Calvert-Jones takes FARR 40 lead

by Keith Taylor on 3 Mar 2001 AUSTRALIA'S CALVERT-JONES TAKES
FARR 40 LEAD AT ACURA SORC REGATTA

MIAMI BEACH, FL, March 2, 2001-'I'm the oldest helmsman in the class, I
think,' he said before leaving the dock for the day's racing, 'And I'm
having so much fun.' When John Calvert-Jones came ashore, the grin on his
face was broader than ever. He had the top score of the day and his Farr 40
Southern Star was the overall leader in the highly-competitive Farr 40 Class
at the 60th anniversary regatta of the Acura Southern Ocean Racing
Conference (SORC).

The 64-year-old Australian who won the World Championship in June last year,
gave an ample demonstration of how to tackle the difficult, close-quarter
racing in the 29-boat Farr fleet. He kept his wind clear and steadfastly
refused to be drawn into the day's close combat situations that resulted in
21 protest flags in the second of the day's races.

John Kilroy, the series leader after yesterday's two races took a second
place in the first race of the day but was shut out at the first leeward
mark in the second. Eighth at the first mark, he had nowhere to go at the
traffic jam at the second mark. 'We were shut out big time,' said tactician
John Kostecki. Kilroy's Samba Pa Ti was the 19th boat to finish that race
and dropped to second place overall, six points behind the Australians

Racing was delayed for the 138 boats on the three courses off Miami Beach,
as the race committee waited for the sea breeze to establish itself.
Competition got under way in a 10 to 12-knot southerly that built to 12 to
16-knots by the second race in the afternoon.

The Farr 50 Esmeralda, campaigned by sailmaker Ken Read and owner Makoto
Uematsu, dominated the seven-boat IMS Class for the second day, boosting
their record to four bullets. 'We've got a fast boat,' said Read. 'The boat
is going great. We've made a couple of subtle changes to the boat, including
a new mainsail, to scale it back for light conditions on the East Coast of
the US. It is a pleasure to sail it. It makes us look smart.'

In the 1D35 Class, Robert Hughes of Ada, MI, sailed his Heartbreaker, to a
second and a first place, to lead the class overall after finishing second
yesterday. Hughes, the 2000 Season Champion of the Class now leads by a
commanding 11 points with two days of racing remaining.

In the Multihull Class, sailed on the Ocean Drive Magazine Circle, Robert
Buzzelli, from Sarasota, FL, consistently sailed his custom 35-foot
Wormwood-designed catamaran Merlin into two third places to take over the
points lead from yesterday's leader Doug Harkrider. The latter, from Flowery
Branch, GA, is campaigning his Corsair F31R Rocket Science.

Provisional results, Acura SORC, Day 2, March 2 (owner name, boat name,
city, state, places, points):

Farr 40: 1. John Calvert-Jones, Southern Star, Melbourne, Australia
(13-.75-2), 15.75;
2. John Kilroy, Samba Pa Ti, Malibu, CA (.75-2-19), 21.75;
3. Tony Buckingham, A Bit of a Coup, Channel Islands, UK (11-7-4), 22.

1D35: 1. Robert Hughes, Heartbreaker, Ada, MI (2-2-.75), 4.75;
2. Owen Kratz, Joss, League City, TX (12-.75-3), 15.75;
3. Victor Cribb, Victory, West Palm Beach, FL (3-3-11), 17.
IMS:
1. Read/Uematsu, Esmeralda, Portsmouth, RI (.75-.75-.75-.75), 3;
=2. George David, Idler, Hartford, CT (2-3-3-2), 10;
=2. Bache Renshaw, Virago, South Dartmouth, MA (3-2-2-3), 10.

PHRF I:
1. Stephen Murray, Decision, New Orleans, LA, GA (4-.75-2.75), 7.5;
2. George Collins, Chessie Racing, Fisher Island, FL (2-2-.75-3), 7.75;
3. Steve Jones, Habanero, Belton, TX (.75-5-4-4), 13.75.

PHRF II:
1. Robert Weed, Wired, Novato, CA (4-.75-3-.75), 8.5;
2. Bob Limoggio, Spank Me, West Dover, VT (3-4-2-2), 11;
3. Cole/Adams, Warp Speed, Seattle, WA (2-2-4-4), 12.

PHRF III:
1. David Beheny, Xtreme, Miami, FL (3-.75-2-2), 8.75;
2. Bruce Gardner, L'Outrage, Annapolis, MD (6-2-.75-2), 10.75;
3. John Esposito, Hustler, City Island, NY (4-4-3.75), 11.75.

Melges 24:
1. Jeff Jones, Kilroy, Shelby Township, MI (.75-3-5-.75), 9.5;
2. Neil Sullivan, M-Fatic, Annapolis, MD (4-.75-3-3), 10.75;
3. Brian Porter, Full Throttle, Winnetka, IL (10-2-.75-2), 14.75.

Multihull:
1. Robert Buzzelli, Merlin, Sarasota, FL (2-.75-3-3), 8.75;
2. Doug Harkrider, Rocket Science, Flowery Branch, GA (.75-2-4-4), 10.75;
3. David Calvert, Green Flash, Islamorada, FL (7-5-.75-.75), 13.5

Mumm 30:
1. Phil Garland, Trouble, Bristol, RI, (.75-.75), 1.5;
2. David Koski, Go Figure, Highland Heights, OH (2-3), 5;
3. Bent Detrich, Rainbow, Hamburg, Germany (5-4), 9.

J/105:
1. Bob Johnstone, Tern V, Charleston, SC (.75-2), 2.75;
2. Dimitris Spentzos, Odyssey, Port Jefferson, NY (2-3), 5;
3. Thomas Coates, Masquerade, San Francisco, CA (6-.75), 6.75.

Sailing World magazine, Ocean Drive magazine and Omega Watches are joining
title sponsor Acura this year. Other sponsors include the Majestic/Avalon
Hotel and Monty's Restaurant, both in Miami Beach. Suppliers include Nextel,
Dry Creek Vineyard, Zuse, Matusalem Rum and Kalik Beer. Sailing World Race
Village vendors include Doyle Sailmakers, Dimension Polyant, North Sails,
Ockam and Navtec.

Boats competing at the Acura SORC are racing three-day or four-day series.
The Farr 40, 1D35, IMS Racer and PHRF classes are all racing from Thursday
through Sunday. The Melges 24 and Multihull classes are racing Thursday
through Saturday. The Mumm 30 and J/105 classes will race Friday through
Sunday.

Race management is provided by volunteers from the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club,
the Coral Reef Yacht Club and the Miami Yacht Club in Miami. Also, the
Lauderdale Yacht Club and the Nassau Yacht Club

The Acura SORC is an Octagon-managed event. Octagon, an international event
marketing company headquartered in Stamford, CT, also manages the Swedish
Match Grand Prix Sailing Tour, Bermuda Gold Cup and Crystal Cup at Atlantis.


FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Keith Taylor Shawn McBride
Acura SORC Octagon Marketing
Tel: (305) 672-7225 Tel: (203) 363-1084
Fax: (305) 672-7228 Fax: (203) 363-1088
ktolyc@compuserve.com Shawn.McBride@Octagon.com