The Rio 2016 Olympic Games runners-up won the first race of day three in Florida, then finished third to move onto a tally of 19 points.

They have climbed to the summit from fourth place overnight after showing their obvious class again.

The pairing are big hopes for Tokyo 2020 after winning three titles on the Olympic course last year – the 470 World Championships, the Olympic test event and the Japanese World Cup leg.

Belcher is hoping for a second Olympic gold this year after winning at London 2012 with Malcolm Page.

Sweden's Anton Dahlberg and Fredrik Bergström, the leaders after the first two days, have now dropped to second on 21 points.

The competition is crucial for North American countries who have not yet qualified for Tokyo 2020, as it is the last chance to book their Olympic place.

For home American sailors, the World Cup is also doubling as their Olympic selection event.

In the men's 470, Luke Ramsay and Hunter Lowden of Canada currently lead the way in the race for the North American spot, sitting in 23rd position.

"We were seeing 22 to 26 knots and it was really steep with choppy waves, which made it really hard to keep the boat rumbling all the time," said Ramsay. 

"All of the top guys in the top 20 are here, so it's a really good gauge to see where you're at. 

"We've been going well at times, but our losses seem to come in the really tricky spots."

France's Camille Lecointre and Aloise Retornaz continued their good start in the women's 470, claiming their fourth win of the regatta and then finishing fifth to end on nine points at the top.

The Tokyo 2020 test event champions are eight points in front of Poland's Agnieszka Skrzypulec and Jolanta Ogar.

In the North American race, only hosts US can qualify, with eighth-placed twin sisters Carmen and Emma Cowles currently their leading crew.

Home sailor Caleb Paine kept control of the men's finn class, as the Rio 2016 bronze medallist recorded a pair of second place finishes.

He ended on seven points and leads compatriot Luke Muller by eight as they both battle for the American Tokyo 2020 place.

With the United States having already earned their Olympic finn spot, Bermuda's Rockal Evans has taken charge in the North American race, moving into sixth and above Mexico's former leader Juan Perez Soltero.

In the men's laser, Argentina's Francisco Guaragna Rigonat now holds the lead on his own after finishing first and third for a tally of 11 points.

Spain's Joaquin Blanco was the co-leader, but has tumbled down to 11th after failing to start the second race following a fifth-place finish.

Rigonat has a five-point lead over Peru's Stefano Peschiera.

Trinidad and Tobago's Andrew Lewis sits fourth and still leads the way in the battle for the North American Olympic place.

American Erika Reineke ended second in both races to maintain her lead in the women's laser radial with 10 points, a gap of five over Vasileia Karachaliou of Greece.

With the US already qualified for Tokyo 2020, the North American charge continues to be led by Mexico's Elena Oetling who sits sixth.

A home sailor is also in charge in the men's RS:X, after Pedro Pascual's two thirds and a second saw him keep first place.

He leads by 10 from Mexico's Ignacio Berenguer, who is the front-runner for the North American place in Tokyo.

Mexico's Demita Vega de Lille also maintained her lead in the women's RS:X, ending on 20 points after coming second, fourth and fourth.

Her lead is two over American Farah Hall.

Canada are the only North American country in the fleet not to have yet qualified for Tokyo 2020, so only need Olivia Mew or Nikola Girke to finish the event to secure their place.

The event is the second World Cup of the season, with action continuing through to the medal races on Saturday (January 25).