BRITISH sailors wrapped up their World Cup Series final with an eight-medal haul, as racing in Santander drew to a close.

Gold for James Peters and Fynn Sterritt and bronze for the pair of Dylan Fletcher and Stuart Bithell in the 49er, a British second and third in the Nacra 17 from John Gimson and Anna Burnet and Ben Saxton and Katie Dabson, as well as a silver medal for 49er FX duo Charlotte Dobson and Saskia Tidey on Saturday, was capped with a further three medals in Sunday’s final medal races.

In a demonstration of 470 prowess, Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre made it a second gold for the British Sailing Team.

Having started the day in the top spot and with a 13-point cushion, the class act showed that despite being a scratch crew, they had what it took to leave the rest of the fleet in the dust.

For Mills, this was her first 470 event since winning Rio gold last summer, and despite training and competing in the 49er FX so far this season, the sailor proved unstoppable as the week went on.

She said: “Although we had a good points gap going into this medal race, I think that also adds pressure as everyone almost expects you to win, so to come away and pull it off is a relief.”

McIntyre reflected on their week: “We had no pressure coming into it (the event) with a new team figuring things out, but we had a speed edge.”

Fellow British Sailing Team crew Amy Seabright and Anna Carpenter finished the medal race ninth to see them end their week seventh overall.

It had a been closely fought battle at the front of the Finn fleet throughout the event as three boats aimed to top the podium, with just a few points separating the sailors going into the final title clash.

An incredibly tense finale saw the medal colours constantly change as Britain’s Ben Cornish and Ed Wright, and Hungarian Zsombor Berecz fought tooth-and-nail for every place.

A nail-biting end to medal race action saw Cornish penalised for a rule infringement and it looked like it might be over, but in a dramatic turn of events Berecz was also forced to take a penalty turn resulting in Cornish crossing the line two places ahead of his rival, and with it, snatching gold.

Cornish, elated and relieved, said: “That was an exciting race! I’m sure (it was) for everyone watching as well, with a lot of lead changes, a lot of times when people were winning and then they weren’t."

“I’ve had quite a good season so far, and what I really needed was the gold so it’s great to come away with the win,” reflected Cornish, who made it a third British World Cup Final triumph.

There was disappointment for Wright as he finished with bronze, clinching an eighth British Sailing Team medal of the event.

Compatriot Henry Wetherell also contested the medal race, finishing seventh overall.

Elsewhere in the final day’s action, Nick Thompson started fifth in the 10-boat Laser line up, however with a large point deficit, it would have always been a long-shot for a British medal. Thompson sailed a superb race to take the final event bullet, but with the medal contenders snapping at his heels, the Rio Olympian was unable to capitalise and remained fifth overall.

Starting in 10th and outside of medal contention, Lorenzo Chiavarini, in an all or nothing final Laser race, risked the right-hand first beat in a bid to climb the scoreboard.

A sterling effort and a third place finish resulted in Chiavarini advancing to eighth, whilst Michael Beckett wrapped up his week in ninth.

Martin Wrigley and James Taylor finished sixth in Men’s 470 event.

BRITISH MEDALS

GOLD

James Peters-Fynn Sterritt (49er)

Hannah Mills-Eilidh McIntyre (470 Women)

Ben Cornish (Finn)

SILVER

John Gimson-Anna Burnett (Nacra 17)

Charlotte Dobson-Saskia Tidey (49er FX)

BRONZE

Ben Saxton-Katie Dabson (Nacra 17)

Dylan Fletcher-Stuart Bithell (49er)

Ed Wright (Finn)