| ATLANTIS, BAHAMAS-(11-11-2002) It was anybody's
game yesterday going into the final races of the MeesPierson Bahamian
Regatta, but Italy's Nerone, with owner Antonio Migliori (Rome) at the helm,
posted finishes of 1-3 to win the two-day, five-race series hands down.
Nerone edged out Saturday's leader Defiant, skippered by Terry McLaughlin of
Toronto, Canada, by three points in overall scoring and sent a clear message
that the Italians mean business here in the Bahamas. It will be on these
same waters off Paradise Island that this week's Rolex Farr 40 World
Championship will host the same fleet for a four-day series. Three Italian
teams are among 24 from eight countries tuning up for the Worlds.
`We spent 10 days in Miami speed testing in light winds,` said Migliori, who
is the current Farr 40 European champion, `so the boat is set up for light
air and this is good.` Asked if these were preferred conditions for his
team, Migliori laughed, pointing out that his European title was won in
winds of 30 knots.
`With 24 boats at this level, it is hard in any wind,` said Migliori, who
says that along with Defiant he will be watching most closely Pegasus, with
Philippe Kahn of Honolulu, Hawaii, at the helm, and Samba Pa Ti, with John
Kilroy of Los Angeles, Calif. driving. Samba Pa Ti finished third overall
with Pegasus finishing sixth even after winning two races yesterday.
Defiant won today's second race but finished 13th in the first, which was
clearly the team's downfall.
As the winner of the MeesPierson Farr 40 Bahamian Championship, Migliori
will be awarded The Duke of Edinburgh Gold Cup trophy. It has been
dedicated by the Nassau Yacht Club as a perpetual trophy and will remain on
display in Nassau. Trophies for the regatta will be presented at the
Bahamian Government House on November 12, in conjunction with the Opening
Ceremony for the World Championship.
Title sponsor of the event, MeesPierson (Bahamas) Ltd. is a Dutch based
financial services and wealth management company with a strong tradition in
maritime connections. It is one of Nassau's larger, fully integrated
Private Bank & Trust Companies, providing not only the standard private
banking menu of services but specialty services as well, such as yacht and
aircraft registry and finance. As a member of MeesPierson's (established
1720) `Private Wealth Management` group, they are part of more than 30
continental European offices as well as international offices in Bermuda,
Curacao, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Isle of Man, London and Singapore.
MeesPierson is, in turn, an important part of Fortis' 70,000 person Global
Financial Collective. Fortis wholly owns MeesPierson N.V. (100%shareholder
of MP Bahamas Ltd.) and is now ranked by Forbes magazine in its `World Super
50` as one of the world's largest companies with assets approaching
$500billion.
Complete results are posted at www.farr40.org
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