It was the fourth consectutive European crown for the Goodison, and a timely boost for the 30-year-old from Rotherham before he heads to the Olympic sailing venue in Qingdao for his second Olympic Games in just over a week’s time.

 

Aside from a race result of 26th following a capsize in the seventh race of the series, Goodison posted an otherwise consistent set of results amid a week of shifty and variable wind conditions at the Belgian venue. 

 

Goodison finished as the top European sailor, but was second overall in the international fleet behind Australia’s two-time world champion Tom Slingsby.

 

Goodison’s training partner Nick Thompson – a European bronze medallist in 2007 – finished just outside of the podium positions, placed as the fourth European sailor.

 

With racing cancelled today due to strong winds, Goodison was disappointed to not have had the chance to get the better of his Australian rival in the overall regatta standings, but was otherwise delighted with his result.

 

He said: “I was a bit gutted that we didn’t sail today as I still had the chance to catch [Tom]. 

 

"We’d been in different groups all week, so only raced against each other for the first time in the gold fleet on Friday.

 

“But I’m really happy to have done so well."

 

Goodison heads to China unbeaten on the Olympic racetrack after winning both test events at Qingdao in 2006 and 2007.

 

He said: “I didn’t come here necessarily with the aim to win, but I feel I’ve been sailing well all week so it’s great to have got the result in the last event before China.”

 

Goodison now heads home to Weymouth for a week of light training before making the trip to Qingdao for the Olympic Games, where racing for the Laser and Laser Radial classes get underway on August 12.

 

In the women’s Laser Radial event, held concurrently in Nieuwpoort, Andrea Brewster finished as the highest place British sailor in eighth place, with Team GB Olympic representative Penny Clark in 15th