The Farr 30 Circuit came to the Sail Newport Sailing Center in Newport, Rhode Island this past weekend, and the racing consisted of 9 races, with 8 of them being contested in big waves and big breeze. 18-20 knot southerlies greeted the mostly East Coast Sailors competing in the final North American Farr 30 Circuit event for 2007 for the first day of racing on Friday. Saturday saw more wind with 18-22 knots seabreezes and similar big wave conditions to put the Fleet to the test.  It was "Around the Island" on Sunday with an 18.1 mile distance race sailed clockwise around Conanicut Island in moderate to light conditions to conclude a great weekend of racing.

FINAL RESULTS

The boat most used to these heavier conditions is Bruce Eddington's team on Southern Sun from Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne, Australia. His team from the Australian Sandringham Yacht Club tore up the race course and put a virtual picketfence of bullets sweeping the regatta will all first place finishes.  Great technique in the big breeze on the first two days and a come from behind win in the Around the Island Race on Sunday.  Southern Sun had great downwind technique and blazing upwind speed to set themselves apart from the Fleet.

The group finishing just behind Southern Sun had equally good command of the heavy air conditions with Class President Nelson Stephenson on Team Bold and Bill Lynn on Sixx fighting it out for second.  Sixx won the battle, finishing in 2nd Place overall.

The wipeout of the day on Friday was definitely the full layout sucahara in the pike position of Bodo Von der Wense's Turbo Duck from Annapolis MD. While coming down the final run of  the 3rd race on Friday solidly in second position Turbo duck got sideways on a huge wave and rounded down into a gibing broach. They gathered themselves quickly and only lost 150 yards, but that was enough to let 4 boats slip by.

Saturday brought even more wind for 4 more races in spectacular conditions for sailing a Farr 30.  The Farr 30 revels in these conditions and these top flight sailors were treated to some of the best heavy weather sailing possible.  Everyone agreed that the two days of racing in these conditions was great training for the Fleet and improved sailing skills across the fleet.

Sunday, the Fleet was treated to an Around the Island Race in much more moderate conditions.  The combination of velocity changes and variable tidal flows in that area around Newport created racing fun with many lead changes.  Ultimately Southern Sun squeeked out a come from behind win over Turbo Duck by just a few meters after 4 hours of racing.

Kattack has created race replays for the regattas.  Those are available in the Library for the free Kattack Player at www.kattack.com.