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Rolex Regatta • Day 1

International Rolex Regatta Logs Three Races on Opening Day

samedi 29 mars 2003 – Redaction SSS [Source RP]

The breeze was light but welcome, since
it was more than the stillness the islands had endured over the past week.
For opening day of the 2003 International Rolex Regatta, the 8-10 knot winds
meant that all but one of the 11 classes competing could complete three
races and still have plenty of time for enjoying the steel band back at the
St. Thomas Yacht Club. With 97 boats competing, the Rolex event is
celebrating its 30th season and has drawn its enthusiastic racing contingent
from the islands (46 entrants), Puerto Rico (22), the U.S. (19), UK (9) and
Spain (1).


Robbie Ferron’s Slam (St. Maarten) and Sam Laing’s Uncle Sam (St. Thomas) highlight the island boats competing.

The IC24 class featured some of the tightest racing, since the hybrid
boats—with J/24 hulls and Melges 24 decks—are evenly matched one-designs.
St. Thomas’ John Holmberg, a perennial favorite at this regatta in the
catamaran division, is making his debut in the IC24 Stinger and had a solid
first day to lead the 13-boat fleet.

"We bumbled the start in the first and second races and came back to finish
first and third, respectively," said Holmberg. "Then in the third race, we
were right there on the starting line, right on time."

Finishing third overall in Spinnaker Racing Class 1 was four-time Rolex
Regatta winner Carlo Falcone aboard the Custom 44 Caccia Alla Volpe.
Although the boat hails from Antigua, the crew is mainly Italian and
includes Falcone’s son Shannon Falcone, fresh from his stint with the
America’s Cup campaign Mascalzone Latino.

"Light winds are not our conditions," said Shannon, who pointed out that his
father’s most recent victory here was two years ago in heavy air and the
team recently won the St. Croix International Regatta in heavy air. "We also
have a wide range of boats and handicaps in our class." Leading the fleet is
Flirt, a custom Oyster 49, skippered by Richard Matthews of Ipswich, UK.

Racing continues tomorrow and concludes Sunday with the Coral World Race, a
distance race that shows off the beauty of the islands.

The regatta web page is http://www.rolexcupregatta.com

Information Media Pro

Racing - Over 50 Ft. (2 entries)
– 1. Donnybrook, Cstm 72, James Muldoon, Washington, DC, USA, 4 pts.
– 2. Equation, Andrews 68, Bill Alcott, Detroit, Mich., USA, 5 pts.

Spinnaker Racing 1 (13 boats)
– 1. Flirt, Cstm 49, Richard Matthews, Ipswich, UK, 3 pts.
– 2. NOA X-Base, IMX45, Soren Holst Thomsen, Palma de Mallorca, ESP, 7 pts.
– 3. Caccia Alla Volpe, Cstm 44, Carlo Falcone, Antigua, 10 pts.

Spinnaker Racing 2 (10 boats)
– 1. 2 Contact Carib,Melges 24, Frits Bus, Phillipsburg, St. Maarten, 4 pts.
– 2. Slam, Melges 24, Robbie Ferron, St. Maarten, AHO, 6 pts.
– 3. Don Q Limon, Melges 24, Enrique Torruella, Guaynabo, PUR, 9 pts.

Spinnaker Racer/Cruiser (16 boats)
– 1. Cold Beer 3, Tartan Ten, John Schultheiss, Tortola, BVI, 4 pts.
– 2. Pipe Dream, Sirena 38, Peter Haycraft, Tortola, BVI, 5 pts.
– 3. Dehlerious, Dehler 34, Bungie Flynn, Tortola, BVI, 10 pts.

Non-Spinnaker Racing (7)
– 1. Serendip, Prima 38, Craig Dymock , London, UK, 2 pts.
– 2. Wildflower, Sabre 402, Ron Noonan, Marion, Mass., USA, 4 pts.
– 3. Igoodia, Jeanneau 52.2, Milt Baehr, Incline Village, Calif, USA, 8 pts.

Jib and Main (8 boats)
– 1. Nemesis, Hunter 42, Edwin Romeo, Fajardo, PUR, 4 pts.
– 2. Far Cry, Clipper 31, Herve Chassin, St. Thomas, USVI, 7 pts.

Trial Cat (1 boat)
– 1. Cover Shot, Cstm 33, Roger Webb, Miami, Fla., 3 pts.

Beach Cats Spinnaker (7 boats)
– 1. Movie Star/Suzuki, Olympic Tornado, Enrique Figueroa, San Juan, PUR, 3
pts.
– 2. Yellow, Nacra 6.0, Richard Bliss, Mansfield, Mass., USA, 4 pts.
– 3. Century 21, Terry Jackson, Olympic Tornado, St. Thomas, USVI, 5 pts.

Beach Cats - Non-Spinnaker (14 boats)
– 1. Exodus/Ensysa, Hobie 16, Enrique Figueroa, San Juan, PUR, 7 pts.
– 2. Lolo Too, Hobie 16, Anton Guernica, San Juan, PUR, 7 pts.

IC24 (13 boats)
– 1. Stinger, IC24, John Holmberg, St. Thomas, USVI, 7 pts.
– 2. Green Boat, IC24, Carlos Aquilar, St. Thomas, USVI, 7 pts.

J/24 (6 boats)
– 1. Orion/Coors Light, J/24, Fraito Lugo, Ponce, PUR, 3 pts.
– 2. Tax Return, J/24, Carlos Feliciano, Caguas, PUR, 8 pts.
– 3. XX-TU, J/24, Juan Jose Mari,, San Juan, PUR, 9 pts.

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