ADESSO VELA

Ian Percy annovera un altro titolo e lo commenta con una serenità imbarazzante, come per dire: "non potevo far altro che vincere!". Un campione tra i campioni che forse non ha coscienza di aver surclassato la fila di olimpionici e pluridecorati e la truppa Carioca che ne piazza 3 nei primi cinque, 4 nei dieci e addirittura 6 nei quindici. I local non hanno vinto come pronosticato ma di certo non hanno sfigurato! I fratellini Grael le hanno suonate al povero Scheidt; Torben ha dimostrato che planare per due anni a trenta e passa nodi non lo ha privato della sensibilità che lo ha portato al nomignolo di "maestro" e Lars? Che dire? Qualsiasi elogio o apprezzamento sarebbe riduttivo all'uomo che più di qualsiasi altro, dopo l'incidente che gli è costato una gamba, incarna lo spirito dello sport più puro, del sacrifico e del "mai mollare". E' il più bell'esempio che lo sport ci può regalare ed uno stimolo a chiunque si senta perduto.
I nostri due prediletti, quello Italiano e quello Svedese chiudono al sesto e settimo e mentre per Freddy forse ci sarà un pò di amaro in bocca, a Diego vanno i nostri complimenti perchè finalmente è uscito dal tunnel iniziato alla prima bolina della ormai lontana Pechino. Era tanto che non lo vedevamo così in alto e questa cosa ci piace un sacco!
Ora passiamo ai commenti ed alle interviste di chi era al caldo di Rio.

Ian Percy and Andrew “Bart” Simpson (GBR) were crowned 2010 Star World Champions today. The reigning Olympic Gold Medalists continue to add treasures to war chests. Percy’s sterling collection of championship titles includes the 2002 Star World Championship and an Olympic Gold Medal in the Finn in 2000.
Percy and Simpson are in the TeamORIGIN afterguard and began sailing Stars together in 2007. They were persistent in getting every ounce of boat speed out of their Mader Star and won the Olympic Gold Medal in the most exciting Medal Race of all of the Olympic Classes.
Following the Olympics, they took a breather from Star sailing and have been doing a lot of match racing. Their last Star regatta was Sail for the Gold in Weymouth, where they won the Gold. They did not compete in the 2009 Star World Championship nor did they compete in the Taca Royal Thames and South American Championship earlier this season. They had two practice sessions leading up to this regatta. Percy commented at the pre-regatta press conference, “Sometimes short, sharp training sessions can work in your favor.”
This victory places Percy in the rarified company of Torben Grael, Mark Reynolds, Bill Buchan, Jr.; Lowell North, and Agostino Straulino as a Star skipper who has won an Olympic Gold Medal and multiple Star World Championship titles.
Flavio Marazzi and Enrico De Maria (SUI) entered the 2010 Star World Championship ranked #1 by ISAF and hoping to find the Holy Grail after their second place finish in the Taca Royal Thames Regatta and victory in the South American Championship. This second place finish matches their second place finish at the 2004 Star World Championship. They were fourth in 2008.
Marazzi/DeMaria’s doggedness in trying to close the point spread between them and Percy/Simpson kept the World Championship title up for grabs through the final race of the series. Percy went into the race, “holding all of the cards” and knowing that Marazzi/DeMaria would have a difficult time accomplishing two very difficult feats: placing first or second in the race and having the Brits finish eight or more points behind them.
“The start did not quite go as planned,” explained Simpson. “We thought that we were pushing them to the wrong end of the line and a big shift came through in their favor. They did a great job.”
The Brits’ miscalculation put the Swiss more than two dozen boats ahead of them at the top mark and trading places with Lars Grael and Ronald Seifert (BRA) and Johannes Polgar and Markus Koy (GER) and Fernando Echavarri and Fernando Rodrigues (ESP), all talented light air sailors. Said Percy, “We had a nervous moment at first when they crossed the fleet, but we continued to play the shifts and make gains.”
Mark Mendelblatt and John Von Schwarz led around the first windward mark. They, like many others, had problems with the current after tacking for the offset mark, they slipped back to fifth. “We jibed to get clear air, and it turned out to be a good decision,” said Mendelblatt who went on to win his first race in a Star World Championship. He continued, “It was a good way to end the regatta.”
Percy/Simpson made a huge gain half way up the second beat and, “got quite close to them, and actually enjoyed the last lap,” said Percy.
In the end, Flavio Marazzi and Enrico DeMaria slipped from being in contention for first or second to 12th and Iain Percy and Andrew “Bart” Simpson had recovered to 16th place.
Said Percy, who was pleased to win another important sailing title with his best mate, “The race didn’t quite go as planned and was a good reminder that you can’t rest on your laurels especially in the Star Class.”
Alexander Schlonski and Frithjof Kleen (GER) matched their Race 1 second place finish with another second place finish today. Torben Grael and Marcel Ferreira (BRA) followed them across the finish line in third.
Grael/Ferreira claimed third place in the regatta. Lars Grael and Ronald Seifert (BRA) followed their third place finish at the 2009 Star World Championship with a fourth in Rio. Alan Adler and Guiherme Almeida (BRA) finished fifth.
Torben Grael said, “I am very glad with our performance. It was a wonderful way to get back into the Star with a third at the South Americans and a third at the Worlds. There is such a high level of competition locally and it is fun for all of us. The races are always difficult and we are always pushing one another. We have talented newcomers, like Andre Mirsky. It is good for the Class.”
By Lynn Fitzpatrick

