Farr 40 World Championships Overall
by Bob Fisher 15 Sep 1999 09:03 BST
TOP DAY FOR KILROY GIVES HIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
SAN FRANCISCO, CA-A fist punched the air from behind the wheel of John
Kilroy's Samba Pa Ti as he crossed the line in second place in the final
race of the Lewmar sponsored Farr 40 World Championship. The punch came as
much in relief as in triumph for the skipper who had completed the
championship action to win by a single point from Vincenzo Onorato's
Mascalzone Latino, who followed him home. A fall from grace in a major way -
a 13th place finish - dropped the leader going into the final race, Jim
Richardson in Barking Mad, to third overall.
'It was a great day on the Bay,' said a grinning Kilroy after thanking his
crew, led by fellow local ace, John Kostecki. 'I wouldn't have it otherwise.
Kilroy triumphed by persistence and despite a 15th in one of the previous
days races. Onorato pushed him hard, but had probably seen his chances
evaporate in the lighter breezes of the morning, when he was ninth.
There was an action packed thriller of a final race for the championship with
the outcome partly decided at the first mark where Richardson had to perform
a 360 degree penalty turn and dropped from eighth to seventeenth in the
process. It took him out of contention to retain the title he won last year
in Miami and left the battle to continue between Kilroy and Onorato, one
which seemed stacked initially in favour of the Italian.
The breeze was up to 20 knots for the final race and it was Onorato who
nailed the start at the Committee Boat and immediately tacked out to the
right. Kilroy was in the middle of the line and Richardson, as is usual for
him, at the pin. Initially, it looked as though the left side was paying,
but a shift ten minutes into the race handed the advantage the other way.
Onorato was first to the windward mark with Kilroy right behind him.
Richard Marki's Raging Bull was next but hit the mark and almost made off
with it sideways as more of the fleet piled through. Downwind the order
changed with David Thomson's Peregrine taking the lead and Kilroy also
passing Onorato. And that was the way it was to stay for the rest of the
race with Thomson doggedly hanging on to win while Kilroy covered Onorato
closely to take the championship.
The morning race provided an interesting study of strategic sailing with
Kilroy having to sacrifice all to win while Richardson had to stay close to
him to be in contention for the championship with one race to go. It was
almost all over for Onorato who continued with his policy of heading left on
the windward legs on a day when this was the wrong way to go - a 17th at the
first mark gave him much to do to recover.
There was a noted reluctance from all 19 competitors to be close to the
starting line particularly at the favoured pin end. None of the top boats
showed well until they had settled into their stride and decided that the
right hand side of the course was the place to be. Jack Woodhull's
Persephone was the first to go that way and rightly received the most benefit
to round the first mark in the lead from Samba Pa Ti and Barking Mad
John Calvert-Jones' Southern Star came into the equation in fourth place and
proved a thorn in the side of the two championship contenders by leading for
the whole of the second windward/leeward leg, finally finishing second to
Kilroy. Marki's Raging Bull had a fine last beat to edge out Richardson for
third place, but Barking Mad was the overall leader at the end of race eight.
Five points separated Richardson from both Onorato and Kilroy. Onorato had
made a spirited recovery to ninth to keep his championship hopes alive.
There was therefore much at stake when the boats approached the line for the
final race in 12 knots of south-westerly breeze.
Results (Final standings):
Pos Boat Owner Ctry R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 Pts
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1. Samba Pa Ti John Kilroy (USA) 3 1 2 6 5 15 1 1 2 36
2. Mascalzone Latino Vincenzo Onorato (ITA) 5 6 1 2 3 2 6 9 3 37
3. Barking Mad Jim Richardson (USA) 1 2 8 1 1 9 3 4 13 42
4. Southern Star John Calvert-Jones (AUS) 7 5 3 8 28 10 2 5 50