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Steered by professional sailor Gabriele BENUSSI and a group of amateur sailors from Trieste, Marrachech Express confounded race watchers who had questioned whether the recently formed team could handle the demanding, choppy conditions as comfortably as some of the well honed, all professional teams. BENUSSI and his three crew had never sailed together until they came together in Key Largo for three days of practice before the event. They never faltered.

BENUSSI's team had fared badly in the opening race of the series last Sunday when it posted a 35th place in the international talent packed field of 99 boats. However the Italians got the fleet's attention with a first place in the second race of the day. They followed that up with a third and a second on Monday, followed by fourth and ninth place finishes today.

With six of the twelve scheduled races completed, all competitors are now able to discard their worst race placing, punching Marrachech Express up from her second overall on Monday to the lead on points yesterday.

The discard also favored sailmaker and pro sailor Dave ULLMAN from Newport Beach, California, USA, who finished yesterday's racing with a fifth and a third for his Pegasus 505 and dropping a 41st place to jump from seventh place overall to second.

The best performance of the day undoubtedly came from SPITHILL, whose two bullets in yesterday's fresh breezes aboard his Luna Rossa, from Genoa, Italy, saw him winning comfortably in the first race and running away from the pack in the second.

Fort Lauderdale's Morgan REESER, a comfortable points' leader going into yesterday's racing, could do no better than a 20th in the first race. That and a 17th place on Monday pulled his Mfatic emphatically back into fourth place, ten points behind SPITHILL.

Consistent performances are vital in a long series like this, featuring a big fleet and Brian PORTER from Winnetka, Illinois, USA, illustrated the point by holding onto fourth place overall with his Full Throttle team.

Top Ten Results After Six Races

Pos	Nation	Boat	Owner	Helm	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts
1	ITA	Marrachech Express	Vladimiro MRVCIC	Gabriele BENUSSI	(35)	1	3	2	4	9	19
2	USA	Pegasus 505	David ULLMAN	David ULLMAN	6	(41)	7	1	5	3	22
3	USA	Luna Rossa	James SPITHILL	James SPITHILL	5	12	(25)	7	1	1	26
4	USA	Mfatic	Neil SULLIVAN	Morgan REESER	2	8	1	17	(20)	8	36
5	USA	Full Throttle	Brian PORTER	Brian PORTER	(26)	2	11	4	7	18	42
6	ITA	Joe Fly	Giovanni MASPERO	Gabrio ZANDONA	11	(35)	22	5	3	5	46
7	GBR	Xcellent	John POLLARD	John POLLARD	17	7	5	12	15	(32)	56
8	FRA	Partner & Partners	Philippe LIGOT	Francois BRENAC	(22)	14	18	3	11	11	57
9	USA	Pegasus 492	Samuel KAHN	Samuel KAHN	19	3	4	(48)	30	6	62
10	ITA	Ale Ali	Ezio AMADORI	Nicola CELON	1	22	16	15	(29)	10	64