The qualifying rounds have finished at the 49er World Championships at Riva del Garda in Italy with the Australian Sailing Team's Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen the leading Australian crew in fifth place.
The Australian crew, in just their second international regatta together, had another solid day on the water, with a third, fifth and eighth leaving them just six points behind the leading pair of Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes from Great Britain.
The 89 teams were met with a consistent 18 knot breeze once the Ora filled on Lake Garda with the Australian Sailing Development Squad's Sam and Will Phillips moving up the ladder to 16th with another consistent day on the water.
Euan McNicol and Sam Newton have swapped places with the Phillips brothers and sit in 19th, ahead of David O'Connor and Robert Bell in 32nd.
Former 49er World Champion and two time Olympic Chris Nicholson and his crew, reigning 49er World Champion Ben Austin, had a positive day with a second placing in the first race, followed by two 15ths to leave them 36th overall.
Steven Thomas and Kyle Langford are in 41st, with Clint and Ty Marshall in 59th, Sean O'Rourke and Harry Bethwaite in 70th and Robert Gibbs and James Garnaut 79th.
The finals series begin on Friday with some rain forecast for the area, the top 25 from the qualifying series now make up the Gold fleet with the remainder split into Silver and Bronze.
For more information go to www.australiansailingteam.com.au.
