Fuente info Scuttlebutt
Defending Star World Champs Win Opener
Varberg, Sweden:
Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Dominik Zycki (POL) started off the 2009 Star World Championship the same way they began the 2008 Star World Championship. They finished with a bullet after getting off to a great pin end start, rounding the first weather mark in the lead, loosely covering the fleet and maintaining a margin of nearly a minute.
When Kusznierewicz was asked about the similarity between this year's start to the World Championship and last year's he said, "We'll see about tomorrow." Kusznierewicz/Zycki stunned everyone in 2008 when they won the second race of the World Championship series also.
The reigning Star World Champions have been focused on family life and business development since the 2008 Olympics. Kusznierewicz is the co-owner of a few companies that include a Jeanneau dealership in Poland and a marina in the Kaszubian Lakes. Zycki is one of Zagle's, Poland's premiere sailing magazine, top journalists. They are using their tried and tested Follie hull # 8209, Quantum sails and Emetti spars and keeping things simple. As Kusznierewicz put it before the regatta started, "We only plan on sailing two regattas this year and this is the first one. We have absolutely no expectations and are not putting any pressure on ourselves."
Giving them a run for their money were local favorites, Freddy Loof and Johan Tillander (SWE). The Swedes came from double digits at the end of the first of three laps and rumbled around the right leeward gate with speed while many of the other teams fought the waves and the current.
The fight for third as the breeze fell from 12- 14 knots at the start to about 7 knots at the finish, was fierce. Flavio Marazzi and Enrico De Maria (SUI) scooped the two young German teams of Johannes Bambandererde and Timo Jacobs and Matthias Miller and Benedict Wenk on the final beat.
Bouncing around on the Brazilian coach boat is Juan Garay, the world famous sail maker from North Sails Argentina. Garay has been involved in a superb development effort with 2008 Olympic Gold and Silver medalist teams from Great Britain and Brazil. It's only natural that Olympic Gold Medalist, Iain Percy and past Star World Champion, Iain Percy, is spending a lot of time with Garay on and off the water.
Austrian Olympian, Hans Spitzauer, is in Varberg coaching. Famous yacht designer, Juan K., is racing. Even ISAF President, ISAF President, Goran Petersson, who is Swedish, has also paid a visit to the 2009 Star World Championship.
Official Results of the 2009 Star World Championship following completion of Race 1.
1. Kusznierewicz / Zycki (POL)
2. Loof / Tillander (SWE)
3. Marazzi / DeMaria (SUI)
4. Banbandererde / Jacobs (GER)
5. Miller / Jacobs (GER)
6. Santoni / Toccoli (ITA)
7. Celon / Natucci (ITA)
8. Mendelblatt / Strube (USA)
9. Schlonski / Kleen (GER)
10. Johansso / Moller (SWE)
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