Champion sailor Belcher in seventh heaven
GOLD Coast’s Mat Belcher has become Australia’s most successful Olympic class skipper in history with a seventh world crown after a sensational comeback at the world 470 titles in Greece.
Belcher was tied with Tornado catamaran skipper Darren Bundock prior to the event on six world titles but raised the bar as he and crew mate Will Ryan sailed to their fourth world title together.
A gold and silver Olympic medallist, Belcher is also hopping to rewrite history in Japan in 2020 as the first Australian to win three medals in sailing.
Sydney’s Mal Page won seven 470 world titles as a crew with Nathan Wilmot and then Belcher but the latter is the first skipper to achieve the feat.
Belcher, who won every world 470 title between 2010 and 2015, and Ryan, who he teamed with to win silver at the London Olympics, have now won four world titles together.
But the fourth came down to the final day of the world 470 titles in Greece with the pair moving from second to first after winning the doublepoints medal race.
The pair beat the Swedish team of Anton Dahlberg and Fredrik Bergstrom for the gold with the Austrian team claiming bronze.
“I think it is down to our unique partnership and personalities,” said Belcher of his and Ryan’s success.
“We go to each of the events trying to be the best we can and we often find ourselves in tough positions and we try to find any opportunity we can.
“I am really proud of Will as the conditions here have been tough and really physical.’’
Belcher won gold with Page at the London Olympics and then forged a new partnership with Ryan which delivered silver in Rio.