Overall winner "Evolution" (AUS)
The Rolex Farr 40 World Championship came to an end in Sydney with a very close home win for the yacht "Evolution". Despite a slip in the last race, the team of owner and helmsman Richard Perini was at the end level on points with the "Shockwave" of Neville Crichton (also Australia) and won because of the better individual results.
"Bronze" went to the "TWT" (Marco Radolfi / Italy) just one point back. Again, however, Hasso Plattner acted without luck with his "Morning Glory". On the day of the final, the player from Walldorf only finished 14th, 20th and fourth. Instead of landing on the podium, on which he was at half-time, he only ended up in tenth place.
In a heart-stopping final, the two Australian boats fought for the World Cup crown with the "TWT". At each mark, the mathematicians were asked to convert the changing intermediate results into a hypothetical end result. The "Evolution" would have lost a huge lead by a hair's breadth, which it had built up after the penultimate race. In the end, the team around tactician Hamish Pepper was 21st of 28 participants and yet the happy overall winner. A full seven seconds later, she would only have finished third in the final standings.
Runner-up "Shockwave" (AUS)
After crossing the finish line, it took Perini more than ten minutes to realize that the title could no longer be taken from him. "We wanted to make it exciting for the audience," said the owner, not being taken seriously, as the great tension gradually fell away. Pepper described the stress on board as follows: "We weren't in the final as usual. Everyone was under enormous pressure and tried all the time to find out what we should do on the last downwind stretch so as not to lose everything."
His counterpart on the "Shockwave", Michael Coxon, did not feel like a loser: "Of course we could look back on numerous situations in which we have the title on our conscience. But I'm sure the others could do that too." As in the previous two years, the local team's experience of the area played a major role and ultimately made the difference. The Australians had advantages especially on the light wind days.
Third place at "TWT" (ITA)
There was disillusionment but no dejection on board the German boat. "We were close, but in light winds we mostly lacked fortune," said Plattner, and maybe some speed. While his team was consistently convincing in strong winds and sailed in the top group, the weak breeze in the second half of the World Cup did not come out of the main field too seldom. Even tactician Russell Coutts, three-time America’s Cup winner, did not always find the cheapest way through the wind turns and holes on the regatta course on the final day. Only in the last, arguably the most difficult of the three races of the day, which regatta director Peter Reggio started despite the adverse conditions, was there a conciliatory fourth place.
Richard Perini was celebrated like a triumph at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australi. Hamish Pepper showered the entire crew in champagne, and the owner traditionally had to endure the involuntary bath in the harbor basin
Results (preliminary)Place, yacht name, country, skipper, point
1.) Evolution, AUS, Richard Perini, 2-7-1-15-6-3-9-2-21, 66 2.) Team Shockwave, AUS, Neville Crichton, 4-17-2-3-15-6-4-6-9, 663.) TWT, ITA, Marco Rodolfi, 14-2-9-1-1-8-16-10-6, 674.) Warpath, USA, Steve and Fred Howe, 10-3-21-10-3-7-6-1-11, 725.) Mascalzone Latino, ITA, Vincenzo Onorato, 6-11-4-8-9-18-3-4-12, 756.) Barking Mad, USA, Jim Richardson, 8-14-13-14-4-5-13-8-1, 807.) Ichi Ban, AUS, Matt Allen, 1-1-14-20-5-14-10-15-7, 878.) Southern Star, AUS, John Calvert-Jones, 13-10-5-13-14-1-1-11-20, 889.) Nerone, ITA, Massimo Mezzaroma / Antonio Sodo Migliori,11-8-11-4-7-9-5-9-25, 8910.) Morning Glory, GER, Hasso Plattner, 9-6-3-9-10-17-14-20-4, 92