Farr 40 World Championships - Day Three

'SOUTHERN STAR' TAKES THE LEAD INTO THE FINAL DAY OF BOATS.COM FARR 40 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE WORLD CUP

Three-race day results in 'Invicta-Nerone' earning Boat of the Day title and huge position changes within the fleet.

Newport, RI -- After seven races scored and only two remaining to sail in the series, John Calvert-Jones' 'Southern Star' has taken the lead by 6 points in the boats.com Farr 40 World Championship for the World Cup. Calvert-Jones and his team from Australia have earned their position at the top of the leader board by finishing all but one race in the Top Ten, a feat unmatched by any other team in the 27-boat fleet.

When asked about what his strategy will be going into tomorrow's final showdown, Calvert-Jones said "We just want to go out and have fun! Seriously, this fleet is so good that you can only go out and try your best, because it doesn't take much to get pushed out the back." The 'Southern Star' team is not unaccustomed to competitive pressure, having been the runner-up team in the 1998 World Championship in Miami, and winners of the Rosemount Farr 40 Regatta in Sydney this year. They also plan a campaign to represent Australia for the 2001 Admiral's Cup.

Today's racing was held in the Atlantic Ocean south and east of Brenton Reef, where a light 7-9 knot southwesterly breeze in the first race built up to 12-14 knots in the last two. Four-leg windward-leeward courses were set at 8 miles each, and a flood current swept northwards across the course.

The start of the first race was given a General Recall with too many boats eager to jump the gun. The second attempt was more orderly, however, and George Andreadis' 'Atalanti' from Greece led the pack around every mark, chased closely by Jim Richardson's mixed Anglo-American team on 'Barking Mad'. For the first time in the regatta, George Carrabetta's US-based crew on 'Diana' mixed it up in the Top Ten in this race, with help from tactician John Cutler.

In the second race, there were even more newcomers in the lead group for the first time. By getting off the line clean and hitting the first shift, George Hinman's and David Elwell's local-based team on 'Conspiracy' took their turn at the head of the pack, with Tony Buckingham's British crew on 'Bit of a Coup' chasing them in second. John Ryan's US-based team on 'Swordflounder' were also in the hunt, but an I-flag penalty knocked their sixth-place score back another six points.

In the final race of the day, the seas had built now to a moderate chop, and the key to success was in hitting a 15-degree right shift lurking on the first beat. Richard Perini on 'Corinthian Doors' did just that, tacking at the start, sailing fast, and covering their lead around the track. Perini, who hails from Sydney, Australia and was joined by a mixed crew of Aussies and Yanks, was ecstatic about the win, saying "This made the trip worthwhile!" He was chased vigorously by Alexis Michas and his US team on 'Phish Food', who finished second, their best result to date.

On scores of 6-3-3, Massimo Mezzaroma's 'Invicta-Nerone' won the Boat of the Day award, presented courtesy of New England Boatworks. Mezzaroma's Italian team is guided this week by one-time Italian Paul Cayard.

With only 11 points separating the top five in the standings, the World Cup trophy is up for grabs. Tomorrow there will be only two races to complete the nine-race series, and undoubtedly the outcome will come down to the final moments of the competition.

Shoreside activities for this event will be centered at the Newport Hotel and Marina, with post-race awards, press conferences, and parties scheduled daily in the regatta tent. Press facility use and spectator boat opportunities will be coordinated at the event's Media Center, which will also be located at the Newport Hotel and Marina. Media Center hours are from 8:00 to 9:00 AM and 4:00 to 7:00 PM daily through Friday, June 9.

Title Sponsor of the boats.com Farr 40 World Championship for the World Cup is the premier online resource for all things boating, and launches in the Summer of 2000. Boats.com is a place where boaters, manufacturers, resellers, and experts in the field can gather to share information and create new ways to fulfill your boating needs and enhance your boating experience.

Contributing Sponsors include: Lewmar Marine, the sport's leading supplier of winches and deck hardware to the great ocean racing fleets of the world; Fleet Boston Financial, the eighth-largest financial holding company in the US, offering a comprehensive array of innovative financial solutions; B&G, which has set the standard of excellence in marine electronics; and Carroll Marine, US builders of the Farr 40 One Design. Supporting sponsors include North Sails, Edson International, Joule Yacht Transport, European Ocean Freight and New England Boatworks.

Results after seven races:

More Information:

• Farr 40 Website