Double Olympic Games medallist and former Ballard School pupil Emma Wilson won bronze for the British Sailing Team at the iQFOiL Games in Cadiz

Former Ballard School pupil Emma Wilson picked up a bronze medal at the latest round of the iQFOiL Games after a testing week in challenging conditions in Cadiz.

The Christchurch-born double Olympic medallist was one of a flurry of medals for the British Sailing Team in the build-up to the Princess Sofia Trophy regatta, the historic season opener.

The British usually flock to Spain for its clement weather, but Cadiz had other ideas, battering the competitors with strong winds, rain, and huge seas.

“It was an interesting week in Cadiz – we had some pretty extreme conditions which was really good to get some racing in,” said Wilson, who won the opening round of the iQFOiL Games last month.

“I definitely pushed myself and sometimes found the limit with a few big crashes, but it’s really cool to be learning this much.”

The world-class athlete got off to the perfect start, winning three of the first four races. Her only blemish was a second-place finish in the third race. However, as the weather worsened, victories proved harder for Wilson to come by.

Despite a black flag in the grand final, winner Tamar Steinberg refused to back down. The Israeli powerhouse overcame the five-second penalty rule to claim gold with calculating precision. Fellow Israeli Sharon Kantor and Wilson rounded out the podium, confirming their pedigree on the international stage.

The result comes as Wilson and the team gear up for the Princess Sofia Trophy when 1,700 sailors, coaches and support staff from 70 nations descend on Palma at the end of March.