Wins for Andrea Eskau, Christiane Reppe and Hans-Peter Durst helped Germany to finish second overall on the medals table with 14 behind hosts the United States on 18.

Triple Paralympic cycling champion Eskau picked up her second world title of the Championships as she powered to victory in the women's H5 class, just edging it at the line against The Netherlands' Laura De Vaan.

Reppe took the women's H4 crown ahead of Russian Svetlana Moshkovich, while in the men's T2 class Durst was given the nod after a thrilling finish which saw him clock the same time - 56 min 49sec - as Great Britain's David Stone and Italian Giorgio Farroni.

Luca Mazzone and Vittorio Podesta picked up Italy's fifth and sixth gold medals of the Championships to help the team to third on the overall standings.

Mazzone had more than a second to spare over Will Groulx of the United States in the men's H2 race, while Podesta crossed the line almost two seconds clear of Switzerland's Heinz Frei to take the men's H3 crown.

Star man Alex Zanardi failed to add to his Paralympic and world title collection as the Italian lost out to big rival Ernst Van Dyk in a thrilling end to the men's H5 race.

Both men finished on a time of 1 hour 43min 03sec, but the South African claimed gold by less than the width of a tyre.

Dutchman Tim De Vries was just three seconds back to take the bronze.

Ernst Van Dyk won his duel with big rival Alex Zanardi in Greenville ©Getty Images




Nicolas Pieter Du Preez ensured South Africa had a second athlete atop the podium as he cruised to victory in the men's H1 class ahead of Finn Teppo Polvi and New Zealand's Timothy Williams.

France tripled its gold medal haul as Quentin Aubarge and Joel Jeannot secured world titles.

Aubarge dominated the men's T1 taking the win in 47:13, just under two minutes clear of Jiri Hindr of the Czech Republic and Russian Sergey Semochkin.

It was a different story for Jeannot in the men's H4, however, as his time of 1:38:08 was matched by German Vico Merklein and Poland's Arkadiusz Skrzypinsk.

The Frenchman was awarded gold by the narrowest of margins with silver and bronze going to Merklein and Skrzypinsk respectively.

Skrzypinsk's compatriot Renata Kaluza had better fortunes as she was awarded the win in the women's H3 race despite American silver medallist Alicia Brelsford Dana matching the Pole's time of 1:37:53.

Britain's Karen Darke took home bronze.

In the women's T2, Australian Carol Cooke cruised to victory with almost eight minutes to spare on Jill Walsh of the United States, while Canada's Shelly Gautier took the women's T1 title.

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