PORTLAND’S Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre will look to defend their World Cup Series title in Marseille this week in their final test ahead of the Sailing World Championships.

Mills, 30, and McIntyre, 23, sent shockwaves through the sailing world when they stormed to victory in their first ever event together in the 470 class at the 2017 World Cup Series final in Santander.

Since then they have racked up silver medals at the 470 World Championships in Greece, the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma and the most recent round of the World Cup Series in Hyeres, France.

The 2018 World Cup Series final, starting tomorrow (10am GMT), is their last chance to test themselves in a world-class fleet before the quadrennial Sailing World Championships taking place in Aarhus, Denmark, in August.

Mills said: “The 2017 World Cup Series Final was our first event together and we won it.

“We target every regatta for a win but we have had a few second places lately. That’s ok, but we now need to start laying down some dominance in the fleet.

“It’s a short trip for us – fly in, race and fly back out – but it’s a great competition ahead of the Worlds, our main goal.”

Mills and McIntyre sat out of the recent 470 European Championships to dedicate more time to training.

McIntyre said: “We have put in a lot of time and hard graft in the gym and on the water down in Weymouth so it will be cool to go out and try and test some things in our build-up to the Worlds in Aarhus.”

Mills and McIntyre will be among a 17-strong British Sailing Team contingent at the regatta that includes 470 counterparts Amy Seabright and Anna Carpenter.