As I write this, Gerard Basset MW, born French but UK resident, is competing in the last four in the very last stages of this year's World Sommelier Competition in Athens. If he fails to win (and last time he was stymied by a single drop of white burgundy that fell on the tablecloth instead of into a glass), he can console himself with his financial winnings from the recent sale of the Hotel du Vin group of (very usefully wine-minded) UK hotels to the Malmaison hotel group.
More later...
Tues 11.30pm London time: Enrico Bernardo representing Italy won.
Wed 4.30pm: Gerard Basset representing the UK was second.