Sail-World.com : Perini increases his world championship chances
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Perini increases his world championship chances |
Richard Perini (Evolution) did not win race seven of the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds sailed off Sydney Heads this afternoon, but in finishing ninth, has increased his one point series overall lead of yesterday by a further seven points.
Whilst another Australian, John Calvert-Jones, sailing Southern Star, won the race, Perini’s major rival going into today, Marco Rodolfi’s TWT (ITA), only managed a 16th place, leaving him eight points behind Evolution’s 43 score card.
In a shifty 10 knot south-south-easterly breeze on relatively flat seas, today’s winner of Race 7, Southern Star, with Grant Simmer calling tactics, chugged right off the start line to round the first windward mark in first place – and there she stayed for the entire race.
Erik Maris’s Twins 2 (FRA) finished second with Mascalzone Latino (Vincenzo Onorato, ITA) third, followed by Neville Crichton’s Team Shockwave (AUS). Crichton’s consistency has paid off, he now joins TWT on the same overall score in second place.
Massimo Mezzaroma and Antonio Sodo Migliori sailing Nerone(ITA), finished behind Team Shockwave in a good international mix of results.
Perini’s day started well as NZ tactician, Hamish Pepper, positioned Evolution closer to the boat end of the line and went right, to round the first mark in 11th place.
Throughout the race, the crew on Evolution progressively sailed their way into ninth place – good enough in what has been a very mixed regatta – but no surprises there considering the pedigree of competitors.
TWT’s day did not go so well. From a start from the left of the course, the crew then opted to sail up the middle and in doing so, got caught between the devil and the deep blue sea and sailed a little too conservatively to finish well down the fleet.
No joy either for defending champion Jim Richardson (Barking Mad). The American looked good in seventh place at one stage of the race, but dropped back to finish 12th overall, any chances of a successful defence rapidly diminishing.
Prince Frederik of Denmark (Nanoq)though, had his best race so far, finishing eighth. At one stage the Prince was in third place, but in shifting winds (the race committee made changes to the course a couple of times), was overtaken. No deference to his title at these championships!
However, there were no chances for even a quick celebration for anyone after the race, as Race Officials for the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia hosted event charged straight into another start sequence to catch up the schedule.
Organisers are hopeful of staging one further; race nine, to make up the full nine-race championship series.
Unofficial provisional overall:
1. Richard Perini, Evolution 43pts
2. Marco Rodolfi, TWT 51
3. Neville Crichton, Team Shockwave 51
4. John Calvert-Jones, Southern Star 57
5. Vincenzo Onorato, Mascalzone Latino 59
Updates will brought to you as they are made available.
by Di Pearson
2:17 AM Fri 4 Mar 2005 GMT
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2005 Rolex Farr 40 World Championships
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