Disaster strikes Percy and Mitchellt at Star Worlds

by Skandia media on 15 Feb 2005 The first race of the Star World Championship was eventful and lively as a 20-22 knot south-easterly breeze kicked the chop up on the River Plate in Argentina.

The fleet got away cleanly the first time and the Irish team of Max Treacy/Anthony Shanks lead at the end of the first 2 mile windward leg up the right hand side favoured beat, hot on his heels were 2003World Champion Frederick Loof/Anders Ekstrom (SWE) and Americas Cup legend Iain Murray/Andrew Palfrey (AUS).

‘We had overstood slightly and rounded fourth in ideal conditions. The first reach proved tricky, as boats that went high gained initially, while the leading boats going low looked vulnerable.

‘We were stuck underneath the Australians, and the Swedes were stuck under us, with the leader of the high group, Roy Heiner/Alex Breuseker (NED) getting to second, just behind the Irish.

'At the gybe mark, Murray, Loof, Percy/Mitchell, then Mark Reynolds/Phil Trinter (USA) and Torben Grael/Marcelo Ferreira (BRA) all rounded abreast and during the gybe, our mast collapsed spectacularly and once the dust had settled, closer inspection revealed a broken lower shroud (D1), one of the thickest rods in the rigging, and a very unusual thing to break.

'Tthese were ideal conditions for us, ones that we revel in and a top three result would have been easily within our reach. We are gutted that such a freak failure has taken away our only discard for this series,' Percy said.

Meanwhile, the Brazilians were continuing their ascent up the fleet and up the next beat had moved into second behind Heiner, with Loof close behind.

The Irish fell back to fourth. Loof and Grael picked off the Dutch on the run, when the wind had peaked at 22 knots. These positions were the same at the finish, Grael taking the gun from a charging Loof, with Heiner and Treacy behind.

We have spent the evening rigging and stepping our spare mast, and getting a replacement sail measured in ready for tomorrow’s race where similar conditions are predicted.

RACE 1 RESULT

1 BRA 8210 GRAEL/FERREIRA

2 SWE 8191 LOOF/EKSTROM

3 NED 8170 HEINER/BREUSEKER

4 IRL 8158 TREACY/SHANKS

5 FRA 7879 PRESTI/SALIOU

6 FRA 8107 ROHART/RAMBEAU

7 USA 8129 REYNOLDS/TRINTER

8 AUS 7836 MURRAY/PALFREY

9 USA 7995 SZABO/NICHOLS

10 BRA 8127 SCHEIDT/PRADA