Samba Pa Ti Tightens Grip On Farr 40 North Americans

John Kilroy, with tactician Paul Cayard, Jeff Madrigali and a host of other world-class sailors on board Samba Pa Ti, opened the day with an eighth place after an OCS but came back with a second and a fifth to extend his lead to 10 points with two races remaining in Los Angeles Yacht Club's Watts Trophy/Farr 40 North American championship at San Pedro, Calif. Saturday. Crocodile rock, with Russell Coutts calling tactics for Scott Harris and Alexandra Geremia, is the only one of 11 rivals with a chance to overtake Samba Pa Ti.

Dolphins welcomed the Farr 40s to their playground in the San Pedro Channel. Photo © Rich Roberts	Philippe Kahn (right) drove Pegasus back from last place in the previous race to first place in Race 9. Here he leads John MacLaurin's Pendragon around the windward mark. Photo © Rich Roberts
Jim Richardson's Barking Mad charges down the offset leg followed by Pendragon, as Slingshot skipper Chuck Parrish (center) looks for a gap in the starboard layline. Photo © Rich Roberts	Tactician Terry Hutchinson rides the rail behind owner/skipper Jim Richardson as Barking Mad crosses Chuck Parrish's Slingshot. Photo © Rich Roberts
Samba Pa Ti's crew has been clicking through maneuvers like setting their spinnaker. Photo © Rich Roberts	Deneen Demourkas tacks Groovederci to join Samba Pa Ti in tactical move to the favored right side of the course. Photo © Rich Roberts