New Zealand's Josh Junior has taken silver at the 2015 Finn European Championships which concluded with an exciting medal race in Split, Croatia.

Just two points separated NZL Sailing Team's Josh Junior and Croatian sailor Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic, with a gap back to third setting the scene for a dramatic final race battle between the two front runners.

Finn silver medallist Josh Junior at Split in Croatia. Picture: Robert Deaves.

The medal race finally got underway just before the deadline with a 10-knot breeze after light winds kept the top ten ashore until late in the day.

'Initially Junior had the upper hand,” says the official report, 'but then let the Croatian escape and when they came back together at the top, Gaspic had a very small lead that he capitalised on to cross in fourth to take the title.

'Junior finally crossed in eighth to take the silver.”

Split provided a range of conditions across the six day regatta, and Junior sailed with consistency throughout.

Three race wins and more top ten race finishes on his score-card over the opening five days put Junior in with a shout at the overall title, however three-time Finn European Champion Gaspic had the upper hand.

The result cements an excellent start to Junior's 2015 European campaign. Gaining valuable medal race experience, he placed seventh at 2015 Princess Sofia Regatta in March, then eighth at ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres in April.

From Wellington's Worser Bay Boating Club, Junior switched from the Laser class to the heavy-weight Finn during 2012, and one of his best previous results in the class was a fifth at the 2014 Finn World Championship.

Fellow kiwi Andrew Murdoch finished the regatta in 11th overall, narrowly missing out on the top ten and the medal race.

The Finn class will contest their 2015 World Championship – known as the Finn Gold Cup – in New Zealand later this year, with Takapuna Boating Club set to host the world's best in the Olympic heavy-weight dinghy class. The regatta runs from November 22-29.