HE'S won four world sailing championships in the class, but this was the title he so desperately wanted.
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Nathan Outteridge, and crewmate, Iain Jensen, secured the 49er-class gold medal at the London Olympics on Monday when they jumped to an unassailable points lead heading into yesterday's final race.
"It doesn't get much better than that," Outteridge, of Wangi Wangi, said after the pair's third placing in the penultimate race sealed the deal.
It was a contrasting story at the Beijing Games, where Outteridge was sailing with Ben Austin when their yacht capsized just a few hundred metres from victory.
So London gold will help to erase Outteridge's Olympic disappointment of 2008.
But more than that, London gold makes Outteridge the greatest 49er sailor of all time.
No other man has won four world championships in the class.
And adding an Olympic gold medal to the CV makes him untouchable.
Yacht captain at Wangi Amateur Sailing Club, Chris Pollack, said Outteridge's standing in the sport was undeniable.
"I'd say he would have to be considered the best ever," Mr Pollack said.
Not that accolades are likely to change Outteridge, or Jensen.
Both are good blokes, unpretentious, hard working and loyal to the sailing club, Pollack said.
"You wouldn't know Nathan was a world champion. He's just an everyday sort of bloke," he said.
"He goes out on other guys' yachts and plays around on the lake all the time."
Earlier this year, Jensen, of Fishing Point - a three-time world champion with Outteridge - thrilled some of the club's young sabot sailors when he took them out onto the lake in a 49er.
Pollack said winning Olympic gold meant the world to Outteridge.
"Winning the Olympics was a big thing for him. It will be the icing on the cake."
Pollack said London gold was reward for a lot of hard work.
"They spend all of their time on the water. They just practise all the time. You'll always see them down at the sailing club," he said.
Pollack said supporters planned to gather at the sailing club last night to watch the final race.
About 25 club members were in London to watch the pair, he said.
"Hopefully, this (gold medal) should help to bring in a lot more juniors and build up our little club," he said.
Meanwhile, Eleebana's Benn Harradine finished ninth in the final of the discus yesterday.
It was the best result ever by an Australian in the event.
