University of Southampton alumnus Pavlos Kontides has capped a remarkable year’s sailing by taking the Laser World Championship title in Split, Croatia.
The 27 year old, from Cyprus, defeated 2016 Rio Olympics gold medallist Tom Burton to take the world title. The achievement follows the Sailing World Cup gold that Pavlos won in France earlier this year.
Difficult weather conditions hampered the competition in Croatia, with racing on the final day cancelled due to an electrical storm. By that stage, Pavlos was already well ahead of the competition at the top of the table, meaning he could claim victory without having to sail in the final race.
After winning the title, Pavlos said:
I am very happy. I am a World Champion for the first time in my career, this is a dream come true. I was well prepared for the race and this was obvious in the results.
Pavlos completed his Ship Science degree in 2013, a year after winning silver at the 2012 London Olympics.
He was the first ever athlete from Cyprus to bring home a medal from the Games.
