Rolex Farr 40 Pre-Worlds at Yacht Club Costa Smeralda

Alex Roepers, owner helmsman of Plenty, winner of the Farr 40 Pre-Worlds © Farr 40 Class / Mauro Melandri

It was the final day of two days of racing in the waters off Porto Cervo in the Rolex Farr 40 Pre-Worlds organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. After a total of six races in two days, victory went to Alex Roepers and his yacht, Plenty. Tactician Terry Hutchinson certainly contributed to today's first and second place finishes. Trailing Plenty were Enfant Terrible owned by Alberto Rossi, with tactician Vasco Vascotto. After winning today's first race, this team finished five points behind the leader.

Plenty and Enfant Terrible have fought it out for the duration of the Pre-Worlds with spectacularly close duels from pre start to finish. The last downwind leg in today's second race saw the two teams battle to the very end in a tight and thrilling match race.

Third place for Asterisk, the Turkish team headed by Hasip Gencer, with the Brit Nick Rogers as tactician. This team looks fast and competitive as does the team aboard the Australian Gordon Ketelbey's Zen. This team has David Chapman as tactician and won the Corinthian Division.

Alex Roepers, owner helmsman of Plenty: "It has been a very exciting two days of racing here in beautiful Porto Cervo and it's going to be a dog fight for the World Championship. It's going to be very close. I've sailed here before in 2006 with a Swan 45 and in 2009 and 2010 for the Farr 40s. I love being here, it's a great Club all around and a great environment and it's going to be a great fight with Enfant Terrible and the rest of the fleet."

Full results [PDF]

The Worlds can now begin

The twentieth edition of the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, organised by Yacht Club Costa Smeralda with the support of Title Sponsor Rolex, will be held from Thursday July 13th to Sunday July 16th and will be raced in the waters off Porto Cervo. This is the third time that Yacht Club Costa Smeralda has organised this event in Porto Cervo, after the 2003 and 2009 editions.

The Rolex Farr 40 World Championship officially gets underway today, Wednesday July 12th tactician's briefing where some of the world's top sailors will be present. Count on seeing Italians Vasco Vascotto, Matteo Ivaldi and Michele Regolo, the American Terry Hutchinson, the New Zealander Hamish Pepper, and the Brit Nick Rogers, twice an Olympic silver medallist in the 470 Class. As per tradition, the briefing will be followed by a Welcome Cocktail on the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda's poolside terrace.

Riccardo Bonadeo, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda Commodore: "Farr 40s are a larger sized One Design that has made history. Even now, twenty years after the launch of the first yacht in the series, these boats still attract expert owners/helmsmen and top sailors. I'm very happy that the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda is organising the twentieth edition of the World Championship of such a prestigious Class. I want to thank everyone who is participating in the event and my special thanks go to Rolex, who offers their enthusiastic support both to the Farr 40 Class and to many of the most important regattas at our Club."

Racing on the first day of this event is scheduled to start Thursday July 13th at noon. Up to three windward/leeward courses will be raced each day for a maximum total of 11 races. The forecast calls for north-westerly Mistral breezes that should shift towards the north-east during the weekend.