Sail-World on Burling’s Moth Victory

Sail-World’s Richard Gladwell covers Peter Burling’s victory, and the results of the other ETNZ sailors who competed in Sorrento, Australia at the 2015 International Moth World Championships…

Peter Burling, added another world title, the International Moth World Championship, to his already impressive CV, underlining the view that he is probably the hottest property in world sailing.

That accolade initially came from the International Sailing Federation in the citation for the Rolex Sailor of the Year in 2014. At that juncture he had finished third in an A-class Catamaran Worlds, won for a second time the European and World Championships in the 49er, and turned in a couple of top three placings in the Extreme Sailing Series, plus been unbeaten in every 49er regatta that he and Blair Tuke had entered since the 2012 Olympics.

Burling won his first open world championship at the age of 15 yrs - the time when most of his peers were just exiting P-class.

Not too many people in sailing history have held two world championships simultaneously - in different classes, let alone two of the highest performance sailing classes. In addition, in the same 12 month period, Burling finished 3rd in the A-class catamaran worlds - two Golds and a Bronze if you think in those terms.

Peter Burling's performance should not overshadow that of his 49er crew, Blair Tuke, who was the highest placed rookie at the 2015 Moth Worlds - finishing sixth overall.

Tuke also holds the same 49er titles as Burling and in fact, beat him in the A-class Catamaran Worlds - finishing second to now seven times World Champion Glenn Ashby. In November they were awarded the NZ Sailor of the Year trophy for the second year in a row.

Blair Tuke was sailing in his first ever Moth Worlds, Burling was on his third. Tuke also performed the remarkable feat of winning a race, in the Qualifying phase of the World Championship, against a fleet of 80 competitors - on his first day ever racing in the highly technical singlehander.

Don't forget too that the 2015 Moth Worlds attracted one of the classiest fields ever to compete in a sailing event.

The open entry policy for the World Championship allowed two current America's Cup skippers to sail, four of the six America's Cup teams were represented in the championship. A dozen Olympic sailing medalists competed plus numerous world champions in the Moth and other classes.

Against that backdrop, Blair Tuke's achievements over the past 12 months are at least as remarkable as Burling's, maybe more so.

The other Emirates Team New Zealand sailors were all in their first ever Moth regatta, and all finished in the top 20% of the 160 strong fleet.

Glenn Ashby placed 16th, Ray Davies 18th and skipper Dean Barker 31st - which was one place behind 2012 Olympic Gold medalist in the Laser class, and Oracle Team USA afterguard member, Tom Slingsby. And one place ahead of the 2008 Gold Medalist in the Laser, Paul Goodison.

The Moth Worlds were a very good litmus test for Emirates Team NZ, given that four of the five were sailing in their first ever Moth Worlds. All all had gone into the Worlds with varying degrees of preparation in the Moth class.