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LE RENARD TAKES LEAD AFTER DEFIANT LOSES PROTESTS AT ROLEX FARR 40 WORLDS

PARADISE ISLAND, BAHAMAS (November 15, 2002) -- While other sailors were energized this morning by a third day of racing in paradise at the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, Defiant's Terry McLaughlin awoke to the dismal reality that he would have to start his day in 14th place overall instead of a hard-earned first. After last night's long night of deliberation by a jury over two starting line incidents, Defiant was disqualified from the two races it won, falling from a 22-point lead over Le Renard, owned by Steve Phillips of Arnold, Md., to 14th going into today.

"It was unfortunate," said McLaughlin, Canada's current Rolex Sailor of the Year, about the jury's decision. "Of course I think we were correct in each case, but we either didn't have the right witnesses or didn't present our case well enough. In hindsight, I wouldn't have done anything different on the race course."

McLaughlin improved Defiant's position only to 11th today in the 25-boat fleet and accepted graciously that, for him, the brass ring--and the Rolex timepiece presented to the winner--is beyond reach. After three light-air races today, Le Renard remains the leader, with 52 points over Nerone, skippered by Italy's Antonio Sodo Migliori. Joss, owned by Owen Kratz of League City, Texas, "won the day" with the lowest combination of scores from a 1-9-5 score line. The team, which has been sailing together for 14 years but only started Farr 40 racing at the beginning of this year when Kratz bought his boat, moved up from 14th to fifth today in overall standings.

"I think it had to do with our learning curve, in that we finally found our boat speed in light air at this regatta," explained Kratz, who gave credit to fellow Texan and Olympic Medallist John Kolius (LaPorte) for calling "brilliant" tactics.

Two other new race winners emerged today as well: Bambakou, skippered by John Coumantaros of New York, N.Y., and Groovederci, skippered by the regatta's only woman skipper Deneen Demourkas of Montecito, Calif. Demourkas passed race-three leader Crocodile Rock on the last leg to claim her victory and add it to a 13th and a second. She moves to fourth place overall behind Crocodile Rock, which is owned by Alex Geremia and Scott Harris of Santa Barbara, Calif. Bambakou sits in eighth overall. "It's anybody's ball game," said Demourkas, who is within striking distance to top-three. "That's what makes it so fun in this class." Today officially was North Sails Race Day. Sailing concludes tomorrow on the waters off Atlantis, Paradise Island. The event is hosted by the Storm Trysail Club.

(Results Before Protests Attached)
Place, Boat Name, Skipper, Hometown, Home Country, Finish Positions, Total Score

1. LE RENARD Steve Phillips, Arnold, Md., USA, 17-2-1-7-9-3-4-9, 52
2. NERONE Massimo Mezzaroma/Antonio Migliori, Rome, ITALY, 6-1-15-3-20-5-3-8, 61
3. CROCODILE ROCK Alexandra Geremia/Scott Harris, Santa Barbara, Calif., USA, 11-9-11-10-1-12-6-2, 62
4. GROOVEDERCI Deneen/John Demourkas, Montecito, Calif., USA, 8-DSQ-16-2-3-13-2-1, 71
5. JOSS Owen Kratz, League City, Texas, USA, 9-19-14-12-4-1-9-5, 73
6. SAMBA PA TI John Kilroy, Los Angeles, Calif., USA, 12-5-7-8-12-6-7-16, 73
7. PEGASUS Philippe Kahn, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, 19-8-19-6-5-4-12-6, 79
8. BAMBAKOU John Coumantaros, New York, N.Y., USA, 10-16-5-15-10-17-1-10, 84
9. BARKING MAD Jim Richardson, Boston, Mass./Newport, R.I. USA, 13-3-2-13-14-15-14-11, 85
10. BOTTADICULO Giovanni Arrivabene/Andrea Bocchini, Massarosa, ITALY, 2-10-6-4-DNF-19-17-4, 88
11. DEFIANT Terry McLaughlin, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA, 1-4-DSQ-9-DSQ-7-19-3, 95
12. ASSEGAI Leonidas Christeanakis/Chris Hunt, London, ENGLAND, 7-15-21-5-7-20-5-18, 98
13. BREEZE, Vincenzo Onorato, Naples, ITALY, 5-11-22-1-19-16-13-15, 102
14. NORWEGIAN STEAM Eivind Astrup, Oslo, NORWAY, 3-21-18-14-11-11-11-13, 102
15. KATANGA Robin Patterson, London, ENGLAND, 22-22-3-11-6-10-15-19, 108
16.VIRAGO Stuart Townsend, Chicago, Ill., USA, 4-13-20-24-15-2-10-21, 109
17. GONE TOO FARR Dave Carrel, Belvedere, Calif., USA, 15-12-17-18-17-14-16-17, 126
18. EMOTIONAL HOOLIGAN Marcus Blackmore, Sydney, AUSTRALIA, 14-18-8-16-22-18-20-14, 130
19. KOKOMO Lang Walker, Potts Point, AUSTRALIA, 18-14-13-22-13-22-23-7, 132
20. MORNING GLORY Hasso Plattner, GERMANY/San Francisco, Calif., DSQ-6-4-17-2-DNC-DNC-DNC, 133
21. SOLUTION John Thomson, Port Washington, N.Y., USA , 16-17-23-19-18-9-22-12, 136
22. SLED Takashi Okura, Tokyo, JAPAN, 23-20-9-25-8-8-24-22, 139
23. HONOUR Alek Krstajic, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA, 24-23-10-20-16-21-8-24, 146
24. NITEMARE Tom Neill, Berkeley, Ill., USA, 21-7-12-23-21-23-21-23, 151
25. FLASH GORDON Helmut Jahn, Chicago, Ill., USA, 20-24-24-21-23-24-18-20, 174