The 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships continued ©Laurens Morel

Sisters Maiken Foght Schutt and Anne-Julie Schutt claimed an opening day win as the 49erFX World Championships began in Clearwater Beach in Florida.

The Danish pairing won in the blue fleet, ahead of  Spanish veterans Tamara Echegoyen and Berta Betanzos.

“It was really hard to try to ride the waves, but we were happy with the result because we found in this race you just have to survive," said Maiken Foght Schutt.

"So now, we finally start the Worlds."

British pairing Charlotte Dobson and Sophie Ainsworth were third on the blue course, on a day when only one race for each fleet was possible due to strong winds at the American venue.

In the yellow fleet, Dutch duo Annemiek Bekkering and Annette Duetz came out on top, seeing off the challenge of Germans Leonie Meyer and Elena Stoffers.

Australians Tess Lloyd and Caitlin Elks were third.

Elsewhere, the strong winds also meant that no action was possible in the men's 49er class, also being held at Clearwater, but sailing did go ahead in the Nacra 17 World Championships.

The French Nacra 17 teams survived a protest when organisers ruled in their favour
The French Nacra 17 teams survived a protest when organisers ruled in their favour ©Laurens Morel

French team Billy Besson and Marie Riou continue to lead overall after picking up victories in races two and four, with a total of 21 points.

Denmark's Allan Norregaard and Anette Viborg Andreasen, who didn't finish yesterday's opening race, have climbed up to second overall with a series of good results, including second behind the French team in race two.

There were also race victories for Italians, Vittorio Bissaro and Silvia Sicouri, who are fourth overall behind France's Moana Vaireaux and Manon Audient, and Britain's Tom Phipps and Nicola Boniface who are 11th.

The two French crews survived a protest launched yesterday evening when several teams accused them of having illegally adjusted the daggerboard cases that hold the curved foils that help lift the boat out of the water at high speed.

Small changes in the angle of attack of these foils can make a big difference to performance.

However, the international jury found in the favour of the French.

Action is set to continue in Clearwater tomorrow.

With countries allowed just one team in the disciplines at Rio 2016, many nations will send their best performing crews from the regatta to the Games.