A broken mast ruined New Zealander Dan Slater's medal race in the 2009 Finn Gold Cup as he ended in 7th place.
Dane Jonas Hogh-Christensen of Denmark won the world title sailing in home waters.
Slater was disappointed with the way things went for him on the final day "Todaywas one I would rather forget," he said.
"After rounding the top mark in 5th or 6th place I took off down the run and gybed. I lost the mainsheet out of my hand and as the mast hit the water the top metre broke off, leaving me out of the race with a mast in two pieces."
He could only watch as the remainder of the race unfolded.
"I had to count my Did not Finish score which dropped me to 7th overall and I'm not exactly happy with it."
But Slater, who wants to sail in the 2012 Olympics in England, said questions he had after the last Olympics had been answered and he said he felt he could compete in all conditions in future.
"It's never going to be easy but it would be nice to have a New Zealander's name on the Gold Cup sometime soon - 60 years is a bit too long I think."
Meanwhile, New Zealanders Hamish Pepper and Craig Monk sailed to 9th place in the Star class European Championships which ended in Kiel, Germany, today.
The eight-race series was part of the annual Baltic Week regatta.
Brazilians Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada clinched the title in the fleet of 89 boats.
Pepper and Monk are New Zealand's new pairing in the Star class - Pepper the Star world champion in 2006, and Monk an Olympic bronze medallist in the Finn.
Since the start of their Olympic campaign this season the pair were 9th at Delta Lloyd Regatta in Germany, and won silver at Kiel Week last month.
