by World Sailing (as amended by IHCA)

New Para World Sailing Champions have been crowned in Kiel, Germany after five days of exceptional competition.

The final day of the Para Worlds, held alongside Kieler Woche (Kiel week) sailing festival, saw a variable 12-19 knot westerly breeze that enabled three races in the Hansa 303 fleets and two in the 2.4 Norlin OD.

In the Women’s Hansa 303, Spain’s Violeta del Reino capped off a fantastic week, posting a 1-3-1 final day score line to clinch a dominant gold.

Speaking to World Sailing the day prior, a nervous del Reino commented, “I’m panicking. I still have to fight.”

Any signs of nerves were put to bed as soon as the first starting gun was sounded on the final day and she sailed superbly all day long to seal the deal.

“This is the biggest event I’ve ever been in,” exclaimed del Reino after racing. “This week has been quite hard because most of the time we’ve had a lot of wind. It’s been a very tough competition and I’m very happy to have been here, competing with this group of people.

“I feel very proud.”

Watch del Reino speak about her week on Facebook Live.

The fight for silver and bronze went down to the wire with plenty of possibilities. In the end Ana Paula Gonçalves (BRA) did enough for silver and Cherrie Pinpin (PHI) picked up bronze.

World Sailing caught up with Pinpin in Kiel this week – click here to view a video.

Poland’s Cichocki dominated the Men’s Hansa 303 and three final day race wins handed him his second Para World Sailing title in as many years, having won gold in the SKUD18 at the 2016 Para World Sailing Championships.

Australia’s Christopher Symonds fended off a late charge from Germany’s Jens Kroker to seal silver. The German settled for bronze.

Final results are available here.