BRAZIL AND AUSTRALIA MATCH RACE FOR STAR GOLD

by Ian Grant on 27 Sep 2000 Match racing tactics will be a feature when the high performance Olympic Star class fleet continue with their exciting racing for the Olympic 2000 Medals off Sydney's South Head today.

Torben Grael the defending Gold Medallist from Brazil who was unfairly criticised for the tactics he applied during the Prada challenge for the America's Cup, has been the master in analysing the speed gains from the tricky winds on the Olympic courses.

Grael assisted by his 112kg crew mate Marcelo Ferreira control the race for the Gold Medal over the Australian crew of Colin Beashel and David Giles while Peter Bromby and Lee White (Bermuda) winner of race six yesterday remain as a medal contender.

Bromby and White with a 4-1 outscored both Beashel and Giles 3-2 and Grael and Ferreira 1-6 yesterday.

After six of the scheduled 11 races they are now equal second on 20 points including discard with Beashel and Giles while Grael and Ferreira with a score of 3- (13)-1-2-1-6 are seven points clear with 13 penalty points lost.

All three crews masters of the highly technical and tactical art form required to sail the 68 year old Star design to maximum performance will face another day of testing conditions on the Tasman Sea off South Head later today.

There may be some hidden tactical 'pot holes' on the course after an electrical storm moved through Sydney overnight changing the winds from 12-14 knot South East to variable 8 -10 northerly breeze this morning.

However despite the change the top three crews are expected to retain their positions while the United States team of Mark Reynolds and Philip Liljedahl rated as one of the favourites to win a medal need to be placed in the top 3 today to become a serious threat.

Reynolds winner of the Star class Silver in Seoul and Gold in Barcelona is presently placed 7th, 21 points behind the leader.

PROGRESSIVE POINTS (Official 1 discard): BRA 13PTS 1, AUS 20PTS 2, BER 20PTS 3, GBR 22PTS 4, ESP 27PTS 5, NED 31PTS 6, USA 34PTS 7, CAN 34PTS 8, NZL 35PTS 9 ITA 37PTS 10.