The New Zealand contingent had a strong penultimate day at the 2016 49er and 49erFX European Championships in Barcelona, Spain today with Peter Burling and Blair Tuke on track to take another victory, and Alex Maloney and Molly Meech sailing themselves back into podium contention.
Conditions in Barcelona were tricky and puffy, requiring full concentration from the sailors. Both the 49er and 49erFx fleets sailed three races.
With a day to go Burling and Tuke look hard to beat for the 2016 49er European crown. Securing this one would extend their incredible unbeaten run of regatta victories even further and make it four back to back 49er European Championship titles - to match their four consecutive 49er World Championship wins.
Today they managed to push further ahead of the pack on points and are now 41 clear of 2012 Olympic Champions Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen (AUS). They placed third in the first race of the day, then 17th in the second race, but nearly everyone on the race track collected one average result in today's tricky winds, and they bounced back with a second.
Tomorrow's schedule includes three gold fleet races starting at 10am in Spain, with a medal race later in the day. With the extra racing planned on the final day (more often only the medal race is sailed on the last day) Burling and Tuke don't have this one in the bag just yet.