HAMPSHIRE sailor Nick Thompson resumes his medal hunt in Rio today after enjoying the Laser’s rest day.

Lymington-raised Thompson, 30, heads back out on to the water in silver medal position after an impressive display on Wednesday, when second and first places propelled him up the leaderboard from 12th.

But the two-time World Champion, who is based in Ringwood, will be taking nothing for granted with only 18 points separating the sailors in second to 10th place with four races of their opening series still to contest.

The Lasers are scheduled to be back on the ocean on the Copacabana course today, when former Southampton University student Alison Young will also resume her charge to break into the top 10 as the Laser Radials head into the business end of the competition.

With almost British conditions welcoming the sailors on the courses outside the Guanabara Day on Wednesday, Thompson is hoping for more of the same.

He said: “I think conditions were very, very tough physically but we put in a lot of hard work with the fantastic support network behind us that gets us to those races in top shape. Equally we’ve always enjoyed sailing in those strong winds and as a nation Brits love the breeze so that’s probably part of it.”

The Laser class is scheduled to contest an 11 race series, with two races per day on 8, 9, 10, 12 and 13 August before the final one off medal race on Monday 15 August.