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ISCYRA Regatta Report | Thu Mar 22nd, 2012 through Sun Mar 25th, 2012 |
Marcelo Fuchs and Ronald Seifert. Photo by Fred Hoffmann. |
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Sailed at Angra dos Reis, Brazil, Report by Lars Grael:
Regularity is the hallmark of this 2012 South American Star Championship. The champion did not win a race, but was more regular, faster, more efficient and committed fewer errors. Congratulations to Marcelo Fuchs and Ronald Seifert! Marcelo Fuchs is a gentleman that was in the Penguin and multi time champion in the Laser. It is his 2nd or 3rd foray into the Star class and he won with merit. He was aided by bowman extraordinary - Ron Seifert! The event was saved by having three races on the final day when we had the risk of cancellation due to lack of wind. The regatta had a pleasant and lively social program with the support and prestige of Transpetro, Marina Verolme ICRJ, Naval College, Maritime and FEVERJ. Our special thanks to Angela's ICRJ who did a wonderful job! We must also thank the many who contributed to this event: Gaston (Chairman); Cocoa Peters, PPP and its crew, Rossini and his team of Marina Verolme; Tuneca and Orlandino Sub Headquarters ICRJ; Claude Bonnani that came from the U.S.; owners of the boats that gave rides to other Stars; team of sailors from the ICRJ; Xaxau Naval College, Civil Defence and Lobato Creek. Those who lost where ones who could not come to South America. A pity, because with less than 15 boats there was no Silver Star awarded. ----------------
FUCHS AND SEIFERT ARE CHAMPIONS OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN STAR Jeff Fuchs, 50, a starista recently back in the class after five years away, bought his boat eight months ago from world champion Alan Adler, and with the experienced bowman Ronie Seifert, began again to sail in the class. "Alan bought a boat that he ended up not using, is I bought it and began to sail without too many pretensions," said the new South American champion, adding that "the boat is a rocket and despite not winning any race, we made a good average, and in the end won the title by a point." The champion was an unbeliever of the win until he had the official score sheet in hand. Interestingly, the bowman, Ronie Seifert, has won the bi-South American champion since last year in Mar del Plata, Argentina where he won the title sailing with Lars Grael. In turn, Lars Grael, with his new crew, Samuel Goncalves, was the runner-up in Angra by just one point behind his old bowman, winning the second place tie-breaker dual with Peter Ficker and Renato Moura. "It was a championship that we did not deserve to win. We made the wrong choice of sails, made some mistakes in the water and the result is fair. The coolest thing is that six races had six different winners and in the end, the champion was the one who had the best average and did not win any race." To Peter Ficker, also an Olympic bronze medalist, "The championship was great. Creek is a paradise, the Marina Verolme is fantastic and the organization of ICRJ was excellent too. Despite the lighter winds in the early days, the final six of the eight races run left everyone satisfied." Special Day - Sunday dawned with clear skies in Angra dos Reis and much concern about having wind. With only three races races so far and a minimum of four races were necessary to complete the event. However, there was the formation of a breeze from the east which increased throughout the day and allowed the Race Committee Chairman, Peter Paul Petersen, to run three good races in the channel of the Big Island. "Luckily, today the wind came up and we did the races with the minimum length that the class requires, a little more than a mile in each leg, quite technical and well disputed," he said. In fact, there were three races with a route-sota Barla of four legs, two upwind and two downwind legs which had the sailors not knowing until the end who would win. In the end, only two points separated the top four on the scoresheet. The judges were also working in the water and some boats were punished with a double yellow flag for propelling the boat with body movement. When this occurs, the pair must do a 720 ° turn. That's what happened with the leaders until Saturday, Dino Pascolato and Henry "Maguila" Boening. "I'm upset because the yellow flag cost us the title," said Pascolato who lost several positions in the race in which he was punished. In the late afternoon, a quick ceremony brought together representatives of Transpetro, the Feverj and Marina Verolme to reward the champions. |
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