Final results – after six races, discarding the worst result
1- Iain Percy / Andrew Simpson (GBR) – 18 (2+11+2+1+4+16)
2- Flavio Marazzi / Enrico De Maria (SUI) – 29 (30+1+6+4+6+12)
3- Torben Grael / Marcelo Ferreira (BRA) – 39 (5+25+21+7+3+3)
4- Lars Grael / Ronald Seifert (BRA) – 44 (35+15+12+10+2+5)
5- Alan Adler / Guilherme de Almeida (BRA) – 44 (6+5+11+13+9+74)
6- Diego Negri / Fernando Colaninno (ITA) – 52 (23+18+5+6+13+10)
7- Fredrik Loof / John Tillander (SWE) – 52 (8+9+18+19+11+6)
8- Eivind Melleby / Petter Pedersen (NOR) – 54 (9+10+4+16+16+15)
9- Robert Scheidt / Bruno Prada (BRA) – 64 (3+19+50+5+5+32)
10- Johannes Babendererde /Timo Jacobs (GER) – 66 (1+8+39+8+15+34)

Rick Merriman and Phil Trinter (GBR) snatched the lead from Lars Grael and Ronal Seifert (BRA) on the first run of Race 5 of the 2010 Star World Championship in Rio de Janeiro and followed up yesterday’s second place finish with a bullet. “We’re smoking downwind,” said Merriman. The pair watched regatta leaders Iain Percy and Andrew “Bart” Simpson (GBR) jibe of inside them during the initial part of the first run and lose boats. “That was the signal to continue on without jibing,” said Trinter.
Percy/Simpson have to wait another day to see if they will bag the 2010 Star World Championship title. The Brits had climbed into fifth place by the second weather mark and saw Flavio Marazzi and Enrico De Maria round in ninth place. To win the World Championship title today, their job was to try to pass more boats than the Swiss, which is not an easy feat when Lars Grael and Ronald Seifert (BRA), Torben Grael and Marcelo Ferreira (BRA) and Juan K. and Alejandro Colla (ARG) are your only options, because the Americans were far in the lead. Marazzi/DeMaria’s job was equally difficult with Olympians Marin Lovrovic and Sinisia Mikulicic (CRO), Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) and Gastao Brun and Gustavo Kunze (BRA) between them and the Brits. Olympians, World Champions and fast young Germans were immediately on their tail.
Percy commented on the point separation throughout the second half of the race, “We always had an eye on them. We knew that we could get fourth comfortably. We were going fast and they were fast on the runs, especially when the wind lightened.”
Delighted with the day, Percy said, “I haven’t thought about tomorrow’s strategy. We hold all of the cards and will decide how to approach it. If the breeze is up, we’ll probably yacht around and try to win the race.” It’s up to Marazzi/DeMaria to win or take second and be eight points ahead of the 2002 Star World Champion and his partner in winning the 2008 Olympic Gold Medal.
To celebrate the special holiday in Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian Star teams put on a dazzling show on the water. There were five Brazilians in the top 10. Lars Grael and Ronald Seifert, who finished second, led the Brazilians. Toben Grael and Marcello Ferreira were third, Scheidt/Prada were fifth, Brun/Kunze were eighth and Alan Adler and Guilherme de Alemeida finished tenth.
Lars Grael remarked, “With Torben and Marcello right behind us, I knew that I had to push hard all of the time.” He took special pride in his and Torben’s consecutive finishes. “When we crossed the line, I saw both of my uncles (Axel and Erik Schmidt Grael) watching us from their boat and they were crying. They taught us how to sail and won the Snipe Worlds together three times, won a Gold and Silver medal in the Pan Am Games and represented Brazil in the Soling and the Star in the 1968 and 1972 Olympics.”
Marazzi/DeMaria pulled into second place overall in the regatta and are the only team who have a chance to beat Percy/Simpson. Adler/de Alemeida are in third place, 14 points behind the Swiss with . Johannes Babendererde and Timo Jacobs (GER) are tied with Scheidt/Prada, the 2007 Star World Champions, just one point behind. Rounding out the top ten are the Grael teams, Eivind Melleby and Petter Morland Pedersen (NOR), Kouyoumdjian/Colla and Diego Negri and Nando Colaninno (ITA). You can bet everyone will have their decks marked with grease pencils to help them with quick calculations during Race 6, the final, race of the 2010 Star World Championship in Rio de Janeiro.
By Lynn Fitzpatrick

