Star Sailors League- Scheidt on course to defend title and big purse

by Bob Fisher on 4 Dec 2014 Conditions were near perfect for the first three races of the Star Sailors League Finals - a flattish sea and a veering north-easterly breeze that began at 15 knots and faded to 10 by the end of the third race. The 20 boats enjoyed close racing and there were, nevertheless, some remarkable results in this star-studded fleet.

Who would have imagined, for instance, that five-time Olympic medalist, Torben Grael would be holding up the entire fleet apart from a competitor who had to retire with rig problems? Unthinkable, but Torben excused himself the previous day by saying that he had been too busy to train for this event as he was tied up – training the Brazilian Olympic squad.

The were more gold stars on the mainsails that have been seen in years, but they were no guarantee of performance and at least two of the invitees from other classes made their presence felt. Finn world champion, Giles Scott (GBR) with a fourth and a fifth to count, was seventh overall with nine points, and Josh Junior (NZL) was tenth on 14 points.

The first race, with the wind up to 15 knots and gusting more,. went to Mark Mendelblatt (USA) in one of the tightest ever finishes with Emilios Papathanassiou (GRE) and Elvind Mellerby (NOR) overlapped, the first two only centimetres apart, and Freddy Loof (SWE), the reigning Olympic champion, almost overlapping Mellerby.

The wind, and sea, had moderated slightly for the second race when the nineteen stars of sailing decided to produce a picture perfect start with all the boats level on starboard tack as the gun fired. Mateusz Kusznierewicz was the first to tack away, out to sea, but the move didn’t pay the hoped for dividends and the leaders came in from the left side of the field to the weather mark, and among them was Robert Scheidt, the defending champion. He held his lead to the finish to beat Xavier Rohart (FRA) and Johannes Polgar (GER).

There was a little less wind – about 10 knots – for the third race and while it was not quite so spectacular as the previous one, it was Kusznierewicz who was the first to break away on port tack. Once again it was not the best move, there was a shift on the left that brought the leaders in to the weather mark, among them Jorge Zarif (BRA) and Freddy Loof (SWE).

Downwind on the first of the two runs, places changed frequently, but it was noticeable that the left hand side of the course paid, which was where Zarif claimed the lead. He went back upwind on the same side. The other places changed frequently but Zarif held on to the lead to win from Scheidt and Mendelblatt.

Overall, with a discard, Scheidt is on course to retain his title with three points, ahead of Mendelblatt on four, and Zarif with eight. The seeding races continue for two more days and it is hoped to complete ten races by the end of Friday when the top ten on points will enter the quarter finals.