Evolution wins Farr 40 World’s on a count back

by Rob Kothe on 4 Mar 2005 In the final race in the 2005 Rolex Farr 40 World titles of Sydney Heads today, Richard Perini and his Evolution crew almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

Evolution had been considered the form boat a week before the World titles after winning the Australian Farr 40 series with some ease. However, her Pre-World series was a disaster and she finished 25th in the 28 boat fleet.

Going into the final race Perini the Mumm 30 World Champion and Australian Farr 40 World Champion, and his Evolution team had a 12 point advantage over Neville Crichton's Team Shockwave.

A comfortable margin perhaps, but discomfort began to set in for the Evolution crew.

The course was set at 140, 1.8 mile legs, two windward leeward laps, with the wind speed at ten knots.

Tactician Hamish Pepper, the Kiwi America's cup sailor, positioned Evolution for another fast pin end start. She was away on the gun and waited for a shift, well after the boats above her peeled right. Evolution crossed right across the course and it soon became apparent that she had missed some of the better air on the right side.

Jim Richardson's Barking Mad came into the top mark from the right, ten lengths clear of David Gotze's Brighton Star ahead of Hasso Plattner’s Morning Glory, Joe Fly, then Team Shockwave. Evolution was mid fleet, seven places back.

Down the first run, Barking Mad still led but the wind was going left and easing. A course change to 130 was signalled.

Barking Mad was still leading from Brighton Star, with Team Shockwave sixth, still moving with some speed. Evolution was buried in a cloud of limp spinnakers well back in 14th position.

At the top mark for the second time there was a further course change, as the breeze went another 15 degrees left to 115.

Barking Mad still lead with Joe Fly was second. Team Shockwave had sailed to the unfavoured side of the course again, losing places and Evolution followed.

There was only the last 1.8-mile run left for the Evolution crew, but the breeze was dying.

Barking Mad, the 2004 Farr 40 World Champion was first across the line finishing the 2005 series on a high but surrendering the title. Second was Brighton Star, then Joe Fly, followed by Morning Glory, Norwegian Steam, TWT and Ichi Ban. Team Shockwave had lost ground and finished ninth.

Team Shockwave went into the last race 12 points adrift of Evolution and needed Evolution to finish an unlikely 22nd to take the title from her Australian rival. She played the tactical game well, but had it worked?
Boats kept finishing. Crown Prince Frederik finished in 16th position, with Nanoq gybing almost below the line, causing the spectator fleet to scatter. The French Twins were 19th, then Southern Star crossed in 20th. Evolution on the left was coming at the line, but so was the blue-hulled Panther on the right, with Venom bearing down too.

Defeat or victory? Richard Perini and his crew had saved their worst race until last.

Evolution crossed the line in 21st spot, just a little more than 15 seconds ahead of Panther.

The final scores - Team Shockwave 66 and Evolution 66.

Evolution won the coveted title on a count back from Team Shockwave, with TWT third.

Dockside Neville Crichton was the first owner to congratulate Perini.

A beaming Richard Perini, said the worst part of the regatta was the second half of the race.

Tactician Hamish Pepper had taken Evolution out on the same side as Team Shockwave and that had hurt their fleet position. With 500 metres to go, Darren Jones, Twirler announced to the crew, they were two places behind.

In a do or die effort, they passed two boats and thought that had the titles.

The tension continued until 10 minutes after the finish, when they received confirmation of their overall victory.