Burling and Tuke propelled into lead
Duncan Johnstone reports.
New Zealand yachting stars Peter Burling and Blair Tuke are pumped to be going for a world title on their home waters after a stunning day at the world 49er championships in Auckland.
Much like the third round of a golf major, this was moving day. And oh, how Burling and Tuke moved as they stormed to the top of the table yesterday.
Starting the day in second place, nine points adrift of Germans Erik Heil and Thomas Ploessel, the Kiwis staged a 21-point turnaround over the three races on the penultimate day of the championships.
They spooked the Germans and stamped an exclamation mark by winning the third race, following an earlier 10th and fifth.
But this has been a marathon and with three races of 18 left today, including the double points medal race for the top 10 crews, the Kiwis know they need more of the same to claim a remarkable fifth world title to add to their gold and silver Olympic medals in this exciting skiff class.
Heil and Ploessel, bronze medallists at the last Olympics, lamented a 13th, 15th and 10th yesterday. They were error-prone under pressure, particularly around the starts, but did enough to recover 15 places in the last race and are only 12 points adrift of the Kiwis, a margin that has been vulnerable throughout this topsy-turvy week.
Burling and Tuke are banking on their vast experience and a predicted stronger breeze to get them home.
‘‘It’s going to be a very exciting day. We are stoked to be racing here and to have a shot at a world title on your home waters is pretty cool,’’ Tuke said of today’s assignment.
Added Burling of their understanding of these pressure-cooker situations: ‘‘It’s pretty nice to have been here before and seen how it all unfolds. But it is the first one we have done at home as well, so it is subtly different. It was important to do well on a day like today.’’
The Kiwis have chipped away all championship, their consistency remarkable, content to keep logging as many single digit finishes as possible while their opponents endure roller-coaster rides in contrast. Yesterday, they twice came back from conservative starts, to move through the fleet and their last race was a masterclass in that.
With a 25-point gap from second to third, this looks like a two boat race for gold but Burling was coy on whether match-racing tactics would be employed against Heil and Ploessel.
‘‘We’ll go and debrief today and figure out a plan for tomorrow. It’s a pretty windy forecast and we’ll have to make a plan around that. It’s looking quite different to what these last few days have been. It will be a cool day,’’ Burling said.
Adding to that excitement factor for Yachting New Zealand will be the prospect of all three Kiwis crews being involved in the 49er medal race.
Logan Dunning Beck and Oscar Gunn moved from eighth to fifth on the points table after finishing second, eighth and seventh in the three races. Given their liking for windy conditions, they could push towards the podium if they can be at their best.
Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie climbed from 14th to ninth.
The New Zealanders in the Nacra 17 catamaran fleet did little to enhance their chances of making the medal race. Liv Mackay and Jason Saunders had a 21st in the day’s only race to stay 15th overall.
Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson stayed 17th and Gemma Jones and Josh Porebski moved up one place to 19th on the back of a 10th.