By The International Sailing Federation -

The Spanish team of Iker Martinez and Xabier Fernandez completed their dominance of this year's 49er Worlds held in the Bahamas by winning the Medal Race to secure their third World Championship gold medal.

The Spaniards won their third 49er World Championship (the others came in 2002 and 2004) adding to their Olympic gold medal from Athens in 2004 and silver medal from Beijing in 2008.

In true champion fashion, Martinez and Fernandez also won Saturday’s Medal Race, held in 8-10 knots. Defending champions Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen from Australia made a strong push by winning both the morning races moving them into second which they held through the final results.

Defending champions Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen of Australia set the early pace on day one of the 49er World Championship in the Bahamas.

Words of a ‘three-peat’ were already muttered to Nathan Outteridge after the first days racing who humbly replied, “I had a good day today.”

Outteridge and crew Iain Jensen of Australia are returning 49er World Champions (Outteridge also won the 2008 title with former crew Ben Austin) who currently hold the lead with a 3, 1, 1 scoreline after day one of the 2010 49er Worlds.

Conditions in the Bahamas were perfect with winds of 8-15 knots on flat azure waters sailed inside the coral reef.

By Sail Melbourne Media -

The Sail Melbourne medal races have been run and won with the crews greeted with great sailing conditions for the final day of racing.

After the unpredictable weather of the last few days Melbourne turned it on for the medal races with a south-easterly wind between 12 and 15 knots for the majority of the day.

Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page finished the regatta as they started it, with a win over Americans Stuart McNay and Graham Biehl. Belcher and Page went through Sail Melbourne undefeated, the first time either of them had done that in the 470 class.

By Sail Melbourne Media -

What a difference a day makes. After the strong breeze and heavy seas of day one, today was a completely different picture at Sail Melbourne with light winds and very little swell dictating play.

For the 49er fleet the light conditions were a welcome change, with the majority of the fleet in final preparations for the 2010 49er World Championship in the Bahamas in two weeks where light, shifty conditions are expected.

Current 49er World Champions Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen jumped two spots from day one and lead the regatta after six races. The Australian Sailing Team pair finished with two seconds and a first to take a slender one point lead over New Zealanders Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, while day one leaders Will and Sam Phillips are now third.