Belcher and Page leave the competition behind them at 470 World Championship

“We’re very happy with the result and now we can go out and enjoy tomorrow’s medal race,” said Belcher. “There’s still racing to do but it’s nice to have the points gap and we can relax a bit for once.”

 

“This is Mal’s fifth World Championship title and my first and we’re thrilled with how the week has turned out,” he said. “We still have plenty of room for improvement but it’s nice to win and be rewarded for all the hard work.”

 

Belcher and Page held their composure as their closest competitors faltered on the penultimate day of racing at the 2010 World Championship.

 

“The guys who performed well yesterday weren’t at the front of the fleet today,” said Belcher. “Our closest rivals, Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell from Great Britain, were just three points behind at the start of the day and then finished second in the first race to take the overall regatta lead.”

 

“In race two they were in 10^th and then broke their rudder, putting them out of that race and then the final race of the day,” he said. “That meant that we had enough of a points gap to take the title.”

 

In a week where the conditions have had a major impact on racing Saturday was no different.

 

“The conditions were very difficult again today, we started the first race in about eight or nine knots and by the finish it was up to 18 or 19 with a big rain squall coming through,” said Belcher.

 

While the Australian pair is well out in front there will still plenty of action throughout the fleet in the final medal race with just eight points separating second and sixth overall.

 

The Australian Sailing Development Squad crew of Sam Kivell and Will Ryan continued their climb up the ladder and finished the day in 21^st position.

 

The pair had a 12^th, 21^st and 15^th place finish in the day’s three races.

 

In the Silver fleet Australians Max Taylor and Ben Gunther are 25^th while in the Bronze fleet Alexander and Patrick Conway are third overall, just two points off the lead after finishing with a 14^th, third and first on Saturday.

 

In the women’s fleet West Australians Paris Stowell and Chelsea Hall are in 23^rd in the Silver fleet while Carrie Smith and Ella Clark are 28^th.

 

The final medal race will be broadcast live on the event website - www.470worlds2010.com at 10pm (AEST) Sunday evening.