25 January 2016

Event: Australian Farr 40 NSW title results and National Championship: John Calvert-Jones on January 29-31, 2016 hosted by Middle Harbour Yacht Club

Farr 40 NSW title honours to Transfusion, next stop the nationals

Guido Belgiorno-Nettis’ Transfusion was the ultimate NSW Farr 40 NSW State Title winner, but didn’t have it all their own way on day two.
After 18 months away from the Farr 40 circuit for health reasons, Kokomo’s owner/driver Lang Walker stood up to Saturday’s 25 knot gusts and light and inconsistent SSE winds on Sunday January 24, 2016, with aplomb.

The Sydney property developer and his reunified team showed flashes of the old brilliance that delivered them four national titles back in the late 2000s. Two bullets and a fifth added up to ‘boat of the day’ and second overall on the NSW title scoresheet, four points from the victor.
“After two years out of the class and a couple of hip replacements, I’m pretty happy with second,” Walker admitted. “This first weekend really threw a big curve ball at us; yesterday with plenty of breeze and the shifts that really tested the hip, then fluky today. We are looking forward to the nationals and another worlds in Sydney, and giving it our best shot.”

On the new relationship with tactician David Chapman he says it’s working well, they just need to make the most of the precious days left before this weekend’s Australian championship and the big one, the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship out of Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron starting February 16.
Chapman was the winning tactician at last year’s Australian championship on Voodoo Chile, which is not campaigning. This time around it will be the young bull versus old bull when he goes up against one of the class’ maestros in American John Kostecki, a valuable Transfusion addition for the key titles including the Australian series and world champs.

Transfusion has proven unbeatable this season, top scoring at three from three summer regattas and adding yet another state title trophy to a bulging collection having posted an unblemished first day results. Belgiorno-Nettis’ team won the 2011 Rolex worlds in Sydney and he’s well aware of the opportunity to repeat their success when the local fleet takes on the internationals shipped out from the US.

“The weekend was a great opportunity to bring the crew together and get the mechanics working, the crew gelled nicely,” Belgiorno-Nettis said. “It was very tricky on Sunday, I don’t think it was the day to prove one’s skills, the conditions were too fickle.”

“The way the boats were trading places, clearly there is a lot of talent among the fleet. We are now focusing our minds on preparing for the worlds and most importantly enjoying the sailing, as we always do.”

Third and first Corinthian Farr 40 was Rod Jones’ Kindergarten. “We are eight races down with 20 to go over the next three weeks or so, and then we are playing the Farr 40 World Championship game from February 16,” said Jones, the Australian class President.

“It’s nice to come away from NSW championship with a third overall and first Corinthian, but we know as a team we have a hell of a lot of work to do improving processes and taking ownership of our roles to make gains on the top Australian team, Transfusion. But that's the game, and the fun!”

Middle Harbour Yacht Club PRO Phil Yeomans was commended by the owners for a great job over the weekend series under trying conditions.
The class reconvenes this Friday, January 29, at MHYC for the 2015/16 season’s Farr 40 National Championships: John Calvert-Jones Trophy. Up to four races have been scheduled daily from Friday to Sunday 31, 2016 on Sydney Harbour.