Star North American Championship

by Lynn Fitzpatrick - WorldRegattas.com on 16 Sep 2009
Long Island Sound's seabreeze exhaled as if had emphysema, one lung and was toting around a respirator. The water was flat during the first two races of the 2009 Star North American Championship being hosted by Cedar Point Yacht Club in Westport, CT.

At times, the current was flowing in the same direction as the wind's mighty gasps, which registered two to four knots. Despite the mentally exhausting beats and runs, recently crowned Star World Champions, George Szabo and Rick Peters, sailed with the same consistency that earned them the World Championship title in last month's light air regatta in which current played a major role.

Jud Smith and Stuart Delisser, fresh off this weekend's victory in the Cedar Point Open for the Bedford Pitcher, looked as if they were going to continue on their rampage when they rounded the first windward mark of the series opener in the lead, extended and crossed the finish line ahead of Szabo/Peters and John Vanderhoff and Adam Dolezal. Smith was noticeably relieved when the race was over. As for the second race, he and Delisser are looking forward to putting it behind them. The pair got caught on the wrong side of a large shift during each of the two beats. Smith, however, did take note of some amazing recoveries, especially from Eivind Melleby and Petrus Eide, who flew in Monday afternoon from Norway and only had time for a sunset sail as preparation for the regatta.

Rick Peters' word for the day was, 'LUCKY.' According to Peters, 'Pete McChesney is the luckiest man alive.'

During each weather leg of the day's second race, Peter McChesney and Shane Zwingelberg saw some wind on the left and sailed for it. 'We were very nervous out there on our own, but it worked out,' said McChesney.

All agreed that the current flowed more swiftly during the first race.

Szabo, Peters are winning with two top five finishes. Racing is tight and the next seven teams posted one single-digit score and one double-digit score and have a total of 19 points or less. More wind is forecast for the rest of the week.

Preliminary Results following the first two races of the 2009 Star North American Championship

1. George Szabo, Rick Peters - 2,4 - 6
2. Peter McChesney, Shane Zwingelberg - 12, 1 - 13
3. Brian Cramer, Matt Johnston - 7, 10 - 17
4. Jud Smith, Stuart Delisser - 1, 17 - 18
5. Andy Horton, Steve Erickson - 5, 13 - 18

http://www.worldregattas.com