By Daniel Etchells

The Brazilians celebrate their 49erFX success in front of thousands of spectators ©ISAFThe final day's action of the Santander 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships saw Brazil's Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze claim the 49erFX title after a dramatic medal race battle with Denmark's Ida Nielsen and Marie Olsen, who finished runners-up.

Despite trailing the Danes - who won the Junior World Championships and European Championships back-to-back in July - going into the contest of the day, the Brazilians secured their first World Championship in an up and down race in about six to eight knots of wind.

Italy's Giulia Conti and Francesca Clapcich were already guaranteed their position in third.

In the 49er, New Zealand's Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, who had an insurmountable lead going into the final, dominated the medal race just as they had the regatta.

The duo are winning regattas and races by margins never seen before in the 49er and look unstoppable at the moment.

In the fight for the silver medal, Denmark's Jonas Warrer and Anders Thomsen overturned the two point advantage that Australia's Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen held ahead of the final.

Outteridge and Jensen got off to a good start and were third around the first top mark with the Danes back in eighth.

However, there were position changes on every leg of the race and on the final upwind, the Danes got past the Aussies.

Peter Burling (left) and Blair Tuke (right) claimed gold in the 49er class ©ISAFPeter Burling (left) and Blair Tuke (right) claimed gold in the 49er class ©ISAF



Meanwhile in the Finn class, Great Britain's Giles Scott only had to finish the race to claim the title and did so successfully, crossing in fourth.

"I just went out and sailed my own race and kind of forgot what was going on with the other guys," said Scott.

"You can try and get out of their way but I was racing as much as they were.

"I wanted to go out on a high, and I managed to almost do that.

"It's been a great season for me and I can't really think of a better way to round it off than with the world title.

"It's been a great event and I am really pleased with the way I have sailed.

"There's always a lot to learn from it, but I'm over the moon about it."

Croatia's Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic comfortably secured second place by winning the medal race, while Britain's Ed Wright moved ahead of France's Jonathan Lobert to claim third.

In the Nacra 17, French duo Billy Besson and Marie Riou were already assured of top spot before the start of the medal race.

Argentina's Santiago Lange and Cecilla Carranza Saroli and Australia's Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin took silver and bronze respectively, despite Switzerland's Matias Buhler and Nathalie Brugger winning on the day.

"For us it is really a very special day," said Lange.

"It was difficult sailing in the medal race in the harbour area.

"It was a tricky race and you have to stay very sharp all the time.

"Only in the last minutes we lost some distance and Matias passed us.

"We are very happy with this result.

"Our next goal will be the Olympics.

"Still a long way to go, but with this result we are very motivated to reach our dream."

Giles Scott was completely dominant in the Finn class ©ISAFGiles Scott was completely dominant in the Finn class ©ISAF



At the Closing Ceremony, the French team received the International Olympic Committee President's Trophy. which is presented to the best overall performing nation.

Julien Bontemps and Charline Picon started the medal rush as they picked up the men's and women's RS:X honours, with Thomas Goyard taking men's bronze, before Besson and Riou's Nacra 17 gold.

With 138 sailing competition places up for grabs across the 10 Rio 2016 Olympic events, 39 nations have secured at least one spot on the start line.

"We have just concluded the most important sailing event between the Olympics," said ISAF vice-president Winthorp Scott Perry.

"It is the time we classify 50 per cent of those who will go to the Olympics.

"We had 1,200 sailors here, we had 81 nations represented, and we had 836 boats.

"It's a record for us and we hope that one day it may be exceeded.

"Thirty medals were awarded and we have 10 new world champions.

"My sincerest congratulations to those medal winners and especially the gold medallists."

Aarhus, Denmark will host the 2018 ISAF Sailing World Championships with preparations well underway

Mayor of Sport, Culture and Citizens Services in the city, Rabih Azad-Ahmad, said: "The ISAF Worlds in 2014 have inspired us in Aarhus to work even harder to prepare for the 2018.

"In 2017 we will be the European Capital of Culture.

"The theme is 'rethink'.

"I hope that we together can rethink the future of sailing.

"We are looking forward to welcoming you in our new and rethought part of the city with a new sailing centre.

"It is my hope that Aarhus in 2018 will have come from being the European Capital of Culture to being the world capital of sailing."