Le Renard wins in Bahamas

Rolex Farr 40 Worlds come to a conclusion with an American winner

Steve Phillips of Arnold, Md., has steered Le Renard to win the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, which concluded today at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, Bahamas. Over four days of competition in poster-perfect sailing conditions, Phillips turned in single-digit finishes in all but one of ten races, which proved the key to his success.

"It was our strategy to stay in the top ten in every race," said Phillips, "because the teams here are tremendous an it's very competitive. We took a 17th in the first race, but after that we sailed consistently and we stayed out of trouble."

Phillips, the current Farr 40 East Coast champion, credited his tactician Mark Reynolds, a three-time Olympic medallist from San Diego, with keeping everyone on track to victory. "I'd hate to play poker with the guy, he stays so cool," said Phillips. "He doesn't let us get in difficult situations."

Phillips finished with 61 points overall and a 22-point lead over second-place finisher Groovederci, skippered by the regatta's only woman skipper Deneen Demourkas of Montecito, Calif. Groovederci and would-be third-place finisher Crocodile Rock, skippered by Scott Harris of Santa Barbara, Calif., were over early in today's second race, and in their battle back to earn respectable positions encountered problems at a
congested mark. Both boats were protested by Italy's Nerone, with Crocodile Rock losing the battle in the jury room to fall from third to fifth. As a result, Samba Pa Ti, skippered by John Kilroy of Los Angeles, Calif., moved up to third, with Nerone, skippered by Antonio Migliori (Rome) gaining a position as well and finishing fourth.

Place	Boat Name	R 1	R 2	R 3	R 4	R 5	R 6	R 7	R 8	R 9	R 10	Total
1	LE RENARD	17	2	1	7	9	3	4	9	1	8	61
2	CROCODILE ROCK	11	9	11	10	1	12	6	2	3	18	83
3	GROOVEDERCI	8	19 p20	16	2	3	13	2	1	7	12	83
4	SAMBA PA TI	12	5	7	8	12	6	7	16	6	4	83
5	NERONE	6	1	15	3	20	5	3	8	13	14	88
6	PEGASUS	19	8	19	6	5	4	12	6	10	3	92
7	BARKING MAD	13	3	2	13	14	15	14	11	4	6	95
8	DEFIANT	1	4	26 dsq	9	26 dsq	7	19	3	8	1	104
9	BAMBAKOU	10	17	5	15	10	17	1	10	18	2	105
10	JOSS	9	20	14	12	4	1	9	5	19	13	106
11	BOTTADICULO	2	10	6	4	26 dnf	19	17	4	2	17	107
12	BREEZE	5	11	22	1	19	16	13	15	11	5	118
13	KATANGA	22	23	3	11	6	10	15	19	9	7	125
14	NORWEGIAN STEAM	3	22	18	14	11	11	11	13	5	24	132
15	ASSEGAI	7	16	21	5	7	20	5	18	23	16	138
16	VIRAGO	4	13	20	24	15	2	10	21	20	15	144
17	EMOTIONAL HOOLIGAN	14	19	8	16	22	18	20	14	12	11	154
18	KOKOMO	18	15	13	22	13	22	23	7	14	9	156
19	GONE TOO FARR	15	12	17	18	17	14	16	17	16	23	165
20	SOLUTION	16	18	23	19	18	9	22	12	15	19	171
21	HONOUR	24	24	10	20	16	21	8	24	17	10	174
22	SLED	23	21	9	25	8	8	24	22	22	22	184
23	MORNING GLORY	26 dsq	6	4	17	2	26 dnc	26 dnc	26 dnc	26 dnc	26 dnc	185
24	NITEMARE	21	7	12	23	21	23	21	23	21	20	192
25	FLASH GORDON 4	20	25	24	21	23	24	18	20	24	21	220