Reported from the main race committee boat by Ian Burman of Stagg Yachts

1635 - The Overall Results after 2 days have now been posted - http://www.farr40worlds.com/content/view/70/1/.  Vincenzo Onorato's Mascalzone Latino holds a three point lead over Giovanni Maspero's Joe Fly.  Special thanks today to Bob Fisher, who provided priceless commentary to add to this report.  More thanks goes to regatta scorer Cindy Saunders and Jury Chair Tom Ehman for thier photos of the action.  Thanks to Rolex and Casa de Campo Resort and Marina for making today possible.  We will be back on the water at 1000 on Friday morning.

1620 - Peter de Ridder's Mean Machine has taken the victory in Race #6, leading the race wire to wire after tacking off to the right after the start.  Giovanni Maspero's Joe Fly crossed the line in second place, cutting into the overall lead of Vincenzo Onorato's Mascalzone Latino, who finished race #6 in fifth place.  Silver Bullet and Sled each called in their intention to protest each other.

1600 - Today is the Casa de Campo Race Day, named for the beautiful Casa de Campo Resort and Marina in the Dominican Republic.  In addition to being a generous sponsor of this event, Casa de Campo will serve as the host for the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship in 2010.  With glorious locations like Miami Beach this year, Porto Cervo, Itlay next year, and Casa de Campo after that, the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship is going to be a "must do" event for years to come.

1555 - The Race Committee is set up just to weather of where the first mark was and is on station to record the finishes of Race #6.  The rounding order from mark #1 has been posted here:  http://www.farr40worlds.com/content/view/78/38/

The start of Race #6 - Cindy Saunders Photo

1520 - The fleet is on its way in race #6.  Goombay Smash, Opus One, Mascalzone Latino, and both Groovedercis were called over early and forced to restart.  Goombay Smash didn't hear its number called right away and was late to clear itself.  William Douglass and his team will have a tough time climbing out of the hole they have dug for themselves in this race.

1515 - "You couldn’t have gotten a closer finish," reports Bob Fisher from the RC boat, "with Nerone snatching it at the last from Silver Bullet, that had lead for almost three legs of the course, but the consistency of Mascalzone Latino and Vincenzo Onorato, with a third place finish, kept him on the top of the podium.  He is being pushed hard, however by his countryman Giovanni Maspero’s Joe Fly, whose sixth place finish keeps him only 6 points behind.  But the Italians do not have everything sewn up.  Ernesto Bertarelli and his formidable Alinghi team, with a seventh place finish in race #6 are just another two points adrift."

1510 - The results have been updated through race #5 - http://www.farr40worlds.com/content/view/70/1/.  For Race #6, course 3 has been posted at 2.2nm and 060 degrees to Mark #1.   

Silver Bullet, Nerone and Mascalzone Latino approach the finish of Race #5 - Cindy Saunders photo 

1455 - Antonio Sodo-Migliori and Massimo Mezzaroma's Nerone has taken the victory in Race #5, crossing the line just six inches ahead of Henrik Jensen's Silver Bullet.  Mascalzone Latino was not far behind in third and remains the overall leader.  Wolfgang Schaefer's Struntje light stopped short of the finish line, dropped it's kite and spun circles before finishing and the end of the fleet.

1440 - Silver Bullet has held onto its lead around the last mark and is now leading the fleet on the run to the finish.  The second beat has given the fleet a chance to spread out a bit and the boats are not as congested at this mark.  The complete rounding order will be availalbe shortly.

1425 - Henrik Jensen's Silver Bullet has snatched the lead away from Masclazone Latino at the gate in Race #5.  Nerone, Ramrod and Morning Glory round out the top five.  The fleet is really stacked up this race and we're seen boats four wide going around both the first weather mark and the gate marks.  The complete rounding order from the first weather mark has been posted here: http://www.farr40worlds.com/content/view/77/38/

Henrik Jensen's Silver Bullet leading the fleet to the gate in Race #5 - Cindy Saunders photo

1410 -  The fleet has reached mark #1 or race 5 and Mascalzone Latino has found the front again.  "It appears that John Kostecki is filling in just fine.  After just one race to find the right pages in the Italian phrasebook, he has managed to prove an able deputy for the Mascalzone Latino team's ace tactician Ado Stead and helped Vincenzo Onorato and the crew to a top mark first rounding ahead of the fleet,"  reprts Bob Fisher from the main committee boat.

The fleet bunched up at the start of race #5 - Cindy Saunders photo

1345 - The fleet is away on the first beat of race #5.  Most of the fleet started at the committee boat end and tacked away right after the gun.  Deneen Demourkas' Groovederci 57 was called over early and was forced to restart.  Bob Hughes' Heartbreaker was seen taking a one turn penalty shorty after tacking onto port.

1335 - The RC has announced that the course for Race #5 will be course 4 at a distance of 2.0nm and a bearing of 065 degrees to mark #1.  The breeze is about 8 to 10 knots and we're set up about 1 mile off the beach of Key Biscane, three and a half miles south of Government Cut.

1325 - Stratis Andreadis is the youngest Owner/Driver in the fleet at just 28 years of age and is sailing a good regatta so far, lying in sixth place overall.  Stratis' father George is a long time farr 40 sailor and has been racing boats named Atalanti for years.  Although from Greece originally, the Andreadis family has a home in Miami where the team is staying during the regatta.
 

1315 - Luigi recieved word from Tink Chambers on the weather mark boat that a shift was coming down the pipe and has decided to delay the warning to reset the starting line.  We've picked up our anchor now and are moving towards shore to accomodate the large right shift we've experienced.

