PORTLAND-BASED Luke Patience and Elliot Willis head towards their first World Championship as a team as they bid for a world title in the two-person 470 class, starting tomorrow in Santander, Spain.

Patience believes the duo are capable of challenging the best in the fleet, and is hoping for a strong performance.

He said: “It is just as ever in sport about producing our best performance to date and the great thing is from this season, Elliot and I know that our best performance is one that challenges to take home gold medals.

“So that’s all we need to do at this stage,” said the sailor, who admitted he feels an added buzz around the combined ISAF World Championships, at which all ten Olympic Classes are present.

“You could argue it is the next most important event after the Olympics and the most prestigious title to take.

“The eyes of the sailing world are on this regatta and people remember the ISAF World Champions and the medallists, so it is a raised intensity for sure.

“I wish it meant this much every time we raced.”