LOC Star Fleet Blog

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World champions Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada took the gold medal in Saturday’s (17 December) Star keelboat class at the ISAF Worlds to rapturous applause from the spectators stand.
Published on 17/12/11
Scheidt and Prada were also presented with the 100-year-old International Star Championship Trophy, described as one of the most prestigious in world sailing, and the Mary Etchell’s Bowl for world championship Star crew.

Their latest achievement follows on from winning the world title in the same class at the ISAF Worlds in Cascais in 2007.

Speaking after receiving his medal, Prada said: “To be Star world champion I think is the biggest achievement that a sailor can have, to win two times is to be a part of the story of Star class, it means a lot. The Star class is very special. It’s the class of all the biggest names.’’

The silver medal went to Robert Stanjek and Frithjof Kleen (GER), while Mark Mendelblatt and Brian Fatih (USA) won bronze after an exciting and close Medal race fought out on Centre course on Day 15 of the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.

The Brazilian team started the day with a 20 point lead over the USA crew, who faced a tough battle for the silver medal against teams from Germany and Sweden.

Poland led the fleet in a 13 knot sea breeze for most of the race and crossed the finish line first, followed by Norway and the two German crews.

Fifth across the line in Bather’s Bay, the Brazilian team had gained just ten points which kept them within the margin needed to secure gold at the end of the 30-minute race.

The duo, who previously won a silver medal in the Beijing 2008 Olympics, raised their country’s flag after crossing the finish line to the cheers of delight and applause from fans in the grandstand.

After making its debut at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the Star has a long history in Olympic sailing but will bow out after the London 2012 Olympic Games.

“It’s a big achievement because all my life when I was sailing Laser I was dreaming about sailing the Star and winning the World Championship one time, so managing to do it twice is a really big thing for me,” said Scheidt.

“This year we have improved a lot in our sailing and our main goal was always to do well here in Perth, so coming through this year and managing to peak at this moment is very special.

“It means that we are on the right track for the 2012 Olympics.”

German skipper Robert Stanjek said he was pleased with his silver medal after coming up against the Brazilian team.

“Yesterday we qualified for the Olympics and that was the aim of coming here. Now we are even happier. The silver medal is just a little extra on top.”

Crew member Frithjof Kleen added: “To sail against Scheidt is amazing because he is a legend in sailing.”

Commenting on his bronze medal, American skipper Mark Mendelblatt said he had faced “tough competition” in Scheidt.

“I have been sailing against Robert Scheidt for 20 years,” he said.

“The thing about him is he is very difficult to beat when he is at his best. Everyone has great regattas and not so great regattas. All we can do is improve our level.”

Congratulations to Richard Clarke and Tyler Bjorn for finishing in at least 10th spot going into tomorrow’s medal race and qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics!!

Unless the unthinkable happens, defending world champions Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) look set to retain their title with an 18 point overall lead going into Saturday’s (17 December) Star fleet Medal Race.
Published on 16/12/11
As the rest of the fleet fought for a place in the top 10, Scheidt and Prada placed second and third to tally 35 points overall in Friday’s races at the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.

The world number two pair has had a spectacular year, winning six international Star events, including the Weymouth and Portland International Regatta in July.

On Friday’s performance, Prada said: “We are very happy. We had three very consistent days and we think that we have a big advantage. But we still need to do the race and finish. Still the Americans can beat us so we need to take care.”

The top three remains unchanged from Thursday, with Americans Mark Mendelblatt and Brian Faith still in second place on 53 points, and German pair Robert Stanjek and Frithjof Kleen only two points behind in third.

Despite retaining their second place, the Americans had a disappointing day on the water, placing eighth and tenth in races 9 and 10.

“We had a throw-out today, not what we were hoping for, we’re trying to beat Scheidt,” Faith said. “Still got a little more work in front of us.”

Big winners on the penultimate day were Polish pair Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Dominik Zycki. They won the first race by eight seconds over the Brazilians, but despite leading for most of race 10, they were beaten at the finish by Fredrik Loof and Max Salminen (SWE) by only two seconds.

“We had good speed upwind and downwind, and actually the conditions today were what we were waiting for,” Kusznierewicz said. “The Swedish know how to race, they are double world champions but we had a very good fight.”

That result means the Swedish pair stays in fourth position overall, and may challenge for a medal. Kuznierewicz and Zycki move up one place to fifth, but are almost certainly out of medal contention.

