Sail-World.com : TWT’s time to shine at the Farr 40 Worlds
|
TWT’s time to shine at the Farr 40 Worlds |
Marco Rodolfi’s TWT (ITA) won races four and five of the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds in light weather racing conditions to take the lead from Richard Perini’s Evolution (AUS) in the championship late on Day 3.
Tactician Tiziano Nava on TWT proved that he was king of the shifts, taking the series lead with two wins.
This morning, in heavy overcast conditions, Race Director, Peter Reggio, sent the 28-boat fleet south on a 6.8 mile two-lap windward leeward race.
On the fire of the gun, Paul Cayard started Steve Howe’s Warpath on the pin, along with Alessandro Barnaba’s Fiamma (ITA), Mascalzone Latino (Vincenzo Onorato, ITA), Ichi Ban (Matt Allen, AUS) and Lang Walker’s Kokomo (AUS).
Calling the shots on Mascalzone, Adrian Stead tried to take his charge right after start, but was blocked by the starboard stream, having to tack left again after crossing only two boats.
The only boat adjudged over early was Barking Mad (USA), probably costing owner Jim Richardson any chance of defending his title.
Emotional Hooligan (AUS) appeared just below mid line, advancing well (owner Marcus Blackmore’s elbow now sufficiently fixed to allow him to drive again), tacked right on a shift one third of the way up the leg and crossed much of the fleet.
Over on the right, TWT was well advanced with David Gotze’s Brighton Star (AUS), Brett Neills’ Venom (NZL) and Neville Crichton’s Team Shockwave (AUS).
At the first mark, TWT had a 20 second lead over Brighton Star, with Emotional Hooligan third ahead of Venom and Team Shockwave.
Crown Prince Frederick's Nanoq (DEN) was sixth, Nerone (Massimo Mezzaroma and Antonio Sodo Migliori, ITA) eighth, Ichi Ban next, then came Mascalzone Latino, Warpath and Evolution.
Having struggled down the unfavoured left hand side of the course, Barking Mad was stone motherless last.
The breeze dropped down to less than eight knots on the run and TWT extended her lead to almost a minute, from Brighton Star, Venom, Emotional Hooligan, Team Shockwave, Warpath and Hasso Plattner’s Morning Glory (GER).
Evolution was back in 14th, her overnight championship lead under threat, with Ichi Ban in 18th place.
At the end of the second beat, TWT had again extended her lead to 1min 40secs from Brighton Star, Team Shockwave. Venom, coming in from the port layline, slid in ahead of Nerone and Emotional Hooligan.
TWT heard her first gun of the series, so far ahead of the other boats, they were almost eating pasta by the time the next boat, Brighton Star, have her best race to-date, crossed the line ahead of Team Shockwave, Nerone, Venom, Emotional Hooligan, Mascalzone Latino, Morning Glory and Warpath.
Race 5, sailed on a 1.6nm leg course, started in 7 knots. After a general recall, Evolution was just above the pin with Panther (Steve O’Rourke, AUS) and Nanoq.
Team Shockwave had clear air, five boats up from the pin, whilst TWT was in the second row, gulping gas, but managing to find a clear track to port. Barking Mad, in a similar situation, tried to follow but was kicked back left.
Evolution tacked right onto a lifting shift, crossed a number of boats. Team Shockwave had a similarly good crossing.
As the fleet approached the top mark for the first time, a 15-degree wind shift round to 150 played havoc. The clearing mark below the top mark was on the starboard layline.
Giovanni Maspero’s Joe Fly (ITA) came in from starboard, with Warpath, Team Shockwave, TWT and Evolution.
Team Shockwave could not quite lay and she had to go around, compounding her problems, as boats on the inside were heavily gassed by boats coming round the outside.
Evolution, Ichi Ban Brighton Star, Nerone and Mascalzone passed Crichton’s boat, a loss of seven places in 70 metres!
On the second beat, Joe Fly crossed ahead of TWT, 300 metres short of the top mark, and then another big shift delivered the lead to TWT ahead of Joe Fly and Warpath
By the time the next group of boats arrived, the breeze had shifted another 5 degrees left and boats were having to lay the clearing mark, rather than the top mark.
Ichi Ban came next ahead of Barking Mad, Mascalzone, with Evolution ahead of Nerone. Morning Glory pinched to make the clearing mark, going around just ahead of Brighton Star which had closed wider, making up three boat lengths, then came Team Shockwave.
TWT sailed north on starboard gybe, while Joe Fly and Warpath gybed early, looking for more pressure on the coast.
The bulk of the fleet followed TWT, Ichi Ban and Barking Mad as they led the pack, continuing down the seaward side of the course. The first to gybe was Barking Mad, followed some five minutes later by Ichi Ban.
Finding more pressure, Barking Mad gained over Ichi Ban. TWT finished ahead of Joe Fly, Warpath, Barking Mad, Ichi Ban and Evolution. Next came Nerone, Mascalzone Latino and Morning Glory. Team Shockwave, which had looked so good early in the race, faded to finish a disappointing 15th.
After that race, the race committee hoisted the AP; racing delayed for some time, but finally got underway very late afternoon.
After the five races sailed, TWT leads the series from Evolution and Morning Glory.
Tiaziano Navo, TWT tactician talked about the first race.
‘We checked the right hand side of the course before the start and found 170’s, when the line was at 190, so we went right from the start believing we would see it again.
Most of the fleet went left, so we just keep going until we found the shift and that was the story of that race.'
We will bring you an update as soon as Race 6 results are known.
www.sail-world.com www.tetra-media.com
by Rob Kothe/Di Pearson
6:57 AM Thu 3 Mar 2005 GMT
Click here for printer friendly version
Click here to send us feedback or comments about this story.
If you want to send this story to a friend, please use link below
http://www.sail-world.com/USA/TWTs-time-to-shine-at-the-Farr-40-Worlds/16592
Click for further information on
2005 Rolex Farr 40 World Championships
Related News Stories:
MORE STORIES ...
|
| |
