Chiavarini pips compatriot to win first major title

He beat two-time world champion and compatriot Nick Thompson, who claimed silver as the Brits dominated the podium in Portugal.

And 25-year-old Chiavarini held off pressure from a host of other British racers – with 2018 European silver medallist Michael Beckett and Elliot Hansen also in the top six – to take the gold.

"Fantastic! Over the moon! I still don’t think it has fully sunk in," he said.

"For me it was about taking the week one race at the time with most of the concentration on my starts and the first beat.

"I had great speed around the course in all wind conditions which I was very pleased about. There was a lot of pressure on me as all the competitors were sailing well - most of them my team mates." Thompson showed strong form as the competition neared its close with two fourth-placed finishes.

It jumped the Rio 2016 Olympian, from into the silver medal spot, but he was left to rue an on course side earlier in the event, meaning he was disqualified for a false start.

Despite having to settle for second spot he was full of praise for his teammate for picking up the gold medal.

"I'm happy with the week’s sailing. An OCS on a race win cost me big in the end, but I’m happy with how I fought back.

"I'm so stoked to see my teammate Lorenzo wrap up his first major event win, doing so in style."

Elsewhere, in the laser radial Ali Young, another Rio Olympian, had to settle for fourth as Denmark’s Anne-Marie Rindom topped the podium.

Sportsbeat 2019