The fleet of 26 entries, representing 5 European countries competing in the Mumm30 European Championships at Royal Southern Yacht Club Hamble, though notably there were no Italian entrants.

The windward leeward course for Race 1 was set in the mouth of Southampton Water and perhaps with the knowledge of no discards being allowed in the 11 race programme the fleet got away cleanly.

First to the windward mark was Mike Budd sailing Gul Seven, a recent recruit to the fleet having successfully campaigned a Melges24, followed by regular Mumm30 campaigner Jimmy Pahun helming Region Ile de France and in 3rd John Grimson on board Media Network International. Downwind Pahun overtook Budd by gybing early a position he held to the finish. Budd finished 2nd however on the final run Grimson lost 3rd place whilst undertaking penalty turns allowing Robert Barr on Kanati to finish 3rd. The racing was tight throughout the fleet for Race 1 with only 4 minutes covering the first to last finisher.

Race 2 and the course was moved closer to the northern shore to eliminate some of the effects of the tide as the wind had dropped slightly from Race1. Taking a course up the middle of the windward leg first to arrive was Louis Browne’s Asterix followed by Vincent Barnes’s Cotes d’Armour and Diarmuid Foley in Mammy. Downwind the fleet split but by the leeward mark the positions remained the same. Back to the windward mark and the first 3 were pulling out on the rest of the fleet and the status quo remained to the finish. The fore runners from Race 1 did not feature in Race 2 with Jimmy Pahun no doubt cursing his resolute sole pursuit of the right hand side of the beat on the initial windward leg which was to put him near the back of the fleet.

Into Race 3 and for awhile it looked like the wind was dying further but as the race started it picked up. A new race and another new leader, Monkey Business helmed by David Wilkinson was the initial leader followed by Harald Bruning’s Topas and in 3rd Bite the Bullet helmed by Theoule Mandelieu. Bruning then took the lead and Mandelieu came up into 2nd with Wilkinson eventually finishing 3rd.

Provisional results (a number of protests underway)

1st Bite the Bullet, Theoule Mandelieu, 14pts

2ndMean Machine, Peter de Rdder, 18pts

3rd Mammy!, Diarmuid Foley, 19pts

4th Topas, Harald Bruning, 21pts

5thScud, Stichting Benodet, 22pts