Overall results – after five races, discarding the worst result
1- Iain Percy / Andrew Simpson (GBR) – 9 (2+11+2+1+4)
2- Flavio Marazzi / Enrico De Maria (SUI) – 17 (30+1+6+4+6)
3- Alan Adler / Guilherme de Almeida (BRA) – 31 (6+5+11+13+9)
4- Johannes Babendererde / Timo Jacobs (GER) – 32 (1+8+39+8+15)
5- Robert Scheidt / Bruno Prada (BRA) – 32 (3+19+50+5+5)
6- Torben Grael / Marcelo Ferreira (BRA) – 36 (5+25+21+7+3)
7- Lars Grael / Ronald Seifert (BRA) – 39 (35+15+12+10+2)
8- Eivind Melleby / Petter Pedersen (NOR) – 39 (9+10+4+16+16)
9- Juan Kouyoumdjian / Alejandro Colla (ARG) – 41 (4+30+8+22+7)
10- Diego Negri / Fernando Colaninno (ITA) – 42 (23+18+5+6+13)
...
12- Loof Fredrik / Tillander Johan (SWE) - 46 (19+8+9+18+19+11)
28- Poggi Giampiero / Corsi Manlio (ITA) - 99 (38+22+23+20+38+34)
33- Szabo George / Peters Rick (USA) - 113 (53+53+39+10+42+22)
34- Celon Nicola / Natucci Edoardo (ITA) - 114 (43+41+21+43+21+31)
40- Boggi Lucio / Lambertenghi Sergio (ITA) - 141 (74+43+BFD+28+32+38)
46- Santoni Silvio / Toccoli Fabio (ITA) - 157 (74+32+43+BFD+35+47)
48- Augelli Marco / Rocca Leone (ITA) - 163 (74+DSQ+42+49+29+43)
53- Simeone Luca / La Porta Manuele (ITA) - 190 (62+42+62+36+60+52)
55- Fornaro Andrea / Tarabella Andrea (ITA) - 196 (63+48+35+63+63+50)

