© K. Urtz 2013
JPN-41 Nippon 95 reached the semifinals of the LVC 95
Yacht / Country :     NIppon 94 and Nippon                                  95 Sail No                     JPN 30 and JPN 41 Syndicate :               Nippon Challenge  CEO :                      Tatsumitsu Yamasaki  Yacht Club:              Nippon Yacht Club  Designer :                Ichiro Yokoyama Boat Builder :           Yamaha  Skipper:                   Makoto Namba
1995
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Almost a year before the official Challanger Trials the Japanese syndicate became active in San Diego. The IACC yacht from 1992 -as a training boat had been so radically rebuilt -that people began to ask  whether it has not be to classified as a new boat. The team sailed 3 Round Robins with JPN 30 before the new JPN 41 was used. This was not much faster than the predecessor. The Japanese  Challenger reached again the Semifinals. An excellent achievement when you consider that it started  only 1992 pretty much out of nowhere in the AC.
In April 1997 Makoto Namba sailed on a regatta Hong Kong-Osaka hurled by 30 ktn gusts and waves between 4-5 m. He was thrown by a wave overboard and lost his life. He was on his way below decks and had just latched from his security line lock.
The japanese  Challenger reached again the Semifinals.