Ernesto Berterelli’s Alinghi crew seem intent on adding the Farr 40 World title to the 12m title they gained at the America’s Cup Jubilee regatta last month. With former Team New Zealand stalwarts Russell Coutts, Simon Daubney and Warwick Fleury onboard, not to mention Berterelli’s broad experience, the Alinghi America’s Cup syndicate has taken the lead in the third race of the Rolex farr 40 Worlds off Cowes.

They inherited the lead from the top British Farr 40, Mark Heeley’s GBR25, on the final beat. Despite the tactical savvy of Iain Percy, GBR25 slipped from first to fourth, ahead of European Champion Dawn Raid, at the fifth mark but this is clearly a very tight race and the chance for a comeback is ever-present.

Second place has been nabbed by Philip Tolhurst’s Warlord VII with former world champion Jim Richardson’s Barking Mad in third.

More later…