With a different winner in every race and over half the fleet scoring a top five position, competition in the Hunter 707 fleet for the first Royal Southern regatta of year was as hot as the sun that shone all weekend.

In this no discard event, in tricky conditions it was the crew of Charlie Fish who finished as overall winners. The Sweeney was second, only two points clear of Sword and the Anthill Mob, though it was Sword with their win in the first race who took third overall.

Race one – saw the fleet watch Sword hit the left corner, find breeze and lead to the finish despite pressure from the boats behind.

Race two – it was Committee boat end for prime spot and a race for clear air up a heavily biased beat. Sword led until the second beat where the right side of the course paid heavily and The Sweeney and Giraffe got through to first and second which they held until the finish. The battle for third was won by Charlie Fish who recovered from being over the line at the start to choose the favoured pin end of the finish to pip Sword to the line.

Race three – the fleet split to bang the left and right corners. Those hitting left hardest and overlaying the mark benefited from much less tide, and it was Charlie Fish first round the mark. At a shortened finish, Charlie Fish retained their lead finishing in front of Giraffe in second, the Anthill Mob third and Cezanne fourth.

Race four – after a general recall, it was Sword who again got the first leg right by staying in the stronger breeze on the left. They rounded first followed by Beaver Hunter and the Anthill Mob. Sailing fast and low down the run Beaver Hunter got through Sword, to take the lead.

With the Anthill mob up to second, Sword were defending third from Doh! And Double Trouble, but they pulled away again on the next beat. At the windward mark it was Beaver Hunter, the Anthill Mob and Sword.

Downwind, by staying in the breeze Doh! moved up to third behind Beaver Hunter and Sword, positions they held until the finish. Double Trouble having found the accelerator blazed a trail up the last beat to finish fourth in front of the Anthill Mob.