Iain Percy and Andrew “Bart” Simpson continued to dominate the 2010 Star World Championship.With today’s first place finish the 2008 Olympic Gold Medalists stretched their lead to 19 points over 1989 Star World Champion, Alan Adler and Guilherme Alemeida (BRA) by winning Race 4. The 2008 North American Champions Rick Merriman Phil Trinter (USA) had a solid command of second place throughout the race and Andre Mirsky and Marcelo Jordao (BRA), bettered their 6th place finish in Race 2 by finishing third today.
Percy/Simpson came off the water today in great spirits and reported.“We had lovely conditions.It was the first real day of sailing with 6-8 knots in the beginning and 12-14 for the last part of the race.” Careful not to jinx their run away lead and knowing that another stellar performance in Race 5 could give them a Gold Star to pair with their Olympic Gold, Percy said, “It’s about avoiding disasters in an 80-boat fleet.” Eivind Melleby and Petter Morland Petterson (NOR) continue to hang tough and are now in third place overall. Two points behind are Flavio Marazzi and Enrico DeMaria (SUI). Race 5 is scheduled for tomorrow.Following the completion of five races, teams can discard their worst race score. Johannes Babendererde and Timo Jacobs (GER) recovered from yesterday’s 39 and lowered their average with their eight place finish today.
The breeze outside of Guanabara Bay and miles off of Copacabana circulated a bit more today than it did during Race 3 and according to 1993 Star World Champion crew, Phil Trinter, “It’s nice that the Race Committee favored the boat. It made it fair across the line.”Merriman/Trinter started on the upper end of the line, yet according to Trinter, “Within 10 minutes, we were in different current and they (Percy/Simpson) shot up next to us. ”Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson (GBR) continued their outstanding performance and were clear leaders around the first windward mark and extended as the wind picked up, the conditions grew more to their liking and those immediately behind them focused on gaining an advantage over one another rather than the low odds possibility of catching the Brits.
Percy/Simpson were in good company around the first weather mark with Rick Merriman, 2008 North American Champion, and 1993 World Champion crew, Phil Trinter, Mirsky/Jordao, Dan Lovrovic and Sinsia Mikulicic (CRO), Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks (IRL), Alejo Rigoni and Juan Pablo Percossi (ARG) Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA), Alan Adler and Guilherme Alemeida (BRA), Torben Grael and Marcel Ferreira (BRA) and Alessandro Pascolato and Henry Boening (BRA). Merriman/Trinter and Mirsky/Jordao had enough of a jump to round the rest of the marks in second and third place.
To prepare for this event, Mirsky/Jordao sailed major international regattas such as the 2009 Star World Championship, the North Americans and the November regattas in Rio. Said Mirsky after the race, “I am very happy. It is the third time that we were in the top five at the first mark. The first and second time we were there we lost some positions. We had a little more speed upwind today. We were not happy with the way we had the boat tuned yesterday and made changes.”
The Brazilians fared very well today with Mirsky/Jordao finishing third, Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) fifth, Torben Grael and Marcelo Ferreira (BRA) seventh, and Lars Grael and Ronald Siefert (BRA) rounding out the top ten.
There are many teams who have one finish in their scoreline that they would like to discard and tomorrow’s race is likely to reshuffle the deck. Among those teams that had a top-10 race today and have a history of coming out on top by the end of a regatta are: Marazzi/DeMaria (SUI), who finished 4th today; 2007 World Champions and Silver Medalists at the Qingdao Olympics, Scheidt/ Prada; Italian Olympian Diego Negri and Nando Colaninno, who finished 6th; Grael/Ferreira (BRA), with a team record of one win, five seconds and two third-place finishes in Star World Championships; and Lars Grael and Ronald Seifert, who were third at the 2009 Star World Championship.
Stay tuned. The 2010 Star World Championship title could be determined tomorrow.
By Lynn Fitzpatrick

Overall results – after four races
1- Iain Percy / Andrew Simpson (GBR) – 16 (2+11+2+1)
2- Alan Adler / Guilherme de Almeida (BRA) – 35 (6+5+11+13)
3- Eivind Melleby / Petter Pedersen (NOR) – 39 (9+10+4+16)
4- Flavio Marazzi / Enrico De Maria (SUI) – 41 (30+1+6+4)
5- Diego Negri / Fernando Colaninno (ITA) – 52 (23+18+5+6)
6- Ross MacDonald (USA) / André Lekszycki (BRA) – 52 (10+13+14+15)
7- Fredrik Loof / John Tillander (SWE) – 54 (8+9+18+19)
8- Johannes Babendererde / Timo Jacobs (GER) – 56 (1+8+39+8)
9- Torben Grael / Marcelo Ferreira (BRA) – 58 (5+25+21+7)
10- André Mirsky / Marcelo Jordão (BRA) – 64 (33+6+22+3)
13- Lars Grael / Ronald Seiffert (BRA) – 72 (35+15+12+10)
15- Robert Scheidt / Bruno Prada (BRA) – 77 (3+19+50+5)
20- Gastão Brun / Gustavo Kunze (BRA) – 91 (21+7+15+48)

Ricevere foto e aggiornamenti dal Mondiale Star direttamente da Freddy Loof è una di quelle figate che capita solo su Adesso Vela.
Fare un tifo sfegatato qualche volta paga ...


