Star World Championships in Gaeta, Italy - Day 5

The British contingent wait for the wind on day 5 of the Star worlds © Magnus Wheatley

The event comes alive with correct decisions and a thrilling race that Percy steals from Neeleman

It’s official: The Star Class World Championships is right back on song after a thrilling day of racing and some excellent, top drawer decisions made by the on-water race committee. The day dawned with low cloud cover across the course area, snuffing out the wind for the intended 11am start to allow for two races to be sailed. The race committee must have had their heads in their hands as the breeze fluctuated between 2 and 6 knots for over three hours but they held their nerve as the sun threatened to break through and at 2.30pm racing got underway in a building 15-18 knot sea breeze. The conditions had ‘tactical day’ written all over them and the racing certainly didn’t disappoint despite only one race being completed as the official schedule is moved further back. However they (the RC) did their level best in tricky course-laying conditions and were a credit to this prestigious class, gaining plaudits from the star-studded (no pun intended) fleet.

One of the great sights in world sailing has to be a fully powered up Starboat with the crew at full extension and off the line the fleet were going at it hammer and tongs. A long line saw the main title contenders at odds with each other on their starting position with a slight weight bias in talent to the port end starters where the likes of Percy/Mitchell, Neeleman/Van Niekerk and Grael/Ferreira elected to start. Interestingly the American contingent started mid-line almost together and played the shifts up the middle of the beat. An individual recall was called though and this was to have a major effect on the results at the end of the race…more of that in a moment.

Up the first beat, it was anyone’s game and as Iain Percy said afterwards “it was whacky!” The Olympian speed freaks were quickly all in a bunch as the top mark approached and their gulf in class is quite simply awesome to watch on the water. At the top mark, Alfonso Domingos from Portugal (vying for an Olympic spot) came through to the head of the field on a small lift and left pressure to round first with the ultra quick Neeleman in second. The conditions had abated to a tricky 10-12 knots but still the crews were over the side hanging tough-Great stuff. The Aussie veteran Colin Beashel turned the corner in third closely followed by the Finnish Olympic hopeful Jan Makila. Percy/Mitchell squeezed in just ahead of Grael/Ferreira and the first run turned into a tactical playground.

First to gybe off on to port gybe and head out left were Percy/Mitchell and very quickly they were using the downwind speed that they’re famed for, to good effect. As a band of pressure filled in from over their shoulders on the left side of the course, everyone else was playing for second place. Percy opted for the port exit mark at the leeward buoy and rounded up two boatlengths ahead of Neeleman with the Finns in third. Grael and Beashel followed around on the port exit whilst Peter Bromby elected a starboard hand exit with a small gaggle and, once again, the second beat was a tactical minefield as the wind rose to a very shifty 15 knots, bringing with it a slight sea state.

Initially the left looked like the option to be on as pressure came filtering down the track. Percy/Mitchell hung out middle right, playing the shifts and trying to consolidate their position, covering the fleet. Keeping tabs on Neeleman is a tough call as this light airs flyer has really stepped up a gear with Athens in mind. And so it was as the fleet congregated on starboard tack into the final windward mark. Unbelievably, Neeleman had stolen a charge, acing the fleet to lead by some 40 seconds as he dialled away around the spreader mark. Percy was in a bunch of top drawer racers playing catch up now as he rounded in second place alongside Beashel, Grael and the left hand flier Bromby. Interestingly, champion favourite Freddy Loof had pulled his socks up after a disastrous first beat to a respectable 10th place although the final run to the finish looked like being a procession.

However, the Star never fails to throw up surprises as Neeleman gybed off onto port and split from the chasing Percy, Beashel and Grael ‘pack’ to sail down the left side of the run. There’s confidence for you! Sure enough as the fleet converged as the finish line loomed, it was Neeleman who had extended his lead to take the winners gun from Percy, Beashel and Grael. However there was another twist to come in this tale as the competitors stepped ashore and with no returns after an individual recall flag was flown, all eyes were on the official notice board in the marina.

It was heartbreak for Neeleman who read disbelievingly that he was adjudged OCS by the race committee who were really on the button all day with their course management and execution. That leaves Percy with his second race win and looking good in third place overall. Beashel and Grael picked up the other silverware of the day whilst Freddy Loof banged in a scrappers sixth place after a last run charge to lead the championships overnight by 3 points. Conditions look like remaining pretty similar over the next few days with 10-14 knot breezes and this persistent low cloud sitting over the racecourse.

For the Skandia sponsored Iain Percy and Steve Mitchell it was conservative smiles all round with sympathy for the luckless but speedy Neeleman and Van Niekerk. The Star World’s is thankfully back on track for all the right reasons and the smiles amongst the competitors and general joviality at last provide some respite from the long faces and disgruntled looks of the past 72 hours. Great to see… Stay tuned!

Results after 3 Races: