Marcus Blackmore has won both the Rosemount Australian Farr 40 Championship and the Farr 40 Australian Circuit this weekend. With a final pointscore of 23, Marcus Blackmore and his crew on Emotional Hooligan won the Australian Championship from previous title holder Richard Perini on Corinthian Doors by 2 points with Rob Skinner on Weapon finishing in third on 45 points.

Racing on the final day saw conditions that differed greatly from the first two days of racing with the sou’east breeze of 15-22 knots producing some fantastic racing. Gusts of 24 knots saw some great sailing as well as spinnakers blowing up in the last race of the days. Syntegra Rapscallion had a spinnaker launch a little early on the up wind leg in race 8 which ended up under the keel and in a number of pieces on the Palm Beach Circle and they had to finish race 8 under headsail.

As with one design racing it all came down to the last race. Emotional Hooligan had come back in race 8 after being recalled for being over the line to win the second last race of the series and this meant they had to finish in front of Corinthian Doors to take the title. With a close run down the final leg being neck and neck with Buon Giorno Emotional Hooligan finished second to Southern Star II and took both titles.

Marcus won the Australian Circuit on a count back from Steve Ellis on Buon Giorno with Lang Walker on Kokomo sailing his first season in the class, taking third in the Australian Circuit and fourth in the Australian Championship.

This regatta saw the finish of a successful season for the Farr 40 class in Australia with competition being close and consistent. Teams representing four Australian states have given the class a national ambiance with the 2005 Worlds being planned for Sydney. There will be the Alfa Romeo twilight series raced on the harbour from March 17-21.

Results

Australian Farr 40 Championships

1 Marcus Blackmore (Emotional Hooligan – RPAYC) 23pts

2 Richard Perini (Corinthian Doors – RSYS) 25 pts

3 Robert Skinner (Weapon – CYCA) 45 pts

4 Lang Walker (Kokomo – CYCA) 50 pts

5 John Calvert Jones (Southern Star II – RPAYC) 51 pts

6 Steve Ellis (Buon Giorno – RPAYC) 54 pts

7 Phillip Coombs (Farr to much Fun – SYC) 68 pts

8 Dick Voorderhake (Syntegra Rapscallion – CYCA) 70 pts

9 David Urry (War Games – CYCSA) 71 pts

10 Dennis McDonald (One Step Ahead – CYCA) 71 pts

11 Warren Wiekmann (Leroy Brown – RPAYC) 91 pts

12 Ron Jones (Valley Tram – RQYS) 98 pts

13 Michael and Bill Quinn (Truant – CYCA) 103 pts