FARR 40′s LARGEST CLASS AT AHMANSON CUP – AGAIN

For the second year in a row, the prestigious Ahmanson Cup, was awarded to the Farr 40′s as largest one design class at the regatta. This year it goes to Jeff Janov’s Dark Star and Newport Beach guru Dave Ullman who was able to make sense of the shifty light air and lead the team to victory. Dark Star sailed a consistent regatta to win with only one individual race victory even though second and third place finishers Chayah and Piranha who each won two of the five races.

Most notable from the race course is that no less than seven different boats staked a claim to the race lead out on course during the regatta. Radical Departure III got to the weather mark first in race three while Far Niente and White Knight were in a dead heat at the first mark of race five.

The regatta really came down to a matter of literally inches. At the last weather mark of race number three with only the downwind leg to go, Dark Star found itself fourth behind Piranha, Chayah and Far Niente in that order. Taking the low road following early jibes by Chayah and Far Niente, Dark Star was able to pass Far Niente and when Chayah came back at Dark Star on starboard and jibed inside of them only 50 yards from the finish, Dark Star’s crew executed two great jibes and beat them to the finish by what appeared to be less than a foot.

In the final race on the last upwind leg with both boats tied, Dark Star got into a lefty out on left side layline and Chayah came back at them. If they could force Dark Star away, Chayah would win the regatta by taking back onto port on layline and leading out the downwind leg. From our view, Dark Star crossed by about eight feet. Game over.

Considering the sadly typical Newport wind conditions, it was a very tight regatta and looks like the beginnings of a great season!