With eight of the original 16 teams eliminated from contention, the competition format moved to the ‘first-to-three wins’ for the final day of racing for the 2005 Grey Goose ISAF Team Racing World Championship in Newport.

The New York Yacht Clubs Race Committee made short work of the quarterfinal rotation in the 10 knot south-westerly on Narragansett Bay, and by noon both Irish teams had been eliminated, followed by New Zealand 1 and Italy. Those teams then completed a sail off that determined their overall positions for the championship with IRL 2 coming in fifth, followed by IRL 1, ITA and NZL 1.

The results of the quarterfinals had also set the stage for a showdown between the two superpowers of team racing Great Britain and the USA. The pairings for the semifinals put USA 1 against GBR 1, each sailing with team racing world champions, and USA 2 against GBR 2. Although the USA cleaned up in both pairings, with win-loss records of 3-0, Great Britain didnt go down without a fight. The American teams had come into this regatta very well prepared, having spent a considerable amount of time training and competing in Vanguard 15s, the boat that was supplied for this championship.

In the end, the all USA final was a nail biter. USA 2, with Patrick Hogan -, Carlos Lenz, Pete Levesque, Liz Hall, Colin Merrick and Amanda Callahan was showing a little more speed. Team WHishbone, a.k.a. USA 1, the defending champions, with Tim Fallon, Karen Renzulli, Mark Ivey, Matt Lindblad, Tim Wadlow, and Ery Largay, demonstrated both composure and skill in the light to moderate breeze with decisive moves and back-to-back wins. USA 2 returned to win a thrilling race three, but USA 1 came back in the fourth race to clinch the championship.

Overall Results

1. USA 1

2. USA 2

3. Great Britain 1

4. Great Britain 2

5. Ireland 2

6. Ireland 1

7. Italy

8. New Zealand 1

9. US Virgin Islands

10. Australia 1

11. New Zealand 2

12. Japan 1

13. Australia 2

14. Czech Republic

15. Japan 2

16. Canada