Mascalzone Latino retains lead at Farr 40 Worlds

by KPMS on 18 Apr 2008 In a stark contrast to yesterday's 18-knot winds and lumpy seas, today's light-air conditions gave the international fleet competing in the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship a new challenge. With a total of six races completed so far in the 10-race series, Italian teams hold the top two spots -- Mascalzone Latino in first, with a three point lead, over Joe Fly in second.
Stepping into the tactician's role on Mascalzone Latino was John Kostecki, who assisted owner and helmsmen Vincenzo Onorato in putting together finishes of 14-3-5. The 2003 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year and winner of the 2001/02 Volvo Ocean Race as skipper onboard illbruck, Kostecki is one of the world's top sailors. An Olympic silver medalist (1988) and 10-time world champion in a range of one-design classes, he has also been involved in four America's Cup campaigns as tactician.

Two-time world champion Barking Mad (USA) climbed up from seventh place into third overall. 'The conditions are difficult to sail in,' said Barking Mad's owner Jim Richardson (Boston, Mass./Newport, R.I.) 'It was a decent day for us. We were over early in the first race and managed to get a few good breaks and ended up second, so that was a great start of the day.' In addition to Barking Mad, Groovederci 127 (USA), Twins (FRA), and Plenty (USA) were called over early and required to re-start.

Opus One (GER) led the fleet from start to finish and finished over three minutes ahead of second-placed Barking Mad. 'We didn't have a good day yesterday, so we came out knowing we had to do a good job to do for Wolfgang (Stolz, owner),' said Opus One's tactician Kelvin Harrap. 'We didn't have a good start, but we managed to get out to the left-hand side of the course and it was the way to go up that beat,' said 'I think Barking Mad came out with us after being over early. We had a bit of luck and got our nose out there. We had enough of a lead to sail our own race the entire time and managed to extend after that and lead all way. If you can get a little break out at the top mark your options are wide open. It's not always that easy.'

The second race of the day was a little less textbook for Opus One than the first, however the team now stands in seventh place overall. 'Tomorrow we have to go as well as we can,' said Harrap. 'We have not been starting well, and we need to get off the line to give us a chance. The boat is going well, we have good crew and Wolfgang is doing a great job, so it's up to me.'

The second race - the fifth in the series - was won by Nerone (ITA) co-owned by past world champions Massimo Mezzaroma and Antonio sodo Migliori. Mascalzone Latino led on the first lap but Henrik Jensen's Silver Bullet (DEN) slipped by and took the lead, followed by Nerone, Ramrod (USA) and Morning Glory (GER). Silver Bullet held onto the lead but was challenged on the last downwind leg by Nerone, which crossed the finish line inches ahead of the Danish boat.

In the final race of the day, Peter de Ridder's Mean Machine (MON) won followed by Joe Fly (ITA) and Asterisk (DEN). 'We did a good job in minimizing the damage,' said de Ridder of the race. 'At one stage in the race we were pretty deep, but we had a good (downwind) run and got into the first half of the results with a 14th.'

Tactician Ray Davies (New Zealand) explained the race strategy. 'The key for us today was to try and get clear air off the line and sail in decent water,' said the America's Cup sailor. 'We did that quite well in a couple of races and still managed to make a couple of mistakes and end up back in the pack. The team we have with us is fantastic. We fought and had some good recoveries.'

De Ridder gave credit to his team, especially Davies with whom he has sailed since Mean Machine won the 1990 Admiral's Cup. 'He'll stay forever,' he said. 'He's a team leader, a good guy and a good tactician as well.'

Tomorrow's forecast for less wind doesn't seem to bother the seasoned helmsmen such as de Ridder. 'If we have good starts and the breeze settles, I think we have pretty good boat speed,' he said. 'We're one of the quickest boats around and if we can utilize our tools we'll be fine, but better is always looming around the corner.'

Second overall is Giovanni Maspero's Joe Fly, which counts among its talented crew tactician Francesco Bruni. 'We are very pleased, very happy, it's been a great day,' said Bruni. 'We started with a 15th. We didn't have a good start, but we had fantastic speed upwind. The guys are doing a great job keeping the boat fast.'

For Bruni, who is one of Italy's most talented, competing in the Olympic class Star and the America's Cup, the tactician's role has a bit of pressure on it. 'A little bit,' clarified Bruni. 'At the beginning we want results in the top 10. Today, with results in the top five, that is a dream. We never thought it was possible. Results in the top three? Oh my god. For sure it's not going to be easy. We have Barking Mad behind and other people who are usually at the top on the score list.' Joe Fly came second in the final race to hold its second place overall.

America's Cup champion Ernesto Bertarelli and his Alinghi slipped from third and finished the day in fifth overall.

Racing continues tomorrow, Friday, April 18 at the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship (April 16-19) on the Atlantic Ocean south of Government Cut. The Regatta Village is based at Miami Beach Marina, in Miami Beach, Florida. For more information about the 2008 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, including the full list of entries and crew, racing commentary results, and photos go to the official event website www.farr40worlds.com.

