Swan American Race Week - Day 4

SWANS SAIL TWO RACES IN NEWPORT SERIES

NEWPORT, RI, AUGUST 20, 1999--Michael Fracchia loves Swans. He's in his element this week in Newport, RI, where 42 of the Finnish-built racer/cruisers are competing in their first event in four years.

"This is a great gathering, but there should be more boats here," says Fracchia, an orthopedic surgeon from Port Jefferson, NY. As the commodore of the Swan Owners Association of America, Fracchia is fond of reciting his group's mission statement: "to promote the joys of Swan ownership."

"We own the best-built production boat in the world," Fracchia says proudly. "We want to race and cruise them to their fullest capacity."

Fracchia's Swan 391 Carpe Diem posted two third places yesterday, the fourth day of the event, to move into third place overall in the small boat class. Powered by a sprightly north-easterly breeze, the fleet sailed twice-around windward-leeward courses in a breeze that built to 18 knots as the day wore on.

With six races sailed, skippers can now discard their worst finish. The throwout rule allowed Graham Smith's Swan 48 Vellamo, from Seattle, WA, to consolidate his big boat Division F lead with a commanding eight and a half point margin.

In G Division for the smaller boats where Fracchia is sailing, Herb Schwartz, from Riverside, CT, scored a first and a second place today with his Swan 44 Mk II Wenden. Schwartz discarded a 12th place finish from yesterday to move up from third place overall to first. However Wenden is being closely pressed by Martin Jacobson's Swan 44 Mk II Crescendo, from Jamestown, RI, which is only two points back in second place overall. Fracchia is third, two and a half points behind Crescendo.

"We're just a baby Swan," says Fracchia by way of explanation. "We have a tough time staying with those two Swan 44 MK IIs."

The overall prize for Race Week is the Asprey and Garrard Swan American Trophy. It will be awarded tomorrow, after the conclusion of Race Week, to the outstanding boat of the week. The final race will take the fleet around Conanicut Island, conditions permitting. Visiting drivers from a Ferrari auto rally will be special guests and will follow the racing from aboard classic motoryachts.

Sponsors for Swan American Race Week include, Asprey and Garrard, Ferrari, Ocean World, Trident Funding, Brewers Yacht Yards, and Sebago. For more about Race Week, check the web site at www.swanraceweek.com

Swan American Race Week 1999 - Results, Day 4, August 20, 1999

F Division (Boats over 45-feet):

 1. Vellamo, W. Graham Smith, Swan 48, Seattle, WA 
    (2-1-4-[8]-3-1), 11;
 2. Neva, Robert C. Watson, Swan 56, New York, NY 
    (6.5-7-2-[12]-2-2), 19.5;
 3. Odyssey, David Brodsky, Swan 55, Newport, RI 
    (1-3-[15]-2-10-5), 22;
 4. Redoutable, Nader Habashi, Swan 56, Annapolis, MD 
    (12-5-1-[16]-1-3), 23;
 5. Nefertiti, Bob Schwager, Swan 46, New York, NY 
    (4-4-8-1-[9]-6), 27;

G Division (boats under 45 feet):

 1. Wenden, Herbert Schwartz, Swan 44 Mk II, Riverside, CT 
    (3-2-1-[12]-1-2) 9;
 2. Crescendo, Martin D. Jacobson, Swan 44 Mk II, Jamestown, RI 
    ([4]-1-3-4-2-1), 11;
 3. Carpe Diem, Michael Fracchia, Swan 391, Miller Place, NY 
    (1-4.5-[5]-2-3-3), 13.5
 4. The Ugly Duckling, Frederic Joyce, Swan S&S 44, Utica, NY 
    (6-3-[9]-1-6-9) 25;
 5. Dawn Treader, Lawrence Cohen, Swan 411, Gloucester, VA 
    ([7]-4.5-7-5-4-6) 26.5.