Foto copyright Rhenius/Regattapix
Fuente info Star Worlds
Young Germans Win Race 1 of Star Worlds
Johannes Babendererde and Timo Jacobs (GER) won Race 1 of the 2010 Star World Championship, a tricky race around Rio de Janeiro’s harbor. They beat ther rest of the 73-boat fleet to the first windward mark and swapped positions with Juan Kouyoumdjian (“Juan K”) and Alejandro Colla (AGR) during the first four legs of the five-leg course. Once the wind came up and they took the reins shortly after rounding the final leeward gate, they held on and fended off 2008 Olympic Gold Medalists, Iain Percy and Andrew “Bart” Simpson (GBR); Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA), 2008 Olympic Silver Medalists; Kouyoumdjian/Colla; and World Sailor of the Year, Torben Grael and two-time World Champion crew, Marcelo Ferreira (BRA). In fact, past Star World Champions took six out of the top ten positions in Race 1. Ross Macdonald (CAN) sailing with Andre Lekzycki (BRA), was the top North American skipper.
The cumulous clouds obscured Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado at times throughout the afternoon, but the famous statue peeked through the clouds and presided over the start of Race 1 of the 2010 Star World Championship. It was crystal clear out on the water and the sea breeze built from a light 5-7 knots at the start of the race to 8-10 during the fifth and final leg toward the finish below Sugarloaf and Laje, a low island with a lot of current circulating around it.
The leaders around the first weather mark had good starts, played the right hand side of the course and tacked at the right points in an eddy near Rio’s shore. The young German team of Babendererde /Jacobs were the first to round the windward mark. Whether it was nerves or the current, the 25 and 27-year-olds hit the mark. Said Babendererde of the incident, “We were happy that we rounded the weather mark first, but we touched it and lost two places when we did our circle. We were confident that we could stay with the top group because we had good speed.”
Kouyoumdjian/Colla held the lead down the first run, with Babendererde /Jacobs and Percy/Simpson, Scheidt/ Prada and Fernando Echavarri and Fernando Rodriguez (ESP) and Grael/Ferreira breathing down their necks. Juan K. commented after the race, “It felt really good to be in the lead, but you don’t have time to enjoy it. Once the wind comes up and they start to hike they are like monsters.”
When the wind came up and by the third and final beat toward Sugarloaf, the hiking machines ground Kouyoumdjian/Colla down. Portugal’s newest Star sailing team comprised of Olympic Laser sailor, Gustavo Lima and Charles Nankin had a strong showing in their first Star World Championship. Not familiar with fine tuning adjustments, hey slipped to seventh during the last beat, but according to their coach, Andy Zawieja, “wait until a windy day outside, they will put on a show.”
During the five-leg course sailors and spectators pointed their bows in the direction of beaches, forts, oil rigs, islands, gondola cars strung between mountain tops, former castles, military colleges and high-rise office buildings. Andrew “Bart” Simpson, who was extremely happy with his second place finish, commented on the ups and downs of sailing an important race in an area that presents so many variables, “I wouldn’t want to do that every day.”
1 Babendererde, Johannes /Jacobs, Timo (GER)
2 Percy, Iain/ Simpson, Andrew (GBR)
3 Scheidt, Robert/ Prada, Bruno Geral (BRA)
4 Kouyoumdjian, Juan/ Colla, Alejandro Geral (ARG)
5 Grael, Torben/Ferreira, Marcelo (BRA)
6 Adler, Alan /Almeida, Guilherme Geral (BRA )
7 Lima, Gustavo /Nankin, Charles Senior (POR)
8 Loof, Fredrik /Tillander, Johan Geral (SWE)
9 Melleby, Eivind /Morland Pedersen, Petterl (NOR)
10 Macdonald, Ross /Lekszycki, Andre (CAN)
Resultados completos hacer click acá
The cumulous clouds obscured Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado at times throughout the afternoon, but the famous statue peeked through the clouds and presided over the start of Race 1 of the 2010 Star World Championship. It was crystal clear out on the water and the sea breeze built from a light 5-7 knots at the start of the race to 8-10 during the fifth and final leg toward the finish below Sugarloaf and Laje, a low island with a lot of current circulating around it.
The leaders around the first weather mark had good starts, played the right hand side of the course and tacked at the right points in an eddy near Rio’s shore. The young German team of Babendererde /Jacobs were the first to round the windward mark. Whether it was nerves or the current, the 25 and 27-year-olds hit the mark. Said Babendererde of the incident, “We were happy that we rounded the weather mark first, but we touched it and lost two places when we did our circle. We were confident that we could stay with the top group because we had good speed.”
Kouyoumdjian/Colla held the lead down the first run, with Babendererde /Jacobs and Percy/Simpson, Scheidt/ Prada and Fernando Echavarri and Fernando Rodriguez (ESP) and Grael/Ferreira breathing down their necks. Juan K. commented after the race, “It felt really good to be in the lead, but you don’t have time to enjoy it. Once the wind comes up and they start to hike they are like monsters.”
When the wind came up and by the third and final beat toward Sugarloaf, the hiking machines ground Kouyoumdjian/Colla down. Portugal’s newest Star sailing team comprised of Olympic Laser sailor, Gustavo Lima and Charles Nankin had a strong showing in their first Star World Championship. Not familiar with fine tuning adjustments, hey slipped to seventh during the last beat, but according to their coach, Andy Zawieja, “wait until a windy day outside, they will put on a show.”
During the five-leg course sailors and spectators pointed their bows in the direction of beaches, forts, oil rigs, islands, gondola cars strung between mountain tops, former castles, military colleges and high-rise office buildings. Andrew “Bart” Simpson, who was extremely happy with his second place finish, commented on the ups and downs of sailing an important race in an area that presents so many variables, “I wouldn’t want to do that every day.”
1 Babendererde, Johannes /Jacobs, Timo (GER)
2 Percy, Iain/ Simpson, Andrew (GBR)
3 Scheidt, Robert/ Prada, Bruno Geral (BRA)
4 Kouyoumdjian, Juan/ Colla, Alejandro Geral (ARG)
5 Grael, Torben/Ferreira, Marcelo (BRA)
6 Adler, Alan /Almeida, Guilherme Geral (BRA )
7 Lima, Gustavo /Nankin, Charles Senior (POR)
8 Loof, Fredrik /Tillander, Johan Geral (SWE)
9 Melleby, Eivind /Morland Pedersen, Petterl (NOR)
10 Macdonald, Ross /Lekszycki, Andre (CAN)
Resultados completos hacer click acá
