2004 World Championship - Gaeta, Italy
April 23 - May 1, 2004
Regatta Report
Reports from Magnus Wheatley & Sacha Oswald, RYA (Yachts and Yachting) and Andreas Hanakamp, Scuttlebutt Europe
Day One (April 25) -
The gloves came off for the first race of the 2004 Star World Championships in Gaeta, Italy with lain Percy and Stevie Mitchell scoring an opening race win in challenging conditions. After an interminable delay by the race committee who were unable to set a course as the wind banged around the Aurunci mountain range, fluctuating, dying and then steadily rising to a heady peak of 26 knots, racing got under way after an obligatory general recall late in the afternoon.
Very quickly it became obvious that the guys who had done their homework on the venue were always going to be the ones to beat as the fleet split with a gaggle of Gold Star ex-world champions opting for the pin end of the line and a long starboard leg nshore. By the top mark, after a no-brainer beat it was the usual suspects up in the hunt with Ireland's Mark Mansfield rounding just ahead of Sweden's Freddy Lööf whilst veteran Mark Reynolds put on a late charge in the final quarter to round in third. Reynolds was to find out later that he was OCS alongside Xavier Rohart and Paul Cayard and the Americans fell away as the pressure came on. Team Percy/Mitchell were disappointed to round fifth having led the fleet half way up the first beat but their downwind speed (where many think they are untouchable) was their get out of jail free card in the 118 strong fleet.
As the afternoon rolled into evening, the conditions played more and more into the hands of the super-fit Brits as the sea state increased and the breeze filled with the incumbent rain clouds rolling across the race course. An early casualty was the luckless Paul Cayard who suffered a broken mast on the first quarter of the run, bringing his stick tumbling to the deck and ripping his mainsail. It was not the start the American Olympic representative was looking for! However up front, the race was hotting up with Percy and Loof turning the course into a private match race whilst the Irish contingent of Mark Mansfield/Killian Collins and Maxwell Treacy/Anthony Shanks formed a chasing and closing pack behind. Power and pace were the order of the day as Percy closed down the gauge on the second beat throwing successive lee-bow tacks on the Swedes but never quite managing to cross clear ahead. At the final top mark, it was Lööf again from Percy who powered down to the spreader mark and then opted to sail a deep run to the final leeward mark under the dramatic lee of the Gaeta old town cliff-top rocks.
With the leeward marks split, Percy opted for the nearer starboard side buoy and rounded before Lööf who had gone to port. It was a critical decision as Percy piled on the pressure and stormed into a lead that he was never looking like relinquishing. With the breeze now up to 26 knots with gusts of 28 knots, it was all Percy/Mitchell whilst Lööf went to pieces, failing to cover the ultra quick Mark Mansfield who picked up some flat water and pace to squeak into second place on the line. Flavio Marazzi sailing under Swiss nationality, grabbed fourth spot whilst Maxwell Treacy claimed fifth. Some big names had bruised egos after Percy/Mitchell's dominant performance with Torben Grael finishing seventh and Colin Beashel scoring an eighth.
For the rest of the fleet it was tough going with at least two boats losing crews over the side and a whole host of gear damage and fatigued sailors stepping ashore well past seven o'clock. All a far cry from the past few weeks down here in Gaeta where the weather has been light with blissful sunshine most days for the crews to train in.
Not surprisingly in an Olympic year the fleet is split into at least three fleets with the Olympians employing coaches with their own RIBS, dieticians and weather analysts whilst for the amateur crews it's a very steep learning curve. With Percy finishing over a leg ahead of the also-rans that curve must look taller than the mountain ranges that surround the venue! Racing continues tomorrow with the forecast promising slightly lighter winds and sunshine.
Day Two (April 26) -
The day belonged to the Netherlands team of Mark Neeleman and crewman Peter van Niekerk who, from the starting gun, sailed into an unprecedented lead that at times topped 1 minute. In this fleet, that's virtual ly unheard of and Neeleman held his nerve despite a late charge from the ultra-quick Lööf to score a stun ning race victory by just over 20 seconds.
Unlike the April storm clouds and 26 knot breezes of yesterday it was a picture perfect day with broken clouds forming off the mountain ranges of Formia and Naples bringing with it, a shifting breeze that peaked at around 20 knots before fading to a consistent 14 knots. The sea-state was slight as the sun drenched the course and the race committee got the racing under way at just past the allotted 2pm schedule. A clean start by all competitors saw the 103 boats get away with the major contenders huddled down at the pin end of the line on a long starboard leg into the shoreline of Formia to pick up the first shift. Torben Grael and Marcello Ferreira were the early leaders, having aced the start but as the wind shifted anti-clockwise the race played into the hands of Neeleman who held a small lead over a chasing pack of Percy, Stig Westergaard and the Italian Gold star of Roberto Benamati. Bermudan Peter Bromby was just off the pack but pulled through beautifully in the last quarter of the beat to round the top mark fifth. Freddy Lööf had been buried in a gaggle at the pin end but began his charge after rounding the top mark in the mid teens. Percy rounded eighth at the windward mark as the breeze filled to just under 20 knots before beginning his customary downwind execution, gybing off to the port side of the course with Loof breaking from the pack with him. .jpg)
By the leeward mark, Neeleman was off in a class of his own having extended down the run in clear air whilst Grael led the following pack of Westergaard, Lööf and Percy. There was very little to choose from in terms of boatspeed and technique as the top five of the Stars fought it out tooth and nail up the second beat. The only surprising speed differences were seen in the boat on boat contact of Lööf who seemed able to lee bow at will and always had the pace when it mattered. Neeleman rounded the second windward mark with a 1 minute 5 second lead from Grael and Westergaard with Lööf closing in behind. Percy was a further 10 seconds back and seemingly being dropped off the pack, however his downwind speed kept him in contention.
