Squad’s crew of Steve Thomas and crew Nick Brownie finished in third place.
 
The victory means Outteridge and Jensen’s continue their extraordinary run with 10 wins from 11 regattas since teaming up together in early 2009.

‘The conditions were very difficult for the entire week,’ said Outteridge.

‘On the first day it was really fresh and we managed to pick up two race wins before the race committee sent us ashore as the wind was up over 25 knots.
 
‘From then on the conditions really changed with only five to 10 knots and it was a challenge for all the crews as the breeze was shifting around all over the place.
 
‘There were some races where we were leading with just 50 metres to the finish before getting caught in a hole and being swamped by a couple of boats right on the line. 

‘The light winds really evened things out and made for some incredibly close racing throughout the fleet.’
  
The Australian 49ers crews now shift their focus to  the second round of the 2010 Sail Down Under Series, Sail Sydney, starting at Woollahra Sailing Club on Monday 6 December.