Pouring rain and wind has ensured Tauranga sailor Peter Burling remains in pole position heading into the final two days of the 2015 International Moth World Championship.

Despite their best attempts, race officials were forced to abandon racing on day four at Sorrento in Victoria, Australia.

Peter Burling during the 2015 International Moth World Championship. Photo: ThMartinez/Sea&Co.

At a meeting with Moth competitors, event director Peter Osbourne asked for a show of hands for racing with most of the Gold fleet voting in favour. All but a couple in the Silver fleet voted against.

Officials asked competitors to stay ashore while they waited for visibility to improve along with the general conditions, which included pouring rain and high winds.

The Gold fleet finally headed out to the course, but PRO Garry Hosie felt that a maximum of 10 of the fleet would finish, so once again racing was abandoned.

The decision leaves Burling atop the standings with an 11-point buffer over the Australian pairing of Josh McKnight, 19, and Scott Babbage, 22.

And he will be eager to continue his strong form on the water, including a faultless four wins from as many attempts on day one of the championship, which propelled him to the top.

McKnight, along with Australian Tom Slingsby, felt they could have raced. But others thought it was a good move, because a fair amount of damage could occur in the built up seaway.

'To be honest, I just wake up every morning and make the best of it. I can't control the weather,” says McKnight, the 2012 world champion.

'I wish we could have stayed out this afternoon. It was 18-20 knots, sailable, but a big sea. It would have been fun though.”

On his current second place, McKnight says: 'It won't be easy to beat Peter Burling, but not impossible. He could have a bad race like everyone else.”

Babbage, back in third spot, says he is 'going very fast” at the moment, but if he were to pick anyone to win, it would be Burling without a doubt.

'I was quick on the second day, so some more of that would be good,” he added.

Event director Peter Osbourne admits the weather has been challenging and organisers are wondering what they did in a previous life to deserve the conditions.

Peter says: 'We are going to try our very best – the enemy has been not only high or not enough wind, but the tides too.

'We have mucked the troops around enough, so we're going to try to have six more races.”

Racing starts again at 11am today.