The New Zealander finished the eight-race series with 23 points to clinch victory.

He finished 14 points clear of second-place Finn Lynch of Ireland on 37 points, while Croatia's Tonči Stipanović rounded out the top three on 65 points.

Saunders finished in the top 10 for every race apart from a 37^th-place finish in the fifth, however he was able to discard that result leaving him with a leading score.

Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Stipanović was in the running for the gold medal before a disappointing penultimate day ended any hopes of that.

The 35-year-old had ended two races on the podium before coming 8^th, 24^th and 35^th in yesterday's events.

Despite the wobble, Stipanović still pipped the Russian Yachting Federation's Sergei Komissarov to bronze by two points.

Britain's Elliot Hanson led the standings on the penultimate day but suffered a catastrophic penultimate day which saw him slip to 17^th position.

He collided with compatriot Michael Beckett at the start of race three which saw the latter knocked unconscious for five seconds.

Beckett was quickly brought ashore and taken to hospital as a precaution.

Hanson retired from the race after the incident.