Mitcham sailor Nick Thompson believes an ISAF Sailing World Championship victory next week would be a great step forward in his quest for 2016 Olympic gold.

The laser class sailor, who has appeared on the Laser World Championship podium three times but has yet to make the top step, has secured bronze medals at his two other key events this season – the European Championships and the Rio Olympic Test Event.

But a first World Championship gold at the Santander regatta, which gets underway today [Friday], would be a welcome boost to his campaign.

The 28-year-old said: “I think if there is going to be an event to do it at then this has to be the one. “The ISAF Worlds is always that little bit special as it’s only every four years, and I think to do it here would be fantastic and to also do it two years out from the Games would again be a really big achievement.

“So that is my aim, but I’m going to take it as it comes. I think it is going to be a tricky old event.”

Thompson will be one of five British sailors competing in the 150-boat Laser fleet – the biggest and arguably most closely-fought of the classes, which also includes including Britain’s newly-crowned Laser U21 world and European champion Lorenzo Chiavarini.

Thompson counts Brazil’s Robert Scheidt and Australian Tom Burton among his key rivals for the world title, but says that it will be an open race with the medals likely to be determined at the last gasp in the medal race on Thursday.

He said: “To single out one person out would be tricky. There are a lot of guys who given there day will get a good result here and I think it will go right down to the wire and probably down to the medal race.

“If you look down the list there are few guys that stand out and who have been performing pretty consistently but again you could keep going down the world ranking list and pick anyone who if they have a good week will certainly be challenging.”

“The lead up to this event I have been sailing pretty well. The events I have competed in so far have gone well, it would be nice to get a medal of a different colour and try and get a gold medal this time around.”

He added: “To get a third medal for the season here would be a fantastic result and more importantly a step towards Rio gold in two years’ time.”