The 2012 470 Junior World Championships have come to a close after the final races on Friday afternoon off Auckland's Takapuna Beach.

Left: Junior Men's World Champions celebrate their victory. Photo by OceanImages

Italians Simon Sivitz Kosuta and Jas Farneti have walked away as World Champions in the Men's division, convincingly, 26 points ahead of second place getters James Turner and Finn Drummond of New Zealand. Results in the Women's fleet were much closer, with Afrodite Kyranakou and Jeske Kisters of the Netherlands winning the championship narrowly over last years' champion Annika Bochmann with Elisabeth Panuschka from Germany.

Strong north easterlies eventually lifted the rain and cloud from the morning, leaving good stable breeze with plenty of choppy water to mix things up in the medal races. And mixed up results they were! Gareth Moore and Ben Goodwin of New Zealand stole the limelight from the fast Italians in the men's race, ending their regatta on a high note.

"We just got a good start, and we wanted to go left so we went left and that put us first around the top mark". 19 year old Gareth reflected on that race. "We only just managed to hold the French out at the bottom of the course before the finish."

"Our regatta was really up and down. We started fairly consistent, but we had a couple breakages and had one really average day with one shocking race; there is always things you can learn from those" Gareth with Sailing partner Ben Goodwin (21 years old) finished the regatta as second best kiwis, in 8th overall. "Sail Auckland starts tomorrow so that's next for us, and then the Nationals in a couple weeks and we'll see where to go from there".

The women's medal race was sailed in a more stable and stronger breeze, allowing more of a 'boat on boat' race rather than the tactics which trumped the mens' race. Kiwis Erica Dawson and Vicki Francis finished in sixth overall, just slightly ahead of Wellington sisters Emma and Sarah Berry who finished seventh.