Farr 40 European Championship

8:25 PM Fri 7 Aug 2009 GMT

'NERONE (ITA) - Rolex Farr 40 Worlds' &copy Rolex/ Kurt Arrigo

Massimo Mezzaroma's Nerone (ITA) has been crowned Farr 40 European Champion for the fourth time (2002, 2005, 2007) after a blazing performance at the 2009 championship held in Cagliari, Sardinia from 27th July to1 st August.

Nerone took five bullets over ten races to finish with a clear lead over Germany's Struntje Light, owned by Wolfgang Schaefer. Jim Richardson's Barking Mad (USA), fresh from victory at the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship organized in June by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, took third place. 2008 European Champion and three-times World Champion Vincenzo Onorato took fourth place with his Mascalzone Latino.

The results achieved in Cagliari also brought Mezzaroma to the top of the classification in the Farr 40 European Circuit which had seen legs in Porto Rotondo, Capri and Porto Cervo prior to the final leg in Sardinia's capital city. Nerone, with Vasco Vascotto calling tactics, was seven points behind Vincenzo Onoratato's Mascalzone Latin heading into the final event in the Farr 40 European Circuit, but after notching up just 21 points over 10 races with no discard Nerone leapt into first place overall. Mascalzone, with Adrian Stead on tactics, held onto second place while Barking Mad, with tactician Terry Hutchinson, took third place in the circuit.

The Farr 40 European Championship was organized by the Farr 40 Class Association and the Farr 40 European Fleet in conjunction with the Societ? Canottieri Ichnusa Cagliari, with the support of Sandalion Mare Club and was hosted by the Associazione Industriali Province della Sardegna Meridionale.

Racing for the Farr 40 fleet will continue with the Anniversary Match Race (10th - 11th November) and the 12th Anniversary Regatta (13th - 15th November) in Miami.