Jone's Kilroy and Kilroy's Samba PA TI are winners today

by Keith Taylor on 3 Mar 2001 PRESS RELEASE
MIAMI BEACH, FL, March 3, 2001

Mastering a class deep in Olympic and
one-design champions, Harry Melges of Zenda, WI, ran away with a victory in
the Melges 24 Class today at the 60th anniversary regatta of the Acura
Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC).

The Melges 24 and Multihull Classes wrapped up their three days of Acura
SORC racing today in champagne sailing conditions - bright sunny skies, a
steady 20-knot southerly breeze and sparkling blue seas. All other classes
will sail one more race tomorrow.

Steering Jeff Jones' Melges 24 Kilroy, from Shelby Township, MI, Melges
posted a string of bullets over the three days of competition in the class,
broken only by a third and a fifth place. Relishing the surfing conditions,
Melges surfed to three successive wins in today's fresh breezes.

John Kilroy from Malibu, CA, showed similar domination over the
international array of talent in the Farr 40 Class, as he sailed his Samba
Pa Ti to two victories and a sixth place. Kilroy, who was the series leader
after the opening day of racing, dropped to second place yesterday when he
logged a 19th place finish. He redeemed himself today.

'John is doing a terrific job,' said John Kostecki, tactician aboard Samba
Pa Ti. 'There were tough conditions at times out there. There were some big
waves. He's hanging tough and doing great, especially considering that he
hasn't raced since the Big Boat Series in San Francisco last September.'

Peter Wormwood, designer of the custom 35-foot catamaran Merlin, sailed her
to first place in the Multihull Class, defeating Steve Marsh's Corsair F31
trimaran No Name. Merlin, owned and campaigned by Robert Buzzelli, from
Sarasota, FL, posted two third places in today's testing conditions in
which one multihull was dismasted and only three boats crossed the finishing
line

The Farr 50 Esmeralda, campaigned by sailmaker Ken Read and owner Makoto
Uematsu, continued their total dominance of the seven-boat IMS Class for the
third day in a row. Undefeated, they have a perfect record of seven
victories. 'I felt the boat was going well and that let me sail fast,' said
Read. 'When you sail fast, you sail smart.'

Provisional results, Acura SORC, Day 3, March 3 (owner name, boat name,
city, state, places, points):

Farr 40:
1. John Kilroy, Samba Pa Ti, Malibu, CA
(.75-2-18-.75-6-.75), 28.25;
2. Jim Richardson, Barking Mad, Boston, MA
(12-11-3-5-.75-2), 33.75;
3. Tony Buckingham, A Bit of a Coup, Channel Islands, UK
(11-7-4-8-10-4), 44.

1D35:

1. Robert Hughes, Heartbreaker, Ada, MI
(2-2-.75-5-3-.75), 13.5;
2. Shed Shelhorse, Avalanche, Virginia Beach,VA
(8-5-5-4-.75-3), 25.75;
3. Nick & Tina Worth, Widowmaker, Norfolk, Va
(14-6-4-2-2-4), 32.

IMS:

1. Read/Uematsu, Esmeralda, Portsmouth, RI
(.75-.75-.75-.75-.75-.75-.75), 5.25;
3. George David, Idler, Hartford, CT
(2-3-3-2-2-2-2), 16;
3. Bache Renshaw, Virago, South Dartmouth, MA
(3-2-2-3-5-3-3), 23.

PHRF I:
1. George Collins, Chessie Racing, Fisher Island, FL
(2-2-.75-3-3-2-2), 14.75;
2. Stephen Murray, Decision, New Orleans, LA, GA
(4-.75-2.75-2-.75-DNC), 17.5;
3. Lorin Frank, Look Again, Miami, FL
(6-3-5-2-6-3-.75), 25.75.

PHRF II:
1. Robert Weed, Wired, Novato, CA
(4-.75-3-.75-.75-3-2), 14.25;
3. Cole/Adams, Warp Speed, Seattle, WA
(2-2-4-4-2-.75-3), 17.75;
2. Lees/Gastrau, Invincible, Annapolis, MD
(.75-5-.75-6-3-2-.75), 18.25.

PHRF III:
1. Bruce Gardner, L'Outrage, Annapolis, MD
(6-2-.75-2-.75-.75-2), 14.25;
2. David Beheny, Xtreme, Miami, FL
(3-.75-2-3-4-2-3), 17.75;
3. John Esposito, Hustler, City Island, NY
(4-4-3.75-3-3-.75), 18.5.

Melges 24:
1. Jeff Jones, Kilroy, Shelby Township, MI
(.75-3-5-.75-.75-.75-.75), 11.5;
2. Neil Sullivan, M-Fatic, Annapolis, MD
(4-.75-3-3-10-5-3), 28.75;
3. Dave West, Chippewa, Bloomer, WI
(7-5-2-5-5-6-5), 35.

Multihull:
1. Robert Buzzelli, Merlin, Sarasota, FL
(2-.75-3-3-3-3), 14.75;
2. Steve Marsh, No Name, Jensen Beach, FL
(3-4-5-5-4-.75), 21.75;
3. David Calvert, Green Flash, Islamorada, FL
(7-5-.75-.75-2), 24.5

Mumm 30:
1. Kent Plunkett, Paydirt, Wellesley, MA
(6-5-.75-2-.75), 14.5;
2. Phil Garland, Trouble, Bristol, RI
(.75-.75-5-6-2), 14.5;
2. David Koski, Go Figure, Highland Heights, OH
(2-3-7-14-4), 30.

J/105:
1. Bob Johnstone, Tern V, Charleston, SC
(.75-2-2-.75-3), 8.75;
2. Thomas Coates, Masquerade, San Francisco, CA
(6-.75-.75-3-.75), 11.25;
3. Douglas Berman, Out of Options, San Anselmo, CA
(4-4-7-2-4), 21.

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