Onorato bags another championship

This time it is the Farr 40 Europeans for Mascalzone Latino

After four days of regattas against 12 boats from across Europe, the crew of Neapolitan Vincenzo Onorato, already three times Farr 40 World Champion (2006, 2007, 2008), won the European championship.

"It was an incredibly tough regatta", said the Mascalzone Latino skipper. "I'm very happy with this result, especially because I won with my 'historic' crew, that once more proved to be the best: guys were great!".

Held in Travemeunde, Germany, the Championship was characterised by unstable winds, which made tactics difficult. During the ten races, Mascalzone Latino was five times first, twice second, once sixth, fourth and eight, scoring 27 points in the overall results.

Together with Mascalzone Latino, the main competition was Joe Fly, skippered by fellow Italian Giovanni Maspero that was tied on points with Mascalzone Latino for the entire regatta, and finished second by just one point (28 points). The Finnish yacht Siragusawa of Lumijärvi and Olli-Pekka was third on 37 points.

"I congratulate Giovanni Maspero on the quality of the crew he has managed to create around himself," stated Onorato. "I'm sure Joe Fly will be a protagonist in the Farr 40 regattas: she's getting stronger every day. Maspero has created a great crew and will surely get all the satisfactions he deserves. I also congratulate Francesco Bruni ( Joe Fly tactician) who, thanks to the victory at the Melges World Championship and the regattas on the Farr 40, proved to be the Italian best tactician of the year."

Racing with Onorato once again were Adrian Stead (tactician), Matteo Savelli (navigator), Andrea Ballico (trimmer), Davide Scarpa (bowman), Gerry Mitchell (mainsail), Marco Cornacchia (trimmer), Tim Burnell (pitman), Adriano Figone (mast) and Roberta de Paoli Ambrosi (jolly).

Besides the title of Farr 40 European Champion 2008, Mascalzone Latino, also won the Farr 40 Northern European Circuit 2008, whose first stage was won in July again by Onorato's crew at Copenhagen.

With this latest success Mascalzone Latino ends the Farr 40 2008 season, with a he victory at the World Championship in Miami, second place at the ISAF Offshore Team World Championship as well as at the Acura Key West Race Week and at the Acura Miami Race Week and a third place at the Audi Farr 40 Cup in Porto Cervo, Sardinia.
"Although this is the last regatta with this boat, we are building a new Farr 40 hull, ready to defend next yer the titles won this year", assures Onorato.

The competitive commitment of Mascalzone Latino goes on in the waters of St.Moritz, from 2-7 September, for the St.Moritz Match Race, where Jes Gram-Hansen together with Rasmus Kostner of Mascalzone Latino Match Racing Team will sail against some of the best crews in the world, challenging one another in one-vs-one regattas.