After three very different days of sailing both on Sydney Harbour and off Sydney heads, Lang Walker and his team on Kokomo have defended their double crown - the 2008 Hamilton Island Farr 40 Australian Championship and the 2007 -08 Australian Farr 40 Circuit.
Team Kokomo – Front row Stuart Pollard, Jane Clark, Lang Walker, Sue Walker, Richard Allanson, John Flannery, Back row Mark Walsh, Colin Beashel, Bruce Clark, Dave Scott, Matt Souter photo Sam Crichton
“Racing in this regatta has been on of the toughest in the Australian class so far. We have had to sail fairly consistently to finish on top with the racing in the harbour on the first day being fluky but great to sail on the flat water. Saturday was three very tough races with the whole fleet very close. The newcomers to the fleet did a great job and it bodes well for the class and the upcoming 2011 Farr 40 World Championship which is returning to Sydney”, commented a delighted Walker.
For the last day the 10 boat fleet again headed outside Sydney heads to the Macquarie circle to line up for the last three races in the series. After Saturday’s tough conditions offshore the fleet raced in a shifty breeze that swung from the south west to the east all in the last leg of race seven.
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The large swell that had provided many surfing opportunities yesterday had reduced dramatically and the lighter fluctuating breeze tested the mettle of every tactician's strategy. Ivan Wheen’s Sputnik and Guido Belgiorno Nettis’s Transfusion, who overnight were placed second and third respectively, switched places overall after Transfusion finished the last day with two first places and a fourth. “It’s fantastic to see the local fleet so strong and we are already looking forward to next season starting with the annual Port Stephens regatta”, said Wheen. Belgiorno Nettis, who is sailing his first season in the Farr 40 class, came second in the 2007-08 Australian Farr 40 circuit on a countback from Lisa and Martin Hill. |
“Our team has come a long way this season and learnt a lot about sailing the Farr 40. The level of competition has been fantastic and we will be back for more”, remarked Belgiorno Nettis who took home two second places this weekend in both the Championship and the circuit.
The 2008-09 Australian Farr 40 season will kick off in October with it hoped for a Farr 40 class division to also be racing at the Audi Hamilton Island Race week in August.
The Farr 40 class would like to thank the event sponsor Hamilton Island and to the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron who hosted the event.
Final Results 2008 Hamilton Island Farr 40 Australian Championship:
| Pl. | Yacht | Owner/Skipper | Club | Points |
| 1 | Kokomo | Lang Walker | CYCA | 23 |
| 2 | Transfusion | Guido Belgiorno Nettis | MHYC | 26 |
| 3 | Sputnik | Ivan Wheen | RSYS | 34 |
| 4 | Hooligan | Marcus Blackmore | RPAYC | 43 |
| 5 | White Cloud | Brett Neill | RNZYS | 45 |
| 5 | Estate Master | Lisa and Martin Hill | MHYC | 45 |
| 7 | Wot Now | Graeme Wood | CYCA | 67 |
| 7 | Orion | Michael Blumentals | CYCA | 67 |
| 9 | Night Nurse | Russell McCart | RQYS | 73 |
| 10 | Revolution Edake | Jeff Carter | MHYC | 76 |
2007-08 Australian Farr 40 Circuit (top five)
1 Lang Walker 14
2 Guido Belgiorno Nettis 21
3 Lisa and Martin Hill 21
4 Marcus Blackmore 21
5 Brett Neill 32
2007-2008 Australian Circuit
Corinthian Doors Peppers Anchorage F40 Regatta
RPAYC F40 Regatta
CYCA F40 Regatta
Savills SORC
Rolex Trophy One Design Series
Farr 40 Sprint Series
Hamilton Island Farr 40 Australian Championship
2007-2008 North American Winter Circuit
10th Anniversary Match Race Invitational
Farr 40 10th Anniversary Regatta
Acura Key West 2008
Acura Miami Grand Prix
2008 North American West Coast Circuit
Midwinters at Long Beach YC
Ahmanson Cup at NHYC
Yachting Cup at SDYC
Cal Race Week
Long Beach Race Week
Santa Barbara Fiesta Cup
2008 European Circuit North
Larvik Race Weekend
Copenhagen Regatta
2008 European Circuit Med.
Audi Farr 40 Cup
Sardinia Rolex Cup - non circuit event
2008 North American Great Lakes Circuit
Columbia Yacht Club Colors Regatta
Chicago NOOD
Chicago YC 100th Race to Mackinac
Macatawa Bay YC Commodore's Cup
2008 North American East Coast Circuit
NYYC Annual Regatta
After eight intense races over the last two days Ivan Wheen’s Sputnik sailed a consistent regatta to win the event. Racing on Saturday was off the Macquarie lighthouse outside Sydney Heads and with five sprint races in a constant 15 knot sou’south east breeze the ten teams racing maintained maximum effort until the end.
The sprint race format provided intense short races with every move made on each leg having an impact on the final race result. Every race, which took on average 35 minutes, was a case of constant manoeuvres as the fleet remained in touch with each other for the entire length of the one mile legs.
Sputnik led the way after winning three of the five races on day one with Brett Neill’s White Cloud winning race two of the series and Lang Walker’s Kokomo winning race three.
Day two and the fleet moved the race course to Sydney Harbour and with the Sunday harbour traffic adding extra challenges the fleet raced from Taylor’s Bay across the harbour to Rose Bay.
Marcus Blackmore’s Hooligan won the first race of day two with the rest of the fleet in close contact. “We had a bit on on the short harbour courses but we enjoyed sprint series format. Our tactician (Cameron Dunn) did a fantastic job picking the shifts”, remarked Blackmore after finishing second overall.
Class newcomer Graeme Wood and his team on Wot Now sailed their best race of the series to finish third in race six. “We had a great regatta and it’s a pleasure to sail with a crew who are all learning about the class together”, said Wood after racing.
Sputnik took their fourth win of the series after a large cargo ship split the fleet in two and had the ten boats all rounding the bottom mark in quick succession.
The last race of the series and the breeze fluctuated in strength as the fleet raced their final three lap race. Lisa and Martin Hill’s Estate Master took the final gun and Queenslander Russell McCart’s Night Nurse, sailing in their first Farr 40 class event, finished off the series on a high note finishing third in race eight.
“It’s been very close but fair racing over the two days. There was a variety of conditions and we really enjoyed the inshore racing. I’m really impressed with the teams who have travelled to Sydney to race and it’s great to welcome new owners and crew to the class”, commented Wheen.
The final event in the 2007-08 Australian Farr 40 Circuit, the 2008 Hamilton Island Farr 40 Australian Championship will be held February 22-24 and will be hosted by Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron.
2008 Farr 40 Sprint Series Final Results:
| Pl. | Yacht | Owner/Skipper | Total |
| 1 | Sputnik | Ivan Wheen | 25 |
| 2 | Hooligan | Marcus Blackmore | 29 |
| 3 | Kokomo | Lang Walker | 30 |
| 4 | Estate Master | Lisa and Martin Hill | 39 |
| 5 | Transfusion | Guido Belgiorno Nettis | 41 |
| 6 | White Cloud | Brett Neill | 50 |
| 7 | Orion | Michael Blumentals | 50 |
| 8 | Wot Now | Graeme Wood | 53 |
| 9 | Night Nurse | Russell McCart | 61 |
| 10 | Revolution Edake | Jeff Carter | 63 |
For more information please go to www.farr40.org or contact Sam Crichton ph # +61 0407 63 64 16 or emailsamcrichton@smartchat.net.au