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Last Updated September 6, 2006 9:36 PM (Pacific)

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Flash Gordon Saved Every One of Them – Finishes That Is

Written by Dana Paxton
Wednesday, 06 September 2006
Newport, RI - Flash Gordon was firing on all cylinders today while other leading lights stalled out during a tricky opening day at the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship in Newport, Rhode Island. The formula for Flash Gordon's success includes world-renowned architect Helmut Jahn (Chicago, Ill.) steering his Flash Gordon upwind, then handing over to his son Evan downwind. An unorthodox approach, but one that did them no harm in the light south-westerly breeze that blew across Rhode Island Sound. In the first race of the day, Flash Gordon got a nice start off the pin end of the line, in good company with leading contenders such as 2004 World Champion and winner of last week's Pre-Worlds, Jim Richardson (Newport, R.I./Boston, Mass.) on Barking Mad. However, where Barking Mad tacked off to protect the middle of the course, Flash Gordon kept on going, rounding the first mark narrowly ahead of Vincenzo Onorato's Mascalzone Latino (Portoferrio, Italy). Barking Mad dropped to around 10th when tactician Terry Hutchinson's conservative strategy failed to pay off.
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Missing Mistral at Maxi Rolex Cup

Written by Rolex Media
Wednesday, 06 September 2006
Porto Cervo, Italy - The crews competing in the 2006 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, were challenged by another day of light winds. So far there has been no sign of the legendary Mistral, which can blow from the northwest at up to 45 knots. After an initial postponement on shore, the Race Committee selected a 26 mile coastal course for the Spirit of Tradition fleet, while the other fleets tackled a 35 mile course around the Archipelago de La Maddalena, on exactly the same route as yesterday but sailed clockwise. After an initial upwind leg, the fleet headed to the Monaci islet on a close reach, followed by another reach to the submerged rocks of the Secca Tre Monti. The line-up of boats parading under spinnaker all the way into the channel was a truly incredible sight. The fleets then headed up between the islands with the 98-feet Super Maxis Alfa Romeo and Wild Oats XI leading by an impressive margin over the Maxi turbo sled Morning Glory.
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