The Rolex Farr 40 European Championship 2006 takes place next week, from 11th to 16th July, off Mahon, capital of the Spanish Mediterranean island of Menorca. The calibre of fleet attracted may raise a few eyebrows and confirms just how competitive the Farr 40 fleet remains at all levels.

Twelve Farr 40s have confirmed their entry so far. The most notable entry is that of Ernesto Bertarelli and Alinghi. Bertarelli’s credentials in this class go deeper than success at the America’s Cup in 2003. In 2001, with Russell Coutts calling tactics, Bertarelli won the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds in Cowes. Three of the professionals onboard at that event are returning - trimmers, Warwick Fleury and Simon Daubney plus, bowman, Curtis Blewett. The fourth professional is Brad Butterworth, tactician on the winning team at the last three America’s Cups and winner of the 89/90 Whitbread Round the World Race. Joining these illustrious sailors are some talented amateurs, Decision 35 catamaran racer Francois Mordasini, together with Alwin Arnold, Andrew Graham and Greg Kurtz Lsett

Facing up to Bertarelli will be another Cup syndicate head, Vincenzo Onorato, who leads the Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia challenge. A multi-world champion in his own right, Onorato has just added the Sardinia Rolex Cup/ISAF Offshore Team Worlds to his list of achievements and his stated aim this year is to win the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds. So far he seems on track with overall victory in the three event 2006 European Circuit. Mascalzone Latino’s worst result in 21-race series was a ninth - just the sort of consistency and form that wins championship events in the Farr 40 class. Tactician Adrian Stead, also part of the victorious Team Sardegna at the Sardina Rolex Cup (albeit on a TP52), has plenty of experience at this level and believes the team to be well prepared: “We’re pretty excited about this regatta and we’ve had a good season so far. The team’s good, the team’s very positive. We have a great crew and a really good boat.” But Stead by no means underestimates the opposition, “the fleet’s going to be 10 or 11 very strong boats and we will have to sail smart to get a good result. We’re going to have some good competition, the Alinghi guys with Ernesto Bertarelli helming, Marco Rodolfi on TWT.”

And Stead is right; TWT are definitely another form team going into this event. Rodolfi and crew were a close third (1 point off the boats tied in first) at the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds in Sydney in 2005 and were second on the European Circuit, where an eleventh was their worst result of the series. Other entrants at the Championships include European Farr 40 Class President Carlo Alberini and Calvi, Alessandro Barnaba’s Fiamma plus 2003 Farr 40 European Championship winner Wolfgang Schaeffer & Struntje Light.

The event commences with two days of measurement and registration, plus a practice race. Racing proper begins on 13th July and the organisers, the Club Maritime de Mahon, hope to complete eleven races before the awards ceremony on Sunday 16th July.

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