Monday 29 June 2009

FARR 40 WORLDS: Honour to Barking Mad!


Vincenzo Onorato (r) and Terry Hutchinson. Image copyright Mascalzone Latino/Marco Trovati.

by Nicola Davanzo

Today is the first day as former World Champion and of Casa de Campo 2010. The Farr 40 Class has a wonderful story and no writer could have used more imagination to write it. In 2006 we went to Newport (RI) with Jim Richardson and Terry Hutchinson, in the waters of the strong American fleet, taking them away a World Championship that seemed impossible. Yet Jim Richardson and his crew yesterday rewrote the story, taking away not only from Mascalzone Latino, but from all Italians, a World Championship that the fleet could have won as they sailed at home. Honour to Jim and Terry that sailed perfectly, staying ahead from the beginning and never losing their leadership. In the second place is Nerone that did a great week, being extremely fast and motivated thanks to its crew and speed, also determined by their helmsman Antonio Sodo Migliori, one of the best in the world. Deceived by the wind during the last race, they ended in second place. Joe Fly lost the possibility to win a deserved World Championship due to an anticipated start. Giovanni Maspero and Francesco Bruni have been perfect as usual and will soon enjoy the fruits of their labour.

About us: we knew from the beginning it is not possible to always win, as we told each other during a dinner before the regattas. We lacked our usual determination and the victories of Key West in January, Montecarlo in February and Capri in May surely played against. Maybe the real surprise to us has been our slowness, as we have always been considered one of the fastest boats of the fleet. During last year, research on the sailing design has gone on, yet we used the kevlar-carbon mainsail designed in 2005, that proved to be particularly slow when going on a beat. A bath of humility for Mascalzone Latino and see you at Casa de Campo 2010.

Mascalzone Latino
Rolex Farr 40 Worlds

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