2011 Worlds

Transfusion takes the lead

feb24_farr40Photo by Rolex / Kurt Arrigo. Click to enlarge.

Top of the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds pancake pile this evening is Guido Belgiorno-Nettis’ Transfusion (AUS), but only just, after posting a 1st, 7th, 4th scoreline to gain the overall lead by three points.

Transfusion finished bridesmaid to Nerone at last year’s Worlds staged in the Dominican Republic and this year the new duo of Belgiorno-Nettis and American tactician John Kostecki are combining well, and the teamwork on the boat is polished, like the stunning trophy they have in their sights.

Rolex Farr 40 World Championship
Day 2 – Top 10 provisional results – pending protests

Place, Boat Name, Country, Owner-Helm, R1-R2-R3-R4-R5-R6, TOTAL
1) Transfusion, AUS, Guido Belgiorno-Nettis, 4-4-2-1-7-4, 22
2) Nerone , ITA, Antonio Sodo Migliori & Massimo Mezzaroma, 2-1-10-10-1-1, 25
3) Estate Master, AUS, Lisa & Martin Hill, 1-8-1-7-9-10, 36
4) Flash Gordon, USA, Helmut & Evan Jahn, 11-2-9-2-8-5, 37
5) Struntje Light, GER, Wolfgang & Angela Schaefer, 3-13-3-3-4-13, 39
6) Voodoo Chile, AUS, Andrew Hunn & Lloyd Clark, 5-9-8-17-3-2, 44
7) Barking Mad, USA, Jim Richardson, 15-10-5-11-2-3, 46
8) Kokomo, AUS, Lang Walker, 19-5-4-9-5-9, 51
9) Hooligan, AUS, Marcus Blackmore, 13-3-6-5-16-14, 57
10) Plenty, USA, Alex Roepers, 10-7-13-4-13-11, 58

Belgiorno-Nettis says while it’s nice to have the lead in his pocket, “there is some big competition out there. There’s still a long way to go.” He knows all too well the perils of relaxing prematurely having lost last year’s Worlds in the deciding race.

Belgiorno-Nettis this evening praised Kostecki for some “beautiful calls”, and his team for “nibbling their way back in the last race” after they were buried back in the fleet.

Massimo Mezzaroma and Antonio Sodo Migliori’s Nerone (ITA), has moved into second, putting on the afterburners following a shoddy start to the day, and nailing a 10th, 1st, 1st result to the door.

Lisa and Martin Hill’s Estate Master (AUS) has slipped back into third, following a less than satisfactory 7th, 9th, 10th, compared to yesterday’s stunning performance which had them clubhouse leader.

Estate Master heads a chasing pack that struggled to keep pace with the leading pair. The gap has widened. Not insurmountably with four races remaining, but what margin for error that might have existed has disappeared completely.

Consistency and minimising damage have always been watchwords at the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds. No less so this year, as the 14th Farr 40 class World Championship moves beyond the halfway point.

With the winds from the northeast initially struggling to stabilize around 8-10 knots, and a strong current heading north, the race area moved north from yesterday’s location to just off Manly Beach, affording crews and spectators an exceptional backdrop. By the last race the winds were up to a sprightly 12 – 15 knots. It was a long day and a late finish with the 20 tired crews arriving back at the host club, the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, after 7pm this evening. -- Lisa Ratcliff

Full Results: http://www.farr40worlds.com/2011results

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