Farr 40 Worlds Preview

While seven teams of top-level sailors tackle the North Atlantic in the ‘Everest of Sailing’ (aka the Volvo Ocean Race), 19 teams, with no shortage of rock stars onboard, will be tackling the waters of San Francisco Bay this week.

Ten years after their last appearance in San Francisco, the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds return to the Bay on October 15-18, hosted by St. Francis YC. Seven countries will be represented, with Tony Pohl’s Twisted the only Bay Area boat; half a dozen have come up from Southern California.

Competition in this class is so tight that last year, in Newport, RI, the champion was decided on a tie-breaker. Alberto Rossi’s Enfant Terrible of Italy triumphed by virtue of having won more of the week’s races than Kevin McNeil’s Nightshift from Annapolis.

Many of the boats have been seen out practicing in the Slot and can be spotted on the hard at places like Alameda Marina and KKMI. Fifteen Farr 40s got a good sampling of late-summer conditions on San Francisco Bay while racing in the Rolex Big Boat Series (Alex Roepers’ Plenty, with Terry Hutchinson calling tactics, won that regatta). However, mid-October weather on the Bay is more unsettled and variable than that enjoyed at RBBS. For instance, this week we transition from a light-air heat wave to an early-winter cold front bringing rain on Wednesday, the first day of racing.

If you were hoping, despite the weather, to hang out at the club or on the beach and watch the Worlds, you’ll be out of luck, as the racing will be held on the Berkeley Circle. For much more, see www.farr40worlds.com.