Fifteen-year-old New Zealand yachties Carl Evans and Peter Burling were on the brink of winning the Open 420 world championship in Spain last night.
With just two races to sail, Evans and Burling had a 24-point lead over the second-placed crew, their Kiwi team-mates Simon Cooke and Scott Illingworth.
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French crew of Fernado Lodos and Julien Pulve were third 39 points behind Evans and Burling in the 44-strong gold fleet. Evans and Burling, who only teamed up late last year, have had a remarkable regatta.
Of the 10 races they have sailed, the pair have notched up six firsts, two thirds and a 17th and 18th which, taking into consideration their two discards, has them on 12 points.
The conditions in Spain have been anything but easy, with challenging windshifts and lumpy seas.
National team coach Mat Brown said that Burling and Evans were handling the conditions like seasoned professionals.
"Their speed and tactics are outstanding and they are the talk of the town," Brown said.
"The team is enjoying the moment and I think they, along with all 420 sailors at home, can be proud of what New Zealand has achieved over the last few years in this class."
The 420 is a two-person trapeze and spinnaker racing dinghy.
It is a youth development boat in 43 countries around the world and is sailed at school, club, open, national and international levels.
The performance of Evans and Burling adds to what has already been a successful year for the two.
They convincingly won the New Zealand 420 championship in Lyttelton in April. Auckland's Evans won the P class dinghy Tanner and Tauranga Cups in New Plymouth in January while Burling, who is from Tauranga, won the Starling Dinghy championship for the second year in a row.
Sarah Bilkey and Rosie Sargisson were the best placed New Zealanders in the women's competition at the world championships.
Competing in the gold fleet the pair were in 10th spot. One place behind them were fellow New Zealanders Shelley Hesson and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher. Bilkey and Sargisson trailed competition leaders Tara Pachieco van Rinjsoever and Elena Barambio Hurtado of Spain by 40 points, with two races to sail.
