Capri, Italy. 19th May 2007. The fourth and final day of the Rolex Capri Sailing Week, organized by the Yacht Club Capri in collaboration with the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda with Rolex as title sponsor, saw the competing fleet set out accompanied by bright sunshine and a 5 to 6 knot breeze from approximately 250°. The Race Committee set a windward-leeward course of approximately 8 nautical miles for the Farr 40 and Swan 45 divisions while the Mini Maxi and Comet divisions also sailed approximately 8 nautical miles around the marks positioned in the Gulf of Naples.

In the Farr 40 fleet Jim Richardson’s Barking Mad (USA), overall leader since Day Two, won the series by a clear margin over Massimo Stefano Leporati’s Kismet (ITA) and Massimo Mezzaroma’s Nerone (ITA).

The sixteen competing boats completed one windward-leeward race today, bringing them to a total of seven regattas for the event. Several of the former America’s Cup tacticians competing in this division showed their worth today as Finland’s Sirgusawa, owned by Olli-Pekka Lumijarvi and with Dee Smith calling tactics, took their first victory of the series ahead of Marco Rodolfi’s TWT (ITA) with tactician Tiziano Nava. Alessandro Barnaba’s Fiamma (ITA), with Tommaso Chieffi calling tactics, took third place.

Two-time Farr 40 World Champion (1998, 2004) Jim Richardson was delighted with his victory: “The week’s racing went terrific for us. We had come off of a couple of bad results back in the winter series in the United S tates, so to come here and do well was a bit of redemption. After the first day we were in second and then after that we got into the lead and we stayed there so I think we sailed very well. We sailed conservatively and we didn’t take a lot of risks.”

Commenting on his relatively new team and plans for the season: “We have the America’s Cup going on and there are all sorts of other distractions and it’s difficult to get the same people all the time so we had a lot of new people on the boat this time. We had Bouwe Bekking, I’ve only sailed with him a few times but he’s a terrific sailor and he’s a wonderful, wonderful person to boot - he’s going to be in Porto Cervo with me as well.”

The Rolex Capri Sailing Week represents the first leg of the Farr 40 European circuit and, along with Barking Mad, most of this fleet will be continuing on to Porto Cervo for the second leg, the Rolex Settimana delle Bocche from 4th to 9th June.

At the closing Prize Giving Ceremony, held in Marina Grande, the winners of each division were awarded with Rolex Trophies and a Rolex Submariner Timepiece.

For full results, entry list, photos and further information please visit www.yccs.it or www.regattanews.com.

Capri - 19 May 2007 20:59