It could hardly be closer. After eight races Jim Richardson’s Barking Mad and Vincenzo Onorato’s Mascalzone Latino were tied on points. Each had scored 29 points, but the final race win, his second victory in the 25-strong Farr 40 class, gave the overall victory to the class President, Richardson, over the reigning world champion, Onorato.

It may well have been the instruction Richardson’s tactician gave him before the eighth and final race that inspired the Barking Mad skipper to complete his first-ever Acura Key West Race Week victory. “If you win this one, we will win,” said Hutchinson, who had obviously properly completed his unofficial points score as Mascalzone Latino led Barking Mad by a single point!