Transfusion Skipper Guido Belgiorno-Nettis took back the helm today and didn’t skip a beat leading his crew to another victory at the second regatta of the 2015/16 Farr 40 Australian Open Series sailed over two days on Sydney Harbour.
With a perfect score of four wins from four races today the Skipper could not have been happier. “Once again the scoreboard did not reflect the racing. Kindergarten and Exile scored very close second places in races one and two with just a metre or two in it.” Belgiorno-Nettis thanked Mike Dunstan for putting the team in such a good position going into the final day of racing today and also expressed gratitude to the other Owners allowing a substitute helmsman yesterday.
The course was set from The Sound to Watsons Bay and a 12-18 knot southerly provided near to perfect conditions for racing. Due to a wind shift, PRO Phil Yeomans adjusted the course for races three and four and once again ran a great regatta for the Farr 40 Class.
Media release 26 October 2015
Event: Farr 40 Australian Open Series conducted by Middle Harbour Yacht Club, October 24-25, 2015 with racing on Sydney Harbour
The Farr 40 Australian Open Series might have convincingly belonged to the multiple national and 2011 world champions, Guido Belgiorno-Nettis’ Transfusion, but new class president Rod Jones is keen to point out five from the seven boat fleet wrested a win during the season opener.
A seven point difference from Transfusion, racing for the host Middle Harbour Yacht Club, back to Jones and his Kindergarten crew in second, gives the runners-up a target. “We all watched the Transfusion guys be the best out there; they execute at a higher level,” Jones said. “I don’t have any doubt we have better boat speed in all conditions this season, however we are still not executing at the level Transfusion is, and that’s the difference.
“Plusses are we’ve found speed and the crew is gelling. Our tactician Steve McConaghy is not only qualified but fits into the team beautifully. We just need more time racing; we see the benchmark and we know what we have to do,” Jones summed up.
Third overall after eight races on Sydney Harbour was Rob Reynolds’ Exile, steered by Rob’s brother Tony for the new campaign’s promising maiden outing. And though Gordon Ketelbey’s Zen finished in the second half of the rankings, his MHYC crew nabbed two bullets yesterday in the building nor’east sea breeze that peaked at 17 knots.
Finishes of 7-4-3 put him fourth overall in the 17-boat international fleet on the opening day of the series; Demourkas then won the first race on day two, and, with finishes of 5-3, moved up to second overall. Scores of 5-6-4 on the third day of racing kept Demourkas in position, but he was tied on 38 points with Roepers who held the top spot in the overall standings to start the final day of the series. Struntje light won the first race of the day, moving Wolfgang Schaefer's team to within striking distance of the title and setting up an intriguing three-way battle.
Media release 21 October 2015
Event: Australian Farr 40 season October 2015 - February 2016, including the National Championship, Australian International and 2016 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship
Australian Farr 40’s summer to ripen
A full season of racing begins this weekend for the Australian Farr 40 class, giving the local fleet four months to ripen over summer in time for the 2016 world title Sydney will host next February.
Three open regattas in October (24-25), November (7-8) and December (12-13) precede the Farr 40 NSW State Title (January 23-24, 2016) and Farr 40 National Championships: John Calvert-Jones Trophy (January 29-31).
The competition then moves from Middle Harbour Yacht Club to the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron at Kirribilli for the Australian International, February 11-13, and finally the big one, the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, February 16-19, 2016. Five of the top ranked international boats have suggested they’ll be shipping out from Europe and the USA to shirt-front the locals.
At least four Aussie teams are hunting the main prize of a world championship; previous winner (2011, Sydney) Transfusion (Guido Belgiorno-Nettis), the current Australian champion outfit of Voodoo Chile led by Lloyd Clarke and Andrew Hunn, Rod Jones’ Kindergarten and Lisa and Martin Hill who are fresh from competing this year’s Rolex Farr 40 worlds in California with Estate Master.
John Demourkas and his Groovederci team have won the 2015 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship. Full report to follow.
Final top ten:
1. Groovederci , John Demourkas, USA, 49.0
2. Plenty, Alex Roepers, USA, 50.0
3. Struntje light, Wolfgang Schaefer, GER, 52.0
4. Nightshift , Kevin McNeil, USA, 57.0
5. Flash Gordon 6, Helmut Jahn, USA, 64.0
6. Estate Master, Martin Hill, AUS, 65.0
7. Enfant Terrible , Alberto Rossi, ITA, 66.0
8. Coquille (Corinthian), Gary Ezor, USA, 82.0
9. Asterisk Uno, Hasip Gencer, TUR, 84.0
10. Insanity (Corinthian), Rick Goebel, USA, 113.0
Full results