PARALYMPIC gold medallist Helena Lucas and five-time SKUD World Champions Alexandra Rickham and Niki Birrell ensured a golden start to the British team’s weekend of World Cup racing in Weymouth and Portland today.

The British Sailing Team claimed two gold medals, one silver and two bronze, as racing for the Paralympic classes drew to a close.

Lucas, who was recently selected as the first British athlete for the Rio 2016 Games, dominated the 2.4mR event, winning all six of her series races on the same waters on which she claimed her historic Paralympic gold three years ago, which brought back some fond memories.

“I love coming back to Weymouth and Portland. It is definitely my second home,” Lucas said.

“The waters out there are so familiar and it does bring back some really amazing memories of London 2012. It was great to win another gold medal here – it’s my lucky venue!”

The 2012 Paralympic bronze medallists Rickham and Birrell had a fight on their hands for their gold, heading into the final day on equal points with their Italian training partners Marco Gualandris and Marta Zanetti.

The British duo bettered the Italians in both races to claim the event victory by two points, while Will Street and Megan Pascoe, sailing in their third SKUD event since transitioning from the 2.4mR class in May, came away with bronze.

Looking ahead, Giles Scott, Izzy Hamilton and Nick Dempsey all head into the final day with the yellow leaders’ jerseys in their respective Finn and RS:X women’s and men’s windsurfing events, while 470 duo Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark rekindle their Olympic rivalry with the New Zealand pairing Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie, with the two crews effectively level on points going into the final race.

Gold in the RS:X men’s windsurfing event will be between double Olympic medallist Dempsey and his training partner Tom Squires.

Weymouth’s Dempsey takes a six-point lead into the final day and is determined not to let his young rival get the better of him.

“We will have some different conditions again tomorrow. I will have a look at the points and do whatever it is necessary to win,” the Olympic silver medallist explained.

“I’m feeling good. At my last World Cup event in France I didn’t sail so well, so in the last six weeks I have trained hard. It’s nice that it has all come together.”

World Champion Scott retains pole position in the Finn fleet, and a stellar day on the water sees him extend his lead to six points over New Zealand’s Josh Junior.

“It was good day, very tiring,” Scott admitted.

“There’s been a bit of a difference this week because we have had such a small fleet and generally the guys at the top have been very consistent to the point it has stayed very close.

“I will have to look at the points and see what it looks like for tomorrow. I think Josh and I have a jump on the rest and so he will be close to my attention. It’ll be an interesting one, it has been a while since I have had a such a tight medal race so it will be good to do.”

Windsurfer Bryony Shaw will look to break into the top three tomorrow, with the Olympic bronze medallist starting the day in fourth. 470 Men’s pairing Luke Patience-Elliot Willis and Laser sailor Nick Thompson will hope for a strong finish in their medal races tomorrow, but are out of contention for the podium spots.