HAMPSHIRE sailor Richard Mason has emerged victorious from the first event of the 2017 Extreme Sailing Series.

Mason, from Lymington, was drafted into Danish crew SAP Extreme Sailing Team this season as part of an overhaul that also includes America's Cup sailor Adam Minoprio.

The 29-year-old and his team dominated throughout the four-day season opener in Muscat, Oman, and went into the final day'd racing assured of a podium finish.

Despite challenges from 2016 series winners Alinghi and fellow Hampshire sailor Pete Greenhalgh's Oman Air, SAP were able to hang on to the top spot as racing came to a close on Sunday.

The win puts SAP Extreme Sailing Team at the top of the overall rankings with seven more events to sail.

It is the first stage win for SAP Extreme Sailing Team since May 2015 when they took the top spot in Qingdao, China.

"It was a great day and a fantastic achievement for the team," SAP co-skipper Rasmus Køstner said. "We knew we were in the lead going into the last race and we really wanted to win the Act.

"It was full-on racing and we had to fight until the last race but it was fantastic to cross the finish line winning the regatta. It's been a little while since we've won but it's nice to be back on the top of the leaderboard."

Greenhalgh's Oman Air finished in third place behind Alinghi, while Land Rover BAR Academy, the Hampshire-based youth wing of Sir Ben Ainslie's America's Cup team, came home in eighth.

The next round of racing will take place in Qingdao from April 28 to May 1.