The four-time world champions have already sealed their spot at Rio 2016 but are looking to confirm their dominance of the discipline at the regatta in Spain, which runs until April 2.

Their week got off to the ideal start when they triumphed in the opening race in the perfect Bay of Palma conditions, and they then won the second race.

Besson and Riou then took full control of the competition by completing a hat-trick of victories to lie top of the day one standings on two points.

"This regatta is important for us because it is the first in Europe and so it is a big rendezvous and we need to be here,” Besson said.

“The most important thing is to be showing good speed and to be sharp tactically to make good races all the way from the first day to the last day.

"Everybody wanted to be here and they are, and so we have to be here doing our best every day."

Austria’s Thomas Zajac and Tanja Frank finished second in the opening two races and with their disqualification in the third currently discarded, the duo lie in second position with a tally of four points.

Paul Kohlhoff and Carolina Werner of Germany have five points to occupy third place.

The battle for the final European Olympic qualifying place is currently between nine countries, who have yet to seal their Rio 2016 berths.

Currently the Swedish team of Ida Svensson and Rasmus Rosengren are best placed to take the berth as they lie in 14th position, but will face competition from crews from Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Monaco, Norway, Portugal and Russia.

The pressure has been relieved on the Tunisian pairing of Hedi Gharbi and Rihab Hammami, who have sealed the final African spot at Rio 2016.

It comes as the duo are the only African sailors to be competing at the event.