Dempsey banishes Beijing nightmare with gold at World Championships

NICK Dempsey has been crowned world champion in emphatic fashion after victory in the final race of the RS:X World Championships in Weymouth.

JOB DONE: Nick Dempsey sets the standard in Weymouth, which will hold the Olympic regatta in three years time

Dempsey led the men's fleet going into the medal race and needed to only finish two place above Israel's Nimrod Mashiah to seal victory.

But the 29-year-old led from start to finish to win gold by 18 points, with Mashiah second and Holland's Dorian van Rijsselberge completing the podium.

Dempsey adds the world title to the Olympic bronze medal he won in Athens before finishing fourth in Beijing.

And the Weymouth wonder is now likely to go to the Olympic regatta in three years time as the man to beat after completing victory on home water. 

"It's just awesome," said Dempsey.

"I was a broken man after Beijing - to go into the medal race there joint first and then to drop to fourth was just heartbreaking.

"This year is what it was all about for me - my whole focus has been on this week. 

"I've always wanted to be world champion so this is probably the pinnacle of my career and I'm certainly sailing better than I ever have.  

"It's funny because although we live here and train here, we rarely actually race here so you never really know how good you are.

"To win here at the 2012 venue at such a big event is just amazing."

Fellow Brit Richard Hamilton finished 14th while Elliot Carney came 42nd to register a top-50 finish.

In the women's fleet, Marina Alabau wrapped up her domination of the event by finishing sixth in the medal race to capture gold.

Alabau has led the competition from start to finish, while Blanca Manchon ensured it was a Spanish one-two on the podium.

"I'm super, super happy," said Alabau. "It has not been an easy week.

"I had to focus hard on the beginning of the week as I knew it would be windier than what I had trained for.

"In the end I had a few points for the medal race so I could really relax and enjoy it."

Great Britain's Olympic bronze medallist Bryony Shaw capped a frustrating week with a second place finish in the medal race to rise to sixth overall.