"I have a lot of feelings," said Mola after finishing one place ahead of South Africa's Richard Murray on a blustery afternoon in Brisbane.

"It has been a great season and finishing with a second place behind my training partner - it was a great race.

"I'll try to make it four in a row next year and it's in my hands to come back next year and be better."

Asked about matching the Gomez hat-trick, the 28-year-old from Palma de Mallorca added: "Javier is an inspiration to me my whole career, someone I always look up to and who has set the path for all Spanish athletes - but I never imagined having three titles."

A second consecutive Grand Final win earned Luis second place in this season's over International Triathlon Union rankings, one place above Jacob Birtwhistle of Australia, who finished seventh today.

It also rounded off an excellent day for France following the earlier gold medal in the under-23 junior mixed relay event.

"I didn’t expect that," Luis said after clocking 1 hour 44min 34sec.

"I felt good in the run and I thought 'why not attack? I'm third in the world, I have nothing to lose.

"Plus, if I have to finish second to anyone, I'm happy it is Mario."

Mola clocked 1:44:48, with Murray recording 1:44:56.

South Africa's Commonwealth champion Henri Schoeman was one place above Birthwhistle in 1:45:06, with Britain's former world champion Jonny Brownlee eighth in 1:45:51.

The latter's brother Alistair Brownlee, the back-to-back Olympic champion, was disqualified for missing a swimming buoy.

Mola finished the season with 6,081 points, with Luis scoring 5,060 and Birtwhistle 4,884.