The Barking Mad team took 1st place in the Farr 40 class at the Acura Miami Grand Prix and took Boat of the Week once again!
Barking Mad was one of three entries to hold the daily lead in the 28-boat class. Richardson's team was second after Day 1, fell to fifth after Day 2 then regained the overall lead after Day 3.
Barking Mad had to work right up until the bitter end to hold that lead, clawing its way back from 25th to 17th in the last race in order to secure a four-point victory over Mascalzone Latino. Warpath, sailed by the father-son team of Fred and Steve Howe, took third just one point behind Mascalzone.
The Italian entry, skippered by Vincenzo Onorato, put the pressure on by placing second in Race 10 and was winning the regatta when Barking Mad rounded the last downwind mark at the tail end of the fleet.
"Going down the last run I told the team "We're not winning" and I ask (trimmer) Skip Baxter what he thought I should do," Barking Mad tactician Terry Hutchinson said. "Skip said 'If I were you, I’d get some leverage to that right side. We went hard right, passed about seven boats on the last beat and breathed a huge sigh of relief."
Richardson and company are hot, having won all three winter regattas in Farr 40 class. The part-time Boston resident got a gorilla off his back by winning both Key West and Miami for the first time in 11 trips to capture the Acura Grand Prix Championship in Farr 40. That trophy goes to the boat with the best combined score at the two international events organized by Premiere Racing.
"We have been on a bit of a roll and hopefully it will continue through the worlds," said Richardson, referring to the Farr 40 World Championship being held off Miami in mid April. "I've been second in Key West and Miami several times so this is a bit of vindication. We've been knocking on the door so it feels good to finally open it and walk in."
Onorato, the two-time defending world champ, said following Saturday's racing that Barking Mad was the most "mentally tough" team in the fleet. Hutchinson agreed with that assessment after the crew shrugged off an 18th in Race 4 by winning Race 5.
From the front of the boat all the way back to Jim, everyone focused on their job and did a great job of sailing the boat. There was never a lapse in concentration.
