THE Contessa 32 and 26 classes returned to their Lymington roots for the national championships.

Both classes were built by Jeremy Rogers at his yard in the Hampshire town, with 13 CO32s and eight 26s coming to the start line for race one on Friday afternoon.

Racing was close, with the lead changing several times in both fleets, but Ray Rouse and the crew of Blanco were first to finish in the 32 fleet, with Jiminy Cricket taking the 26 class honours under skipper Mike Harrison.

In better conditions on Saturday, Eldred Himsworth’s Drumbeat (32) claimed the spoils in race two, with Blanco winning both the third and fourth races.

Jiminy Cricket again prevailed in the 26 fleet, while Oli Pettifer’s Rooie Rakker took the second race.

In gusts of 30 knots on Sunday, the downwind leg was a white knuckle ride for both fleets and Blanco, having already secured the 32 class win, finished a conservative race in fifth place.

In the 26 fleet, Jiminy Cricket sealed the overall class honours by winning the only race of the day in tricky conditions.