The British pair have held the title since 2009 and will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to six regattas since claiming bronze at London 2012.

That run has included victory at the European Championships last year followed by a win in the North American Championships in Miami last week.

Next week's event is a country qualification event for Rio 2016 and the duo will lock horns with Australia's Dan Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch for the first time since they claimed gold in London.

"It's the biggest Championships that we have had since London 2012, plus it will also be the first time we will see the Aussie Paralympic gold medallists," said 32-year-old Rickham.

"There are a lot of unknowns to be honest so we are just going in with open minds.

'We have got over 15 boats on the start line which is the biggest SKUD fleet we have seen pre-Games since the World Championships in Weymouth in 2011, so there will be a lot of jostling for the top spots.

"The level of the SKUD fleet has raised [and] we are going to see potentially some different people moving up the scoreboard which is exciting to see.

"But as the fleet raises its game, Niki and I will also aim to raise our game and try to stay on top."

The United States were silver medallists in London thanks to Jean-Paul Creignou and Jennifer French but will be represented next week by Sarah Everhart Skeels and Gerard Tiernan, while home hopes will be pinned on John McRoberts and Jackie Gay.

Competition at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron in Halifax will see sailors competing across all three Paralympic sailing classes from Tuesday (August 19) until the following Sunday (August 24).

Paralympic champion Helena Lucas will be one of the favourites in the 2.4mR class ©Paul Wyeth/RYA



In the 2.4mR class Britons Helena Lucas and Megan Pascoe will continue their long-standing rivalry and both will arrive in Halifax in good form after coming first and second in Miami.

Paralympic champion Lucas topped the podium last week ahead of Pascoe, while compatriot Will Street came third.

But Pascoe will still be in confident mood after taking the European in The Netherlands last month.

'It has been a pretty awesome summer, identical to what I had last year but I feel I have made some really big gains since then," said Pascoe.

"Being crowned European champion last month was great and a lot of fun, I had to work quite hard for it but it was nice to come away with the title before heading over to Canada."

Along with Lucas, Pascoe and Street, Britain also has representatives in the 2.4mR class in the form of John Brooker, Carol Dugdale and Jonathan Currell.

Dutchman Guus Bijlard won the title in Kinsale, Ireland, last year but will not be defending his title leaving, last year's runner-up Heiko Kroeger of Germany and French bronze medallist Damien Seguin as real medal contenders.

John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Stephen Thomas will be looking to improve on a disappointing showing at last year's World Championships ©Paul Wyeth/RYA



British trio John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Stephen Thomas will enter their World Championships in fine form, having claimed podium positions at all five events they have competed at this year in the Sonar class.

Thomas is keen that they set down a marker for Rio 2016 and improve on a disappointing performance in Kinsale last year.

"We want to be seen as serious contenders for Rio and to be doing that we need to be medalling at the major events," said Thomas.

"We didn't perform particularly well in Ireland at last year's Championships but we have had a solid set of results since then and are now hoping that form can continue into the World Championships.

"Winning a medal here is important to set an early marker as we move that little bit closer to Rio but it is also important for our confidence as a team and for our development to show that we are still improving and still moving forward in the boat."

France, meanwhile, will also have strong gold medal hopes in the form of defending champions Bruno Jourdren and his crew Eric Flageul and Nicolas Vimont-Vicary.

Australia's Colin Harrison, Jonathan Harris and Russell Boaden will be looking to better their bronze medal from last year while the silver medal-winning Dutch team will not be competing.

London 2012 silver medallists Jens Kroker, Robert Prem and Siegmund Mainka of Germany and the Norwegian trio of Aleksander Wang Hansen, Marie Solberg and Per Eugen Kristiansen, who claimed bronze in Weymouth two years ago will be strong contenders.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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