Beckett, a 26-year-old Welsh-speaking graduate in ship science, put theory into practice as he finished third and then second on day four to total 24 points in a championship that incorporates the European qualification event for Tokyo 2020.

That left the 2018 European silver medallist 16 points clear of his Croatian rival who discarded his 28^th place finish in his first race of the day and placed fifth in the second to end the day on 40 net points.

Meanwhile Jurišić’s illustrious compatriot Tonči Stipanović, four times European champion, a world silver medallist in 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist, has moved up to third place with a total of 46 thanks to tenth and third place finishes.

Spain’s Joel Rodriguez Perez, who placed eighth and a discarded 17^th today, is fourth on 47, two points ahead of Brazil’s 1996 and 2004 Olympic champion Robert Scheidt, who placed 11^th before discarding a black-flagged maximum of 50 points.

There was a dip in form too for Germany’s world champion Philipp Buhl, who is a point adrift of Scheidt after finishing a discarded 29^th and tenth.

In the women's laser radial, Denmark's Anne-Marie Rindom maintains a seven-points lead over France’s Marie Barrue after a day of contrasting fortunes that began with her fifth win in seven races but ended with a 12^th place that she discarded.

Rindom - Rio 2016 bronze medallist and world champion in 2015 and 2019 is still the sailor to beat on 26 points, but Barrue is hanging in there having trimmed the lead by one point after finishing 12^th and fifth today.

Japan’s Rio 2016 bronze medallist Manami Doi dropped from third to sixth place with 54 points after a discarded 19^th finish and a 14^th place.

Switzerland’s Maud Jayet moved up to third place on 46 points after finishing second and 15^th.

Racing continues tomorrow in a championship that is scheduled to conclude on Saturday (April 24).