Adam Heeley, centre, and team-mates on their way to the Laser SB3 world championship in Portugal. Picture: Adrien Burnard

Downs Sailing Club's Adam Heeley is celebrating after his victory as part of the Gill Race Team in the Laser SB3 World Championships.

The win was all the more special after the crew missed out on the world title last year, despite leading on the final day.

"After the disappointment of last year it’s a relief to win," he said.

"We’ve put that hangover behind us now and it’s the culmination of a lot of hard work."

In a 14-race series off the coast of Cascias, Portugal, the three-man crew competed against 55 European, South African and Australian rivals.

The success follows their triumph in the UK Nationals and the Irish National Championships last September.