1305 - The wind has increased to almost 10 knots and the RC has posted course 4 at a distance of 2.2 nm and a bearing of 040 degrees to mark #1. 

Giovanni Maspero's Joe Fly, second overall after 4 races - Cindy Saunders photo

1300 - Complete results through Race #4 are avalable at http://www.farr40worlds.com/content/view/70/1/.  Mascalzone Latino still leads, followed by Joe Fly and Barking Mad, who are tied for second.  Race #5 is scheduled to start at 1310.

Wolfgang Stolz' Opus One crushes the fleet in Race #4 - Ian Burman photo

1240 - The complete rounding order for both weather marks of Race #4 has been posted here: http://www.farr40worlds.com/content/view/76/38/.  Opus One has finished and the second place boat isn't even close.  The RC asked jokingly over the private channel radio if Wolfgang Stolz' team rounded all of the marks.  Barking Mad crossed the finish line in second place 3 minutes and 15 seconds behind.

1230 - Opus One has made it around the weather mark for the second time and has set its light air VMG kite for the run to the finish.  The RC has positioned the finish line closer to shore to account for the 10 degree right shift seen at the gate.  Opus' lead has increased to about a quarter of the leg and the fleet is very spread out behind them in this light air.

Nimbus, Alinghi, Kokomo and Atalanti at the gate during race #4 - Cindy Sauders photo

1215 - International racing scribe Bob Fisher says of of race #4, "The predicted and much expected right hand shift didn’t materialize on cue and so those who sought it faired less well than boats in the middle.  Wolfgang Stolz and Opus One was the major beneficiary who rounded well ahead of the pack and maintained his lead through the gate, but after the gate with the wind shifting to the right it appears to be one way traffic for the entire fleet on port tack heading seaward."

1210 - Just as Opus reached the gate with a substantial lead, the RC began to notice the right shift coming through.  Right now, we're picking up anchor and preparing to set up closer to shore for the finish.  The wind has lightened to about 6 knots and most of the teams are heading to the right up the second beat.

1205 - The complete rounding order from Mark #1 of Race #5 has been posted here: http://www.farr40worlds.com/content/view/76/38/.  The committee is setting up to shorten the length of the second beat, but is not planning yet on changing the bearing to the weather mark.  We're still seeing about 8 knots of breeze with a bearing of 015 degrees.

Opus One leads the fleet at Mark #1 of Race #4 - Tom Ehamn photo

1155 - The right shift never came on the first beat and the boats on the left side of the course benefited from better pressure and came out on top.  Opus One leads the fleet, which is pretty spread out, at mark 1 followed by Ramrod, and Barking Mad.  A nice comeback for Jim Richardson's team after being forced to restart. 

Mean Machine escapes out the right after the start of Race #4 - Ian Burman photo

1135 – International racing scribe Bob Fisher, who is out with us on the RC boat, said of the start of race #4, “There was considerable action at the Committee Boat end with Mean Machine shooting through head to wind and carrying her way through until she could tack to port and head to the right – a good strategy that may result in a top position after two miles.  Mid line, there was a lot of bunching with boats attempting to tack to port.  Alinghi got a third rate start – you can’t help but noticing.  It’s the paint job that does it for them.”

1125 – Race #4 is now underway.  Barking Mad, Groovederci 127, Twins, and Plenty were called over early and were forced to re-start.  With about 30 seconds to go, Infinity was on port tack over near the committee boat end.  Luigi got on the radio right after the start and gave the spectator boats on the right side of the course a tongue lashing for being in the way of the competitors that tacked off the line. 

1120 – The RC has dropped the AP and it set to go with the warning momentarily.  The bearing to the first mark is posted at 015 degrees.  The course is 2.0 nm.  There is still about 8 knots of breeze and the sky is bright and sunny.

1105 – Well, the righty came after all.  The RC has decided to leave the AP up and is reconsidering its decision to set the course up for the Northwesterly.  We’ll monitor the wind for a bit longer before deciding when and where to go.

Ian, Dave, Luigi and the rest of the RC trying to figure out the breeze - Tom Ehman photo
1100 – Luigi has hailed the competitors with his intention to postpone the first warning for five minutes while the RC finishes setting the course.  The first warning is now scheduled for 1105.  The fleet will be sailing course 4 at a distance of 2.0nm and a bearing of 350 degrees to mark #1.

1050 - The Race Committee has received an updated weather forecast and has decided that the right shift will be a little later than originally anticipated and they are setting up to run a race in the morning northwesterly.  We have moved offshore a little bit and are now approximately 1.5 miles off shore and 3.5 miles south of Government Cut.  The wind is still around 8 knots from a direction of 350 degrees.  The first warning is scheduled for 1100 and three races are planned for today.

1015 - Good morning from Day 2 of the 2008 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, Casa de Campo Race Day.  The wind is lighter today than yesterday and the predictions are for a different direction than what we're seeing right now.  Right now, we have about 8 knots out of the North / Northwest, but an abrupt shift to the right with a wind increase is expected soon.  North Sails has provided us with a full weather report for the day which can be seen here: http://www.farr40worlds.com/content/view/74/36/.  As usual, it's beautiful and sunny off Miami Beach.  Throughout the day, I will be posting live information, including mark rounding orders, results, and start and finish times as well as commentary from the racecourse with photos taken from committee boat.  Fantastic photos and reports are also available at www.regattanews.com.

Rolex Farr 40 World Championship leader Mascalzone Latino - Cindy Saunders photo