The 29-year-old twice European champion was born in Eilat and took full advantage of familiar Red Sea waters with only one race in each of the two fleets taking place on day one today.

Stable wind conditions meant that the second and third races across the fleets did not take place.

Britain's double Olympic medallist Nick Dempsey, who won silver at London 2012 and bronze at Athens 2004, did enough for second place with another Israeli, Daniel Harrai, third.

Harrai's performance means that he is currently leading the race for the under-21 title but Aichen Wang, China's world number one, could only finish 12th.

Olympic champion Dorian van Reisselberge fared better, finishing sixth.

In the men's yellow fleet, Poland's Piotr Myszka leads the way ahead of Beijing 2008 silver medallist Julien Bontemps of France and Italy's Federico Esposito.

London 2012 bronze medallist Zofia Klepacka leads after day one in the blue fleet of the women's competition, with the Pole beating Lilian de Geus of The Netherlands into second.

Italian Flavia Tartaglini came third with the yellow fleet victory going to another Polish sailor, Malgorzata Bialecka.

Russia's Stefania Elfutina was second and leads the under-21 standings, with Sin Lam Sonia Lo of Hong Kong third.

World number one Bryony Shaw of Britain had to make do with a fifth place finish to start her campaign.

That was one place ahead of Marina Alabau Neira, Spain's London 2012 Olympic champion.

Action continues in Eilat tomorrow, the town at the very south of Israel which lies opposite the Jordanian city of Aqaba. 

The Championships will run until February 27.