DESPITE weather warnings in the aftermath of the Weymouth storms, a record 32 competitors competed in the 1999 Gloag's Gin Hunter 707 Southern Area Championship held at Cowes last week.

Though the gales never materialised in the Solent, a brief Force 6 swept in for a short time between the first two races to spice up the conditions. No one competitor dominated the series after the first three races and at least five boats were in contention for the Gloag's Gin trophy after the first day's racing. A stiff breeze in Race was won by Humdinger helmed by Cesare Rotta who was fifth overall. The eventual winner of the Championship - Nick Roberts' Three Little Pigs only managed 10th in the first race.

The newest recruit to the Class was Cowes-based veteran racer Peter Dickson in his just launched Star-Born 3, who achieved a credible eighth and a ninth in the first testing day of W-L courses.

On the Sunday, Solent type courses were set, the first of which was changed during the race by a 60 wind shift as an unforecast sea breeze kicked in from the south west. The second race was started on the Ryde Middle Bank and provided an interesting test of reading the tides on the Island side of the Solent where the Class normally only races during Skandia Life Cowes Week.

Both these Solent races were won by Three Little Pigs, which put her three points ahead of Crackerjack overall.

Spike's commendable second and third place pushed Kim Vasey up to 3rd place overall in the Championship stakes. Papagayo secured a second in the final race.

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