Christchurch windsurfer Emma Wilson takes gold in World Cup Series Princess Sofia Trophy regatta

CHRISTCHURCH'S Olympic bronze medallist Emma Wilson exorcised her final day medal-race demons by storming to a gold medal finish.

Wilson has been dominant in her fleet in recent regattas but had fallen foul of the iQFOiL winner-takes-all format of the final race – until now.

The 23-year-old, who won Olympic bronze in Tokyo two years ago, secured the world cup gold medal in the women's iQFOiL – the new foiling windsurfer category for Paris 2024.

The World Cup Series Princess Sofia Trophy regatta in Mallorca is the season opener for the Olympic classes.

The two-time youth world champion topped the podium and dominated the event, finishing 39 points ahead of France's Lucie Belbeoch, with New Zealand's Veerle ten Have finishing in third.

More than 1,300 athletes took part this year, including 73 from the British Sailing Team and British Sailing Squad.

After the race, an ecstatic Wilson said: "Wow, world cup gold – my first big win in the senior fleet. I don't know what to say. It's an amazing feeling, and I'm happy the hard work pays off.

"I'm super happy. It was a long week, and I didn't think it [the final race] was going so well initially, but I just kept going. I haven't had the best track record of medal races, but I told myself that I've got this this time."

Olympic bronze medallist Wilson went one better than her Olympian mother Penny who competed at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games, also in windsurfing.

She added: "I want to give a special thanks to my mum, who has looked after me this week."

The British Sailing Team brought home four golds and two silvers across the 10 Olympic classes at the iconic Palma regatta, leaving Britain at the top of the overall medal table.

With just over a year until Paris 2024, the British Sailing Team shot out of the blocks, with Micky Beckett, Sam Sills, John Gimson and Anna Burnet, Connor Bainbridge and Ellie Aldridge all joining Wilson on the podium.

The British Sailing Team will return to action in two weeks at the Semaine Olympique Francaise in Hyeres, France.

For full results from the Princess Sofia Trophy, visit rb.gy/c2mai