The Star World Championships Medal Race is scheduled to begin at 1500 Perth time on Saturday 17 December.
Medal Race Competitors (subject to protest)
1. Scheidt and Prada (BRA)
2. Mendelblatt and Faith (USA)
3. Stanjek and Kleen (GER)
4. Loof and Salminen (SWE)
5. Kusznierewicz and Zycki (POL)
6. Melleby and Morland Pedersen (NOR)
7. Rohart and Ponsot (FRA)
8. Florent and Rambeau (FRA)
9. Polgar and Koy (GER)
10. Clarke and Bjorn (CAN)

http://photos.friedbits.com/p21537266

Brazilians Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada have extended their overall lead to six points on Day 12 of the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships thanks to two good results on Wednesday and the failure of their closest competitors to place well.
Published on 14/12/11
Scheidt and Prada won Race 7, the first for the day, 40 seconds clear and recovered from seventh early in Race 8 to finish third.

The Brazilians are now on 30 points, six points clear of Mark Mendelblatt and Brian Faith (USA) who are second overall.

“We did really well, one and three on this very shifty day, as there was a lack of wind in the racing area. We are very happy with the results for sure”, said Bruno Prada.

The Star fleet has two races on Friday before Saturday’s Medal Race.

“We are pretty happy, we have one more day and we have to do good regattas because we have the German and the American not far. Now we can start to think about which two or three guys we have to sail close to”, Prada added.

Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Dominik Zycki from Poland were ranked second on overall points after Tuesday’s competition, but were forced to quit Wednesday’s first race after receiving a second yellow flag.

“It was a really unlucky situation for us as it was our third penalty for the regatta. It means disqualification without discard. I can’t believe what happened today, but it was really tough for us”, said Zycki.

In third place overall is the German duo, Robert Stanjek and Frithjof Kleen, on 43 points.

British Olympic Champions Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson withdrew from Tuesday’s races due to injury and say they may not sail again at the Perth 2011 ISAF World Championships.
Published on 13/12/11
Percy had been suffering back pain after Monday’s races but was determined to finish the first race Tuesday. However, when he and Simpson received their second yellow flag of the regatta and were forced to resign, Percy was brought to shore for treatment.

Simpson said: “We had an okay run, but Iain hurt his back and was in tears. It looks like it’s his lower back, but we don’t know yet. No way could we have raced the second race.”

“It’s frustrating; sadly this is the second event in a row Iain has injured himself. He injured his ankle last time,” he said. “I guess we won’t be sailing, but we never rule anything out.”

Shortly after the race, Percy said on his Twitter account: “My back fully went today half way through the first race. Unfortunately the end of the championships and the beginning of a few weeks of physio.”

On the penalty that ended their race, Simpson said: “Sadly we picked up a yellow flag and we don’t know why – we’re still confused.”

Race 5 was won by Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Dominik Zycki (POL), who led for the entire course.

Closely behind in second place were Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA), well clear of the third placed German team, Johannes Polgar and Markus Koy.

In the sixth race, Scheidt and Prada had to settle for another second place after crossing the finish just two seconds behind Swedish pair Fredrik Loof and Max Salminen.

Finishing in third and with only one second separating them from the Brazilians were Kusznierewicz and Zycki.

After six races, Scheidt and Prada move into first position overall. Mendelblatt and Fatih (USA) and Kusznierewicz and Zycki (POL) trail the Brazilians by only one point.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/clarke-bjorn-lead-way-for-canada-at-sailing-worlds/article2268114/

http://photos.friedbits.com/p104583185/h2bc901a8#h3e3854b4

Published http://www.perth2011.com/news/2011/12/12/

There was another outstanding performance from the British Olympic Champions Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson at the ISAF Worlds Monday, consolidated their first place position in the overall standings after race four of the Star fleet.
Published on 12/12/11
Percy and Simpson have a total of 16 points while Mark Mendelblatt and Brian Fatih (USA) are on 28 points with Germany’s Robert Stanjek and Frithjof Kleen just behind them on 30.

“We had a good day today. We weren’t going very well but we hung in and fought hard,” said Percy. “My body is a bit bruised and battered for it but it’s okay”.

In race three, Norwegian team Eivind Melleby and Petter Morland Pedersen took first followed closely by Aimilios Papathanasiou and Antonios Tsotras of Greece.

The fight for third was close with Aimilios Papathanasiou and Antonios Tsotras of Greece just making it putting Germany’s Johannes Babendererde and Timo Jacobs in fourth place.

The outcome of race four saw the Swedish pair Fredrik Loof and Max Salminen take first place followed by Brazil’s Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada.

Third went to Ireland’s Peter O’Leary and David Burrows while British pair Percy and Simpson were fourth position.

With six more races until the Medal Race the British are aware of the obstacles to come.

“There is still a long way to go, we’re not super quick, so not confident we will get too far but we will keep battling to the end,” he said.