By KELLY EXELBY
Six races and two of their fiercest rivals stand between Tauranga's Peter Burling and teammate Carl Evans and a remarkable International 420 class world championship.
Burling and Evans - both just 15 - continue to lead the world open championships in the Canary Islands, despite the disappointment today of
being caught in a huge windshift in the last of three races to finish 18th, breaking a string of top-three finishes since the regatta started. After finishing third in their first race and winning the second, the teenage pair have been forced to drop the 18th place result from their placings. They will be allowed to drop another result after the third day of championship races tonight.
Despite the 18th placing, Burling and Evans still had the second best day of all 46 crews in the 420 gold fleet. They have now extended their lead to 18 points over their coach, former Olympian Simon Cooke, and Scott Illingworth.
Cooke and Illingworth were 4th, 10th and 3rd today and are in clear second in the race for the world title, 15 points ahead of France's Fernando Lodos and Julien Pulve.
National team coach Mathew Brown said Burling and Evans were handling the shifting and inconsistent conditions - 12 knots winds and large waves today - like seasoned professionals.
"They once again had a near perfect day. Their speed and tactics are outstanding and they are the talk of the town. They will be in the papers again tomorrow," Brown said.
Tauranga's Bruce Kennedy and Jason Saunders remain in 30th after a 19th and two 26th placings in the gold fleet. All three local sailors are backed by the Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club and the Bay of Plenty sailing academy trust.
Burling and Evans' last race highlighted the random nature of sailing. They were trapped on the wrong side of a huge windshift up the first leg and rounded the top mark in 35th before battling their way back through the fleet to 18th.
