Barking Mad on top

As Rolex Baltic Week gets underway for the Farr 40s in blustery conditions

The first day of Rolex Baltic Week started in Neustadt, Germany today with four incredibly tight and exciting races in the International Farr 40 class. The lead changed several times not only in individual races, but also in the overall ranking. At the end of the day the Jim Richardson's US yacht Barking Mad held a narrow lead, just two points ahead of Sue and Lang Walker's Kokomo from Australia. The two German teams could not keep up with the frontrunners and with Struntje light of Wolfgang Schaefer fifth and Opus One/Wolfgang Stolz seventh.

"It was very tough racing in tricky conditions," said American Terry Hutchinson, back in his old role calling tactics on board Barking Mad. "But the race committee managed it pretty well." The day started with a fresh and gusty westerly breeze, which decreased later on and shifted as a front with thunder approached. These conditions caused the practice race for the European Championship of the International Melges 24 class to be abandoned. Their Europeans are due to start tomorrow at 1400 local time.

The Farr 40s completed one race more than scheduled, however, because the forecast for the next day promises lighter winds.

Hutchinson enjoyed every single race: "We battled for every metre and managed lots of manoeuvres - tacking, gybing, sail changes, etc. The mark roundings felt like a ride on a roller coaster." A place among the top five of the 13 boats in each race would be a great success, said Hutchinson and his US team achieved this goal three times on the first day. But the third race showed how quickly things can change. Hutchinson explained: "We were almost the last boat in the field, but were then able to recover and catch up finish seventh in the end."

Barking Mad owner and helmsman Jim Richardson, President of the International Farr 40 Class Association, takes Neustadt not just as a training session for the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship at the end of the month in Copenhagen, Denmark. "We also want to catch Kokomo in the European Circuit," confirmed Hutchinson. But for that Barking Mad will have to gain a few more points in the five remaining races.

For Terry Hutchinson Rolex Baltic Week is the first regatta back on board Barking Mad after participating in the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds in Newport, USA last year. In the interim he has held the key role of tactician for Emirates Team New Zealand, this year's America's Cup challenger. "It is great to sail the Farr 40 again. The races are always a high level challenge," he said.

Wolfgang Schaefer was not happy with his result: "We struggled two times, but lost the chance to gain a top position," said the skipper of Struntje light. The first start was especially annoying because the crew couldn't avoid a collison when the mainsail of the Australian Ichi Ban owned by Matt Allen became hooked on the spreader of the German boat which could't make the start line and had to make a second attempt. "In a top field like this you can't catch up," reported Schaefer who finally came eighth in that race.

For Ichi Ban there was disaster in the first race when her brand new mainsail ripped forcing Allen to change back to his old and used sail. But in another race Ichi Ban finished eighth helping her skipper and crew to recover. They finally scored two bullets and came fourth overall at 24 points behind the Italian Fiamma of Alessandro Barnaba on 19.

Right behind in fifth is the crew of Struntje light, who had to deal with an 11th place in the third race. "We had some difficulties with the spinnaker pole so we couldn't gybe," admitted Schaefer. This made him involuntarily head in tactically the wrong direction for a while losing eight boats in the process. Struntje light finished top German boat when Opus One fell behind after a good start finishing tenth and 11th in the final two races.

Tomorrow's start is at 1100 local time.

Overall ranking of the Farr 40 regatta after four races:

1st Barking Mad (Jim Richardson, USA) 15 points
2nd Kokomo (Lang Walker, Australia) 17
3rd Fiamma (Alessandro Barnaba, Italy) 19
4th Ichi Ban (Matt Allen, Australia) 24
5th Struntje light (Wolfgang Schaefer, Germany) 26
6th Groovederci (John Demourkas, USA) 27
7th Opus One (Wolfgang Stolz, Germany) 29

More photos on page 2...