The 30-year-old who has targeted a podium finish at next month's showdown in China, captured the Laser European Championship title in Nieuwpoort last Saturday.

It's the fourth straight European crown for the Rotherham-based Skandia Team GBR sailor, and a timely boost before he heads to the Olympic sailing venue in Qingdao next week.

Apart from a race result of 26th after a capsize in the seventh race of the series, Goodison posted an otherwise consistent set of results amid a week of shifty and variable wind conditions at the Belgian venue. He finished as the top European sailor, but was second overall in the international fleet behind Australia's two-time world champion Tom Slingsby.

With racing cancelled on the final day due to strong winds, Goodison was disappointed to not have had the chance to get the better of his Aussie rival in the overall regatta standings, but was otherwise delighted with his result.

"I was a bit gutted that we didn't sail as I still had the chance to catch Tom. We'd been in different groups all week, so we only raced against each other for the first time in the gold fleet on the Friday but I'm really happy to have done so well," he said.

Goodison, who finished fourth in Athens four years ago, heads to China unbeaten on the Olympic racetrack after winning both Test events at Qingdao in 2006 and 2007.

"I feel I've been sailing well all week so it's great to have got the result in the last event before China," he added.

Goodison's Olympic racing for the Laser and Laser Radial classes get underway on Tuesday, August 12.