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NZL Sailing Team’s Peter Burling is 2015 Moth World Champion after an outstanding performance at Sorrento, Victoria, Australia in a fleet containing some of the world’s most accomplished sailors.
Image © Thierry Martinez: Burling in action
The new world champion’s 49er sailing partner, Blair Tuke finished the regatta in 6th overall topping off a great regatta for the pair who are finalists for Halberg Team of the Year after their unprecedented year in the Olympic 49er class in 2014.
Burling’s form was impeccable winning a head-turning nine of the total twelve races, and recording a 7th as his worst race of the high-calibre Moth regatta, a boat widely acknowledged as challenging to master.
“All the time I have put in to this campaign paid off,” he said. “There are some great guys in this record fleet, I am absolutely stoked to win.”
Burling, who is from the Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club, attributed his nine race wins to, “You get on a winning roll and just keep going. Nathan (Outteridge) and I spent a lot of time working on our boats and nothing broke.”
“The boat’s been going really well this week, no problems,” he said.
Taking the victory Burling toppled defending Moth World Champion, and rival in the 49er class, Nathan Outteridge of Australia who claimed the silver medal. Outteridge’s 49er partner Ian Jensen finished 10th.
Blair Tuke’s result, finishing 6th in the huge and talented fleet, is also impressive given his relative inexperience in the Moth, and the Kerikeri Cruisng Club sailor is deservedly delighted.
“Stoked!” he says. “First sailed the Moth three months ago, the learning curve has been steep, it's been fun and I'm super happy with the result.”
The regatta attracted a long (145 boats) and impressive entry list. As well as Burling and Tuke’s Emirates Team New Zealand team-mates Dean Barker, Glenn Ashby and Ray Davies a number of other America’s Cup sailors such as Chris Draper (GBR), Tom Slingsby (AUS) and Kyle Langford (AUS) were all racing.
2006 and 2007 Moth World Champion and pioneer of the foiling Moth Rohan Veal of Australia was in the fleet and other regular top performers in the class over recent years like Scott Babbage (AUS), Josh McKnight (AUS) and Chris Rashley (GBR).