Now came a big move from Lööf who gambled all and headed off far to port, splitting from the leaders in search of increased pressure. With his rig rocked so far forward that it appeared well over the bow and some interesting kinetics from his bowman Ekström, Lööf pulled off the move of the regatta to sail straight through Westergaard and Grael and close down the gap on Neeleman to a cool 43 seconds. The Netherlands duo were looking anxiously over their shoulder at the Swedes and opted to slap the tightest of covers on their closing rivals. Rounding the port leeward mark the top four boats headed out to the clear air off the Naples headland whilst Percy gambled all and went for the starboard exit to hug the shore. It was all looking so good for the 'charisma twins' a quarter of the way up the final beat as they closed in on a cover ing Westergaard before overtaking them with superior tacking speed in a close fought duel. The leaders all congregated in the middle of the course as the charging Percy posed a real threat but then came a moment of the cruelest of luck.
With the wind flowing down off the mountains, Percy headed out to the right side of the course to cover Wastergaard and in search of what felt like the filling sea breeze. However the rest of the fleet banged hard loft as their compasses dialed down on a steady header and, crucially, increasing pressure. Looking over their shoulders must have been a sight for sore eyes as around twenty boats piled in from the left, taking advantage of an extra five knots of sea breeze to sail through in the final quarter of the beat. No matter how much boatspeed you have, there's nothing you can do when you're on the outside of pressure like that! Percy and Mitchell had to watch as crews hiked at full extension whilst they soldiered up on starboard lack desperate to get into the breeze.
Up front it was different as Lööf and Neeleman conducted their own private match race in the final quarter, is covering the fleet out left and keeping an eye on each other. Despite the gap dosing considerably, Noeleman held on to take the gun with Loof scoring the second place to take him into the overnight cham a blonship lead. Peter Bromby was the biggest winner of the leftes, nailing a third just ahead of Torben Grael, who couldn't get over to the left fast enough from the mid-point of the beat. Maxwell Treacy and Anthony Shanks continued their good form with a sixth place whilst Paul Cayard notched his first top ten after yesterday's dismasting with an eighth place having been buried in the late teens all day until the final beat. Percy ended up frustrated with a 22nd place and their anger was palpable as they crossed the finish line... That's the discard then!
Day Three (April 27) -
Racing had to be postponed on the third day of the Star world championship, and later abandoned for the day, after a dispute over weighing-in delayed racing.
After a number of crews were found to be overweight at yesterday’s weigh in, they were informed that they would not be able to compete in the second days racing. After the sailing instructions were checked it was found that there was no provision for a re-weigh in, despite the notice of race stating that there was. The sailors that were told to stay ashore claimed redress due to the conflict and the jury decided that race would be re-sailed, allowing the sailors to count their best result from either of the two races. This decision was then met with a number of counter protests causing the jury to go into a lengthy meeting to decide the outcome, whilst the sailors were postponed ashore. No immediate decision was made, so it was decided to abandon racing for the day.
In the end it was decided that race two would not be re-sailed and the overweight crews would receive average points. The planned lay day, which was scheduled for tomorrow has been cancelled in order to get the schedule back on track.
Day Four (April 28) -
Racing abandoned due to lack of wind.
Day Five (April 29) -
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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 or 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 Star boat with the crew at full extension and off the line the fleet were going at it hammer and tongs. A long fine 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 face...more of that in a moment.
Up the first beat, it was anyone's game and as lain 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. .jpg)
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 dialed 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 favorite Freddy Lööf 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 (later overturned) 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 Lööf 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. 
Day Six (April 30) -
The Star Class World championships has once again lost a race and is in severe danger of not completing enough races to count as a series All racing was cancelled today as low cloud cover negated the wind and made laying a course nigh on impossible. Pity the poor competitors who sat helpless bobbing around the Gaeta bay as the wind filled, shifted, circled and did everything it could not to play ball. Pity too the race committee who are as desperate as anything to get a race in but know that sailing a World Championships in Northern Europe in the Mediterranean in late April/early May is like running a downhill slalom in Kuwait in high summer.
Day Seven (May 1) -
This race, Star sailors were lucky, the wind filled in just half an hour before the time limit to start the last race and in a light seabreeze the fleet got off at the first (black flag) start. It was down to just one point on who will be World Champion 2004 in the Star Class. lan Percy/Steve Mitchell in second got a clean start in the middle and led away to the right side of the course where less current and better pressure could be expected. But at some stage the left side of the fleet was lifted and the British wanted to play it safe and tacked.
Meanwhile the Swedish team Loof/Ekström didn't have such a brilliant start and sailed with lots of courage (or desperation) into the far right corner, came out perfectly right and closed up to the British. Shortly before the windward mark they overtook them and started to sail them back. Percy tacked, Lööf tacked on him and gave him bad air, Percy tacked away, Lööf ... and so on. Boats passed and the Swedes sailed the British back, not dissimilar to the duel for Gold in the Laser in 2000 between Ainslie and Scheidt. Percy and Mitchell's engagement with Lööf/Ekström cost them dearly as they lost not just the championship but also lost second place to Marazzi/De Maria from Switzerland who scored fourth today.
Photos courtesy of Carlo Borlenghi
