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Farr 40 World Championships Overall

by Bob Fisher 15 Sep 1999 09:03 BST

TOP DAY FOR KILROY GIVES HIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

SAN FRANCISCO, CA-A fist punched the air from behind the wheel of John Kilroy's Samba Pa Ti as he crossed the line in second place in the final race of the Lewmar sponsored Farr 40 World Championship. The punch came as much in relief as in triumph for the skipper who had completed the championship action to win by a single point from Vincenzo Onorato's Mascalzone Latino, who followed him home. A fall from grace in a major way - a 13th place finish - dropped the leader going into the final race, Jim Richardson in Barking Mad, to third overall.

'It was a great day on the Bay,' said a grinning Kilroy after thanking his crew, led by fellow local ace, John Kostecki. 'I wouldn't have it otherwise. Kilroy triumphed by persistence and despite a 15th in one of the previous days races. Onorato pushed him hard, but had probably seen his chances evaporate in the lighter breezes of the morning, when he was ninth.

There was an action packed thriller of a final race for the championship with the outcome partly decided at the first mark where Richardson had to perform a 360 degree penalty turn and dropped from eighth to seventeenth in the process. It took him out of contention to retain the title he won last year in Miami and left the battle to continue between Kilroy and Onorato, one which seemed stacked initially in favour of the Italian.

The breeze was up to 20 knots for the final race and it was Onorato who nailed the start at the Committee Boat and immediately tacked out to the right. Kilroy was in the middle of the line and Richardson, as is usual for him, at the pin. Initially, it looked as though the left side was paying, but a shift ten minutes into the race handed the advantage the other way. Onorato was first to the windward mark with Kilroy right behind him.

Richard Marki's Raging Bull was next but hit the mark and almost made off with it sideways as more of the fleet piled through. Downwind the order changed with David Thomson's Peregrine taking the lead and Kilroy also passing Onorato. And that was the way it was to stay for the rest of the race with Thomson doggedly hanging on to win while Kilroy covered Onorato closely to take the championship.

The morning race provided an interesting study of strategic sailing with Kilroy having to sacrifice all to win while Richardson had to stay close to him to be in contention for the championship with one race to go. It was almost all over for Onorato who continued with his policy of heading left on the windward legs on a day when this was the wrong way to go - a 17th at the first mark gave him much to do to recover.

There was a noted reluctance from all 19 competitors to be close to the starting line particularly at the favoured pin end. None of the top boats showed well until they had settled into their stride and decided that the right hand side of the course was the place to be. Jack Woodhull's Persephone was the first to go that way and rightly received the most benefit to round the first mark in the lead from Samba Pa Ti and Barking Mad

John Calvert-Jones' Southern Star came into the equation in fourth place and proved a thorn in the side of the two championship contenders by leading for the whole of the second windward/leeward leg, finally finishing second to Kilroy. Marki's Raging Bull had a fine last beat to edge out Richardson for third place, but Barking Mad was the overall leader at the end of race eight.

Five points separated Richardson from both Onorato and Kilroy. Onorato had made a spirited recovery to ninth to keep his championship hopes alive. There was therefore much at stake when the boats approached the line for the final race in 12 knots of south-westerly breeze.

Results (Final standings):

Pos Boat              Owner              Ctry R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 Pts
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. Samba Pa Ti       John Kilroy        (USA) 3  1  2  6  5 15  1  1  2  36
 2. Mascalzone Latino Vincenzo Onorato   (ITA) 5  6  1  2  3  2  6  9  3  37
 3. Barking Mad       Jim Richardson     (USA) 1  2  8  1  1  9  3  4 13  42
 4. Southern Star     John Calvert-Jones (AUS) 7  5  3  8 28 10  2  5     50

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