Rolex is the title sponsor of the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship and also a race day sponsor with Slam and Casa de Campo Marina. Supporting sponsors include Mad Fish Wines, Southern Spars and Harken; supply sponsors include North Sails and EdgeWater Boats; and official hotels are South Seas Hotel and Avalon Hotel.

The Rolex Farr 40 World Championship joins other prestigious Rolex-sponsored yachting events including the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Rolex Swan Cup, Giraglia Rolex Cup, Rolex Middle Sea Race, Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, New York Yacht Club's Race Week presented by Rolex and the Rolex Big Boat Series.

Rolex Farr 40 World Championship - 2008

Preliminary Results - Top 10 of 33
Three races held, April 17, 2008 (6 races completed in 10-race series)

2008 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship Results

Place #   Other #   Boat Name Owner R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 R 5 R 6 R 7 R 8 R 9 R 10 Total 1 18   ITA 1   MASCALZONE LATINO Vincenzo Onorato 3 12 1 14 3 5 6 3     47 2 09   ITA 1805   JOE FLY Giovanni Maspero 9 1 8 15 6 2 5 2     48 3 81   SUI 81818   ALINGHI Ernesto Bertarelli 8 14 6 6 7 20 9 4 scp     74 4 15   USA 50955   BARKING MAD Jim Richardson 23 5 3 2 16 6 2 24     81 5 30   MON 40   MEAN MACHINE Peter de Ridder 24 3 9 9 14 1 14 9     83 6 24   DEN 7   NANOQ HRH Crown Prince Frederik 13 15 16 20 17 9 4 13 scp     107 7 03   USA 46999   RAMROD Rod Jabin 22 8 17 3 10 21 10 19 scp     110 8 69   USA 69   WARPATH Fred & Steve Howe 12 13 14 24 11 8 18 11     111 9 40   ITA 40102   CALVI NETWORK Carlo Alberini 6 9 12 33 26 14 7 7     114 10 98   GRE 40   ATALANTI Stratis Andreadis 5 2 25 7 24 11 15 26 scp     115 11 16   GER 5565   OPUS ONE Wolfgang Stolz 15 16 21 1 5 23 22 15     118 12 65   AUS 615   ESTATE MASTER Lisa & Martin Hill 31 18 30 4 18 13 1 6     121 13 83   AUS 8883   KOKOMO Lang Walker 20 7 20 12 15 7 17 26     124 14 72   ITA 1972   NERONE Massimo Mezzaroma 19 19 2 29 1 25 13 21 scp     129 15 42   DEN 112   SILVER BULLET Henrik Jansen 17 29 32 22 2 10 11 8     131 16 04   USA 50001   FLASH GORDON Helmut Jahn 14 23 31 10 30 16 3 4     131 17 57   USA 46957   GROOVEDERCI 57 Deneen Demourkas 11 6 5 16 29 24 21 20     132 18 02   USA 2   GOOMBAY SMASH William Douglass 25 25 15 8 20 22 16 5     136 19 26   GER 40126   MORNING GLORY Hasso Plattner 29 20 13 18 4 29 8 16 scp     137 20 22   ITA 252   FIAMMA Alessandro Bamaba 4 17 28 5 31 12 25 22     144 21 99   JPN 5095   SLED Takashi Okura 2 10 18 11 25 31 23 28 scp     148 22 36   GBR 1640R   ASTERISK Ole van der Heide 10 31 11 30 22 3 20 22 scp     149 23 27   USA 7289   GROOVEDERCI 127 John Demourkas 28 4 19 17 8 26 27 20 scp     149 24 59   USA 60059   PLENTY Alexander Roepers 21 11 4 27 28 17 12 31 scp     151 25 07   FRA 007   TWINS Erik Maris 27 26 7 25 19 4 34 zfp 12     154 26 33   USA 50092   HEARTBREAKER Robert Hughes 1 21 22 13 27 27 19 32 scp     162 27 35   USA 4040   INFINITY John Thomson 7 24 23 31 13 19 28 34 zfp     179 28 20   AUS 5077   HOOLIGAN Marcus Blackmore 18 22 10 28 23 33 30 21 scp     185 29 32   ITA 1161   CANNONBALL Dario Ferrari 32 32 26 19 9 18 32 21     189 30 23   BRA 2283   DSK COMIFIN Danilo Salsi 16 34 dsq 29 23 12 32 24 34 zfp     204 31 05   GER 5055   STRUNTJE LIGHT Wolfgang Schaefer 26 27 24 32 33 15 26 30     213 32 29   DEN 2900   BACKBONE Thomas Kiaer 30 28 27 26 21 28 29 30 scp     219 33 90   USA 51990   NIMBUS BLUE Hunt Lawrence/USMMA 33 30 34 dnc 21 32 30 31 31     242