Kokomo and Estate Master enter Audi Invitational in Italy

11:25 PM Fri 19 Jun 2009 GMT

'Australian entries Kokomo and Estate Master' Sam Crichton &copy

Twenty four Farr 40 yachts are due to start racing tomorrow in the Audi Invitational organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) in Porto Cervo.

Windward-leeward races will take place on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st June in the event which is valid as the third leg of the European Circuit for the class. All of the participating teams will remain in Porto Cervo to compete in next week's Rolex Farr 40 World Championship (22nd to 27th June), also organized by the YCCS. The particular formula of the Audi Invitational regatta, now in its fifth edition, dictates that each team will have a celebrity aboard during one of the race days.

All eyes will be trained on Vincenzo Onorato's Mascalzone Latino (ITA), three-time Farr 40 World Champion and current title holder. Onorato fields a long-standing team which includes America's Cup sailor (2003, 2007) Adrian Stead on tactics as well as 2007 Italian match race champion Matteo Savelli and Whitbread sailor Gerry Mitchell.

Hopes will also be high among the rest of the Italian contingent which includes Giovanni Maspero's Joe Fly with Francesco Bruni (America's Cup 2003, 2007) calling tactics. Maspero came second in last year's World Championship in Miami but has not been competing on the European circuit this year. Massimo Mezzaroma's Nerone, winner of the World Championship in 2003 in Porto Cervo and with tactician Vasco Vascotto, will also be one to watch. Mascalzone currently leads the overall classification in the European Circuit followed by Nerone and Alessandro Barnaba's Fiamma (ITA) respectively.

With ten nationalities represented by the fleet, a number of strong international participants will also be vying for victory. Australian entries Estate Master, owned by Lisa and Martin Hill, and Lang Walker's Kokomo both have strong teams. Estate Master boasts Nathan Outteridge, 2008 49er World Champion, and Malcolm Page, Olympic gold medal winner in the 470 in Beijing 2008, while Kokomo can call on the expertise of tactician Colin Beashel, America's Cup winner with Australia II in 1983 and former World Champion in the Star class (1998).

Jim Richardson, President of the Farr 40 class and two-time winner of the Farr 40 World Championship (1998, 2004), is competing aboard his Barking Mad (USA) with tactician Terry Hutchinson, a veteran of America's Cup campaigns in 2000, 2003 and 2007.

Among the sports celebrities who will be sailing aboard the Farr 40s are former World Champion road cyclist Mario Cipollini and Downhill and Super G skier Werner Heel.

Racing is scheduled to start tomorrow 20th June at 11 am and up to six races may be held in the series. Mistral winds of 20 to 24 knots are forecast for tomorrow.

Yacht Club Costa Smeralda - www.yccs.it

by Jill Campbell