Three days, three races.
We are fighting,

We are still in the game but today’s race cost a lot of points to the top three boats. We are doing everything we can, 4th overall right now but need better performance tomorrow. The winds are really light and shifty(flucky). As you can see in the picture is big waves and really hard to understand the winds pattern. Also the currents are playing games with your head. Let’s pray for some more breeze the next few days.

The team is in good mood though, energy level is better today as I had some issues with my stomach and Johan got an bacteria in his leg so had to start with medication. It does not stop us though, we are fighting. Three more races to go, only half way.

The momentum is on its way – Freddy

Overall results – after three races
1- Iain Percy / Andrew Simpson (GBR) – 15 (2+11+2)
2- Alan Adler / Guilherme de Almeida (BRA) – 22 (6+5+11)
3- Eivind Melleby / Petter Pedersen (NOR) – 23 (9+10+4)
4- Fredrik Loof / John Tillander (SWE) – 35 (8+9+18)
5- Ross MacDonald (EUA) / André Lekszycki (BRA) – 37 (10+13+14)
6- Flavio Marazzi/ Enrico De Maria (SUI) – 37 (30+1+6)
7- Andrew Campbell / Brad Nichol (USA) – 39 (12+3+24)
8- Juan Kouyoumdjian / Alejandro Colla (ARG) – 42 (4+30+8)
9- Gastão Brun / Gustavo Kunze (BRA) – 43 (21+7+15)
10- Diego Negri / Fernando Colaninno (ITA) – 46 (23+18+5)
12- Torben Grael / Marcelo Ferreira (BRA) – 51 (5+25+21)
14- André Mirsky / Marcelo Jordão (BRA) – 55 (33+6+22)
15- Lars Grael / Ronald Seiffert (BRA) – 62 (35+15+12)
...
19- Renato Cunha / Marcos Mascarenhas (BRA) – 64 (34+27+3)
...
23- Robert Scheidt / Bruno Prada (BRA) – 72 (3+10+50)
Il commento della giornata è tratto da www.starworlds2010.com
-French team Xavier Rohart and Pierre Alexis Ponsot won the Transpetro Regatta on the third day of the Star World Championship, this Monday, at a course outside of Guanabara Bay. They were in the lead from the start and dominated the entire race (10.5 nautical miles). British sailors Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson, the reigning Olympic champions, are the new leaders in the competition, with 15 points lost. Brazilians Alan Adler and Guilherme de Almeida finished in 11th place and held on to their second position in the overall ranking.
Alan Adler and Guilherme de Almeida were very pleased with the result. “We tried to have the best possible race and 11th place is a good result in a fleet as strong as this one,” said Alan, 1989 World Champion in Italy. “Now we have to focus on Tuesday’s race and maintain our consistent results.”

British sailors Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson, who finished the third race in second place, celebrated their leadership in the competition. “We made some changes in our sailing compared to Sunday and this new technique is paying off,” said Percy, Olympic champion in China.

French team Xavier Rohart and Pierre Ponsot, winners of the Transpreto Regatta, were very relieved with their result. “Everything went well for us, we were going very fast and seemed to have a green light the whole way,” joked Rohart, 2003 and 2005 World Champion. The team finished 66th in the first race and 14th in the second race. “The first race was a real disaster for us and we took note of our problems,” explained the helmsman, ranked 26th in the general standing.

“Now we have to hope that Iain and Swiss sailors Flávio Marazzi and Enrico de Maria will make mistakes but that is very unlikely.”

German team Johannes Babendererde and Timo Jacobs, who dominated the first two days of the world Championship, finished in 39th place in Monday’s race and are now in 11th position overall.-