Istanbul, Turkey. 15th October 2011. Day three of the UNO Farr 40 European Championship provided everything that a great day’s racing should: three exhilarating races in up to 20 knots of wind, numerous lead changes, reversals of fortune from one race to the next, photo finishes and a complete reshuffle at the top of the overall classification.
Jim Richardson’s Barking Mad (USA) managed to inch into overall pole position with a 2,2,3 scoreline today bumping Alberto Rossi’s Enfant Terrible (ITA) into second place, just one point behind. Wolfgang Schaefer’s Struntje Light (GER) has moved back to third place just one point clear of current class World Champion Transfusion (AUS), owned by Guido Belgiorno Nettis, in fourth. The eight-strong fleet therefore heads into tomorrow’s final day of racing with a maximum of two races left to complete the series and only five points separating the top four boats.
Hamish Pepper, tactician on Barking Mad explained how good sailing and good luck combined to move his team from third to first overall: “It was an extremely good day for us, we had three solid races and the others managed to have a bad day and we were able to gain points on the leader so we’re happy. The team sailed very well today and things went our way, we got some good shifts and luck was on our side when we needed it: today was our day.”
With such a tight spread at the top of the leaderboard he is wary, however, of making any predictions for tomorrow: “There are eight good boats here and any one of them is capable of winning races so it is tough to think about the end result before we get out there and race two races. Anything can happen and we’ll just try and sail as well as we possibly can in the first race and see how the points lie after that.”
Alberto Rossi, owner of Enfant Terrible experienced firsthand how easy it is to lose ground in this highly competitive fleet: “We didn’t have a great day, we went from being first in the classification with a good lead to being second by one point. Barking Mad really had a great day. The conditions were challenging and complicated and on top of that we had some problems with our instruments which didn’t help much. So a series of mistakes led to our slipping back today. We are all very close in the classification however so everything will be decided tomorrow.”
The first race of the day, a six leg windward-leeward, saw Alessandro Barnaba’s Fiamma (ITA) lead round the first windward mark ahead of Transfusion and Struntje Light. By the second windward mark the Italians, with Lorenzo Bressani on tactics, had extended their lead while Struntje Light had moved up to second ahead of Transfusion. It was nail bitingly close at the end of a very fast final downwind leg but Struntje Light, with Cameron Appleton calling tactics, just managed to steal across the finish line seconds ahead of Barking Mad and Fiamma.
Race 7 of the series was no less exciting with a battle for first place between Transfusion and Barking Mad while Enfant Terrible and Struntje Light fought it out for third. In the end Transfusion managed to get past the American boat and take victory while Struntje Light crossed the line in third place just centimetres ahead of Enfant Terrible in a photo finish.
The final race of the day, a four leg windward leeward, belonged to Hasip Gencer’s Asterisk UNO (TUR), which lead throughout. Enfant Terrible was in second place at the windward mark but was unable to hold her position leaving another local team, Provezza 8 (TUR) owned by Ergin Imre and Levent Peynirci, to take second place ahead of Barking Mad.
Racing will start tomorrow, Sunday 16th October, at 12 midday. Similar conditions to today, with 15 to 20 knots of north easterly wind, are forecast. The final prize giving for the UNO Farr 40 European Championship and the Farr 40 European Circuit will take place tomorrow at 6 p.m.
For further information, Notice of Race, full programme etc. please visit http://www.farr40.org , http://www.farr40.net or http://www.turkfarr40.com.
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PROVISIONAL OVERALL RESULTS at 15th October 2011
Place. Boat – Owner (Nation) R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8: Total
1. Barking Mad – Jim Richardson (USA) 3, 3, 3, 7, 3, 2, 2, 3: 26
2. Enfant Terrible – Alberto Rossi (ITA) 2, 4, 1, 2, 2, 7, 4, 5: 27
3. Struntje Light – Wolfgang Schaefer (GER) 1, 5, 6, 1, 5, 1, 3, 8: 30
4. Transfusion – Guido Belgiorno-Nettis (AUS) 4, 1, 2, 8, 7, 4, 1, 4: 31
5. Fiamma – Alessandro Barnaba (ITA) 5, 2, 4, 6, 6, 3, 5, 7: 38
6. Asterisk UNO – Hasip Gencer (TUR) 7, 7, 8, 3, 1, 8, 6, 1: 41
7. Charisma – Nico Poons (MON) 6, 8, 5, 4, 4, 5, 7, 6: 45
8. Provezza 8 – Ergin Imre/Levent Peynirci (TUR) 8, 6, 7, 5, 9, 6, 8, 2: 51
Contacts:
Jill Campbell
Press OfficeFarr 40 European Championship
Tel. +39 340 167 4755
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Farr 40 One Design Class Association
Tel: + 1 410 268 1001
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