Mumm 30 European Championships - Day 2

Light winds in France - again by Sian Cowen

Frappe time in St Raphael, as the second day of the Mumm 30 Europeans was postponed in hot sunshine and light air. The fleet finally got away for the first start at 1pm, in a south-easterly breeze that never got into double figures.
The light air skills of the Mediterranean teams came to the fore, with the Italians again having a good day. In the first two races Malinda Invicta, with Antonio Sodo Migliori at the helm and multiple one design world champion Vasco Vascotto calling tactics, scored double bullets. The French had a better day, with Belvedere Cassis EDC scoring a second behind Vascotto in the first race. This boat won the amateur division of the Tour Voile. Next came the boat that won the pro division of the Tour Voile in the hands of Ado Stead and his team, now sailed by its new owner and called Maga Joanna, helmed by Paolo Parente.

In the third race, the Italians had a blinder, with eight boats in the top ten. After Malinda Invicta came Slam Alina with Luca Valerio helming and Spanish 470 gold medallist Jordi Calafat calling tactics, then Seven, steered by Alberto Signorini from Naples with another former 470 world champion Tommaso Chieffi calling tactics. A French boat appeared on the radar in fifth, Saint Raphael Var (class winner of 2000 Key West Race Week), but steered by Marc Pirinoli, Italian Olympic representative for Italy in 1996 with the Tornado - so still pretty Italian! The Brits need some breeze!!