Goodison seals gold hat-trick in Keil

Reigning Olympic champion Paul Goodison yesterday notched up his third gold medal at this year's principle Olympic regattas when he blitzed the singlehanded Laser fleet at the world cup series in Keil, Germany.

His was one of five British medal winners, Paul Campbell-James and Mark Asquith taking bronze in the 49er, Jonny McGovern and Christian Birrell taking silver in the 470 dinghy, with Nic Asher and Elliot Willis in bronze, and China gold medallists Iain Percy, with Nick Harrison replacing Andrew Simpson at the end of the regatta, also winning bronze in the Star.

Goodison also won gold at Hyeres and then at Medemblik and will be hoping to keep up the momentum at the European and World championships before sailing in Britain's Olympic regatta at Weymouth in September.

"It probably looked easier than it was," said Goodison. "It was a trying week because of the wind conditions." He led the fleet in every race. Added Percy: "We were very rusty and it was a comedy of errors at times."