Qualcomm 2013 Star World Championships at San Diego - Day 4
by Star Worlds 2013 Press 5 Sep 2013 08:05 BST
28 August - 8 September 2013
Rohart-Pulfer wins again, Mac Causland-Trinter up to first overall
Another hard day on the water at the Qualcomm 2013 Star World Championship puts the leaders' consistency to the test
Once again, the winner of the day is French skipper Xavier Rohart and crew Serge Pulfer. Race 4 was equally as challenging as the previous day's race, but not because of the weather. Rohart and Pulfer fought inch by inch with John MacCausland and Phil Trinter from the moment the starting gun was fired until the last couple of seconds at the finish.
With each day the competition among the Star fleet at the Qualcomm 2013 Star World Championship grows more intense. The fleet began the day with a starting sequence on time at 1230 hrs, but three minutes into the sequence the Race Committee postponed the race to adjust the starting line to avoid another general recall. Shortly after, the Race Committee attempted another start, but was forced to order a general recall when the majority of the fleet was over the starting line before the gun.
Finally on the third attempt, the fleet was all clear at the start but two of the Stars in particular stood out instantly. Xavier Rohart with crew Serge Pulfer and John MacCausland and Phil Trinter were the first two boats off the starting line at the gun with the best boat speed and position on the course. At this moment Rohart and MacCausland began leading the fleet up the right side of the course and their duel to win the race.
Rohart immediately took the controlling position over MacCausland and the two boats started to put some distance between themselves and the fleet. At the first windward mark rounding, Rohart rounded in first with MacCausland following closely behind. On the downwind leg, MacCausland and Rohart engaged in a one-on-one battle for the best position to round the leeward mark and gain the advantage of being the first boat to the favored side of the course.
As both teams approached the mark, Rohart was able to barely squeeze by MacCausland and round the left leeward gate mark in first. During the second windward leg, Rohart's main focus was to protect his position on the course between the MacCausland, the rest of the fleet, and the next mark. At this point in the race, there was very little distance between the two leading boats, and MacCausland was waiting for his chance to take first place.
MacCausland and Rohart continued their duel throughout the last downwind leg, onto the final upwind leg to the finish. Despite the constant fight between the two, Rohart maintained his lead for the entire race and beat MacCausland to the finish by a mere 00:21 seconds.
Although Xavier Rohart and Serge Pulfer won Race 4 of the Qualcomm 2013 Star World Championship Series, John MacCausland and Phil Trinter's second place finish in today's race earned them the overall leading position in the regatta.
Provisional Results after Day 4: (four races)
1) J. MacCausland-P. Trinter, USA, 17 pts
2) B. Ledbetter-G. Morton, USA, 19 pts
3) G. Szabo-C. Moss, USA, 22 pts
4) X. Rohart-S. Pulfer, FRA, 24 pts
5) A. Campbell-J. von Schwarz, USA, 48 pts
6) A. Diaz-A. Baltins, USA, 57 pts
7) C. Buchan-J. Buchan, USA, 61 pts
8) V. Brun-B. Terhaar, USA, 62 pts
9) H. Merkelbach-G. Bartel, GER, 62 pts
10) E. Doyle-P. Infelise, USA, 65 pts
Full results can be found at starworld2013.com/results