The flying Hedgehog

Ian Southworth defends his J/24 European title but Brazil's Dan Glomb takes open title in Neustadt

The J/24 MAN Roland European Championship concluded in Neustadt on the Baltic coast of Germany with a single race sailed in 9-12 knots, with an overcast sky and drizzling rain.

Ian Southworth, current European Champion, was faced with a 10 point strategy problem - attack series leader, Dan Glomb of Brazil and try to engineer a protest or attack and try to get him take a 20% penalty then regain the lead. In any circumstance, Southworth needed to win with Glomb scoring 12th or lower.

The race officer delayed the start to allow the wind to settle, then promptly changed the series leader calculations by going straight to a black flag start. Southworth chose to start at the port end with Glomb heading to starboard.

At the gun Southworth nailed the line and drove hard towards incoming presure. Glomb was caught by the shift and fell back into the fleet. Southworth, sailing Inmarsat Hedgehog, was first to the weather mark chased by Stefan Karsunke in Max Bahr. Glomb rounded ninth and down the run initially fell back.

Said Glomb:"We really felt under pressure. We were back in the fleet with the risk of slipping below 12th."

For Southworth it was a different consideration: "We couldn't affect Dan (Glomb) and we just decided to enoy the race. Our goal was to extend the lead and test the boat upwind and down. Hedgehog was flying".

Southworth completed the course with a lead of 1 minute 29 from the second boat and almost two minutes from Dan Glomb.

Glomb has won the Man Roland Open series title and Ian southworth is the 2007 J/24 European Champion. He took the title for an unprecendented third year in succession and fourth time in J/24 history. Southworth scored five first and two seconds with Glomb getting two firsts and five seconds.

Third place went Pasquale Mario Di Fraia of Italy, with Gareth Robison of Britain fourth and Greg Wilcox of MAN Roland Rotoman placed fifth overall.

Ian Southworth sailed Hedgehog, a 1987 Rogers boat, restored by David Heritage Yachts of Cowes, with Ullman sails designed by Max Skelley of the Maryland USA loft on a Sparloft New Zealand rig. Dan Glomb used a new Italia J/Boats hull with North San Diego sails and Sparloft rig.

Southworth's crew were: Andrew McLelland (Cockpit), Mike Kyte( Spinnaker), Chris McLaughlin (Tactics) and Mark Hayman (Bow).

Dan Glomb's crew were: Alexandre Mueller(Cockpit), Alexandre Parededes (TactIcs), Alfredo Rovere (Pitman) and Pedro Caldos (Bow)

Final results: