The pace was set by Geoff Carveth for what could lead to a second world SB3 Gold medal as he steered Team Gill to a narrow one point victory at Royal Torbay Yacht Club in the Zhik Pre-World series.

Carveth the 2008 World champion expressed his skill to finish with a consistent 2-1-3-(5)-3 to head the talented Russian Rodion Luka 4-(20)-4-1-1 while Australian 49er class Olympian Nathan Outteridge 1-5-(13)-2-8 won the bronze on count back over fellow Australian and former Olympian Glenn Bourke 5-6-(9)-3-2.

The top four were in a class of their own sailing the tricky wind system with the required skill to protect their point scores.

However Geoff Carveth and his Race Team Gill crew needed to fill a top three place in the final race when Rodion Luka (Team Russia) scored his second race win in the final.

They remained in the box seat as the provisional winner with their impressive best four to count score of 4-4-1-1 but Geoff Carveth sailed with a safe strategy to claim the series with a 2-1-3-3 score.

As expected there was little separation between the top Australians Nathan Outteridge (One Design Sailing) and Glenn Bourke (Club Marine) who resolved the Bronze medal result on count back.

Nathan Outteridge who discarded a 13th compared with Glenn Bourke’s ninth was officially placed third with his win in the opening heat being the deciding factor however the Club Marine crew expressed the tactical helming skills of Glenn Bourke to finish all five races in the top nine.