Coutts
And Cayard At It Again As SAMBA PA TI Dances To
Farr 40 N.A. Championship At LAYC Watts Cup Regatta
By Betsy Crowfoot
LOS
ANGELES, CA JUNE 6, 2004 – The Watts Cup
/ Farr 40 North American Championship regatta
turned into a duel between former America’s
Cup rivals and long-time friends Paul Cayard –
on John Kilroy’s SAMBA PA TI – and
Russell Coutts – racing with Alexandra Geremia
and Scott Harris on CROCODILE ROCK.
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Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com
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SAMBA
PA TI had led the fleet with 29 points going in
to Sunday’s races; CROCODILE ROCK was in
second place with 38.5 points, and the only dozen
competitors within striking distance.
But
in Race Ten (the first of two races on the final
day of the series) CROCODILE ROCK was first around
the windward mark while SAMBA PA TI brought up
the rear. By the second rounding SAMBA PA TI had
climbed a few notches was unable to ascend above
an eighth place finish – while CROCODILE
ROCK got the bullet.
CROCODILE
ROCK’s flawless performance put the Santa
Barbara Yacht Club Team nary 2.5 points behind,
snapping at the heels of SAMBA PA TI, a California
Yacht Club entry.
For
the final race the wind was uncharacteristically
south/southeasterly, but with the course no longer
right-favored, the fleet fanned out across the
choppy seas. SAMBA PA TI and CROCODILE ROCK tacked
side-by-side to the windward mark, but at the
rounding, split. They met again at the downwind
gate, then split again, with SAMBA PA TI going
left and CROCODILE ROCK right. Tactics paid off
for SAMBA PA TI – who had put one competitor,
and nearly 20 boat lengths between themselves
and CROCODILE ROCK by the second windward rounding.
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Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com
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As
the fleet approached the finish on the final downwind
leg, the wind fluctuated between six and nine
knots. CROCODILE ROCK was unable to get close
enough to strike and SAMBA PA TI finished first,
winning the North American Championship and the
Watts Cup Trophy.
Awards
were presented at regatta host Los Angeles Yacht
Club. Further information and results can be found
at www.layc.org
Special
thanks to John and Susan MacLaurin for the gracious
use of the boat and crew, STORM, as a press and
spectator vessel.
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Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com |
Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com |
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Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com |
Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com
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Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com |
Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com |
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Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com |
Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com |
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Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com |
Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com |
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Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com |
Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com |
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Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com |
Photo © Sean Downey / YachtRacing.com |
