Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre claimed a silver medal in the final race of the week-long Olympic classes regatta at the World Cup Series in Hyeres, France.
The pair went into the women’s 470 medal race knowing they were assured of second, but they looked to overhaul Camille Lecointre and Aloise Retornaz to steal gold.
With nothing to lose and nine points to make up on the home nation duo, they targeted their French counterparts from the start of the double points-scoring race.
But despite crossing the line in eighth position, two places ahead of their rivals, it wasn’t enough for Rio 2016 gold medallist Mills and crew McIntyre to finish top of the podium.
They finished the regatta just five points behind the gold medal-winning pairing and 11 ahead of third-placed Ai Kondo Yoshida and Miho Yoshioka.
“I feel good,” said Mills, after doubling the British Sailing Team’s medal tally at the World Cup Series. “It was a really exciting race.
“It was nice to have the confidence of having the silver medal and being able to attack, attack, attack. But we were frustrated we couldn’t quite pull it off.”
Despite missing out on the gold, Mills and McIntyre’s success in Hyeres brings their own medal tally to one gold and four silvers since teaming up in early 2017.
“We made a few mistakes but with that comes a huge amount of learning,” said 23-year-old McIntyre. “Because we knew we had nothing to lose we attacked right off the start line, and we have never tried those tactics before together.
“In hindsight we should have waited a bit but now we have a new experience and a new lesson we can learn from.
“It’s all really positive really and we are really happy because we come away with a silver.”
Mills and McIntyre’s medal adds to Saturday’s Nacra 17 silver won by Ben Saxton and Nicola Boniface.
Other British interest on the final day in Hyeres came in the Laser Standard medal race as Lorenzo Chiavarini finished eighth in the medal race to confirm fifth position overall.
Georgina Povall was also in action in the Laser Radial medal race, but her eagerness to attack the fleet saw her cross the start line early and she was disqualified from the race.
However, she still ended her campaign in ninth overall for her best World Cup Series result.
The World Cup in Hyeres was the third and final round of the international series. The World Cup Final will take place in Marseille, from June 3-10.
Sportsbeat 2018
Pic: Richard Langdon/Sailing Energy/World Sailing