Silver lining for Olympic duo Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen after sickening conditions almost leave them high and dry

OLYMPIC sailing champions Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen discover sometimes there can even be a silver lining to racing in some of the most extreme conditions imaginable.

Olympic Gold medallists Nathan Outteridge (NSW) and Iain Jensen (NSW) have won the Silver medal at the 2015 49er & 49er FX World Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Saturday (21 November). Photographer: Matias Capizzano

AUSTRALIA’S Olympic sailing champions Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen have discovered that sometimes there can even be a silver lining to racing in some of the most extreme conditions imaginable.

The sailing mates from the NSW central coast will be prepared for anything the stinking, polluted waters in Rio dish out at next year’s Olympics after overcoming an on-water crash, foul brown water and debilitating illness to claim a silver medal at the world 49er skiff championships in San Isidro, Argentina.

Jensen was so sick from a gastro bug that affected a third of the fleet he had to be ferried backwards and forwards to his skiff by coach boat so low was his energy levels.

But in a testament to the determination of the pair who are bidding to become the first 49ers sailors in history to defend an Olympic gold in Rio next year, Outteridge and Jensen fought back from 27th to finish with a silver in Argentina on Sunday.

“There was a stomach bug going around and the time I got it was unfortunate as it was after the first day of racing,’’ said Jensen who also sails with Outteridge in the Artemis America’s Cup campaign.

Olympic Gold medallists Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen racing in brown waster in Argentina.

“I had a few days where I was crook and a bit feverish and really struggling to hold any food down, so I was a bit low on energy during racing.

“A third of the fleet had the same thing and it’s been a bit of a tough one for many of the guys sailing here.”

But Jensen and Outteridge, who sailed past a dead dog in Rio while training, believe their experience in overcoming the odds to sail off with a world championship medal will hold them in good stead for Rio.

“Stomach bugs have been an issue here and also can be in Rio and this shows it could be a showstopper for a team if they get a serious one before the Olympic Games,’’ Jensen said.

Outteridge and Jensen are close mates and often training partners with the two men who beat them for gold in Argentina — recently crowned world sailors of the year Pete Burling and Blair Tuck.

The two teams have been at the forefront of the class for almost a decade with the New Zealanders Australia’s biggest obstacle to gold at the Rio Olympics.

Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen sailing past a dead dog in Rio.

“For these worlds the goal was always to get on to the podium,’’ Outteridge said.

“We want to beat Pete and Blair without a doubt and we want to start winning events but to do that you consistently need to be on the podium and have to sail well all week long and unfortunately we only really sailed well in the finals.

“But it was nice to sail well under some pressure at the end of an event and move up the fleet and it’s nice to know that we haven’t lost our touch.”

In the 49erFX racing, the new Olympic class for women, Tess Lloyd and Caitlin Elks finished 14th overall in an encouraging performance less than a year out from the Olympics.

Originally published as Silver lining for Olympic duo Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen after sickening conditions almost leave them high and dry