New Zealand has a new world champion with Phil Robertson and his China One Ningbo team taking out the inaugural M32 world championships in Sweden overnight (NZ time).
Racing wasn't possible on the fourth and final day as rain squalls and winds gusts of up to 40 knots lashed Marstrand, ensuring Robertson won the first ever world championship for the lightweight 32-foot catamaran class. He finished with a nine-point lead over Jonas Warrer, with New Zealand's Chris Steele and his CFA Sport Racing team in third another three points back.
Robertson battled illness earlier in the regatta, with his mother even telling him not to go sailing at one point, but his team's consistency shone through over the 13 races.
"Its part of sailing," he said of the cancellation of the final day's racing. "Youre dictated to by nature, and I think thats the beauty of the sport. Youve got to take whatever comes and, unfortunately, its ended like this. It would have been nice to go out there and seal the deal on the race course, but I guess Mother Nature did it for us."
The driving rain was in stark contrast to the previous three days which produced ideal conditions in Marstrand.
