2012 World Championship - Hyeres, France
May 5 - 11, 2012
Regatta Report
Practice Race:
First Race:
First race was won by the French team of Xavier Rohart and Pierre-Alexis Ponsot. With a difficult weather and a shifty wind, Rohart, a former world champion, and Ponsot led the race from the start, and finally won it.
The beginning of this world championship was difficult. The race was first postponed off shore, and then another time on shore. All the competitors were highly motivated on the departure line, and so the race comittee got two general recalls, and at the third start, three individual recalls!
The strategy chosen by a group in the middle of the line was the best: remaining centered, and following the wind. Among them, Xavier Rohart and Pierre-Alexis Ponsot managed to take the lead just before the upwind mark, and stayed at the first place during all the race. Behind them, Fredrik Loof and Peter O'Leary were fighting for the 2nd place, and finally the Swedish sailor took the advantage.
Xavier Rohart: "It was difficult today, especially for the race comittee. They managed to remain calm, and that's great for us. We kept focused on our original strategy to stay in the middle of the fleet, and to follow the wind. We had a good speed, and that helped a lot to be the first boat upwind."
Second Race:
The Swiss sailor Flavio Marazzi won the second race with Robert Scheidt less than a half boat length behind him. The Irish team of Peter O'Leary and David Burrows, with finishes of 3 and 4, leads the Worlds.
The weather was as gusty as yesterday in Hyeres. The race committee chose to delay the race off shore, hoping that the wind stars would blow. The first start was launched around 14.00, and a general recall was announced immediately. The organizations decided to raise the black flag to calm the competitors.
It was Peter O'Leary who was first at the upwind mark, followed by Hamish Pepper and Michael Hestbaeck. Then the Swiss Flavio Marazzi made a really good move, rolling up the downwind mark before O'Leary and Robert Scheidt. The Brazilian managed to catch up and took the lead at the second upwind mark.
A true fight was about to begin between Robert Scheidt and Flavio Marazzi. The Brazilian kept the lead until almost the end of the race, but he left Flavio Marazzi some space, and the Swiss took the opportunity, stealing Robert Scheidt's position. Marazzi finally got across the line with the Brazilian less than a half boat behind him.
The Irish team O'Leary / Burrows, fourth today, took the lead of the Worlds today, just ahead of Scheidt / Prada. Percy / Simpson are in third.
Third race:
The British sailor Lain Percy and his crew Andrew Simpson had a great race today, winning the 3rd race and moving into the lead of the Star 2012 World Championship.
The wind in Hyeres is all or nothing. After two days of very shifty weather for the beginning of the championship, the wind finally decided to blow, with 20 knots, and more in the gusts.
The first start at 11.00, was the good one. The competitors directly headed to the upwind mark, with no recalls. The Danes Michael Hestbaeck and Claus Olesen were the first at the mark, Mateusz Kusznierewicz just behind. Iain Percy was the third upwind.. The Polish crew took the lead downwind, trying not to break the mast or anything else. 9 boats didn't finish the race, and 3 masts were broken today. Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson showed their superiority in this kind of weather. They won with the Poles behind him. The Swede Fredrik Loof was third. The British team takes the lead of the championship.
Fourth race:
Percy and Simpson win again! British sailors Percy and Simpson add a new victory in today's race, and keep the lead of the championship.
Weather was nice today in Hyeres. 10 knots of South-East were blowing in the bay, and the competitors went on shore to take the start of the fourth race around 12.00.
No general recall, but some individuals, who repaired. And a collision right after the start between Diego Negri and Fernando Echavarri. The two boats were quite damaged, and so they headed back to the harbor. At the first upwind mark, the German sailor Hubert Merkelbach, disqualified at the weigh in yesterday, is first, followed by Daniel and Beat Stegmeier and the Swedish Tom Lofstedt. Merkelbach kept the lead at the downwind mark, but Flavio Marazzi managed to be in first position at the next mark, followed by Percy and Kusznierewicz.
In the finish, Percy cut the line in the first position, with the Polish sailor Kusznierewicz just behind him, and Melleby in third. In the overall ranking, Percy has 15 points, Scheidt 25 and O'Leary 26.
For Wednesday, a day off.
Fifth Race:
It was a day of ups and downs with Scheidt scoring a 5th while Percy came 17th. This 5 points gap does not guarantee the gold to the British duo; they will have to be very careful tomorrow!
At the same time, the Kiwis gave it all and scored a bullet securing their ticket to London. Same for the Danes who are now 5th and will see themselves in the Olympics!
But, as for the other 2 tickets, it is still pending who is going to make it.
Today's results give the last 2 tickets to Croatia and Spain with Greece on equal points with the Spanish duo. At the same time, the duo from Austria is still too close.
Sixth and final race:
Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) made it two Star World Championships in a row after a light wind final day in Hyeres, France.
Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson led by five points going into the Medal Race but after some strategic racing by the Brazilians the Brits finished one place ahead of them in 38th and 39th. And with both teams discarding these scores it handed the title to the Brazilians.
Bronze went to Denmark's Michael Hestbaek and Claus Olesen who also qualified in one of the four spots for London 2012. The three remaining places went to New Zealand, Greece and Croatia.
