Everyone can win, everyone can lose

December 7, 20185min read

In Nassau (Bahamas) continue qualifying race Star Sailors League Finals in 2018. Reports Elena Tekina:

The second real day of racing-qualifying races – Thursday, December 6, we are pleased to star parties the weakening of the Bahamian stifling heat, high wave and beautiful North-East wind in the 14-18 knots. So everyone can enjoy the ocean conditions and finally shadowsin the Passat, the distance drifted far beyond the Bay Montague far away into the open sea.

Not surprisingly, in such circumstances, subject to the permitted free pumping it is best proved finity. The crew of the winner of the Finn Gold Cup and the current world champion in the class “Star” of Brazilian Jorge Zarif showed the best result of the day (4-1-2) and flew with the 8th from the 3rd, squeezing out the two Italians Diego Negri. According to Jorge, they were lucky to guess the unpredictable gusts of wind — great left entry in the second race and the same strong, but on the right side in the third race. “Sometimes you just have to trust your gut,” commented day tie Brazilian crew.

The second best score of the day, current champion of the Finn Gold Cup Hungarian of Sambora Bereka and Shkotovo – the multiple champion of the world Finn Masters of Czech Michael Maier: 3-6-9 and rise from 17th to 10th place in overall. And this is after a major breakdown the day before, when in a storm they broke crispity and had half the night to repair and reconfigure the boat.

Unpredictable wind and high competition has made adjustments in the top of the table. In the lead on the first day of the Brazilian crew Robert SATA and Henry Bonin was swapped with the American Duo mark Mendelblatt-Brian Faty. The Americans managed to lead the standings, despite the 15th place in the first race. Two fourth finishes was enough at one point to get around the legendary Brazilian, who managed, in addition to 2nd and 3rd places to obtain the 12-th arrival in the second race of the day.

According to Mark, he was happy to get in the first place, because to get around this racer, like Robert, SADT, this is a great success, but at the same time, he did not expect that with such a low score as his crew, could take the lead. “It was difficult. We didn’t feel on Board the masters of the situation. Of course, we weren’t awful, but everything went not as smooth as usual.”

Racing day the Russian crew, just Thursday started the competition, was full of UPS and downs. However, like all the others.

In the first race, starting on the right, the steering Georgy Shayduko and Shkotovo Odessa Vitaly Kushnir well dispersed on clean wind, came to the left lay-line and were able to get out at the first sign of 5-mi in the footsteps of Robert Saddam, but in the second loop did not hold the position, lost several places and finished at 11. The winner of the race was the crew bronze medalist and President of the SSL Frenchman Xavier Roar. Starting on the left best side, sign the Frenchman came first – ahead of Sombra Beracha, Horvath tonchi of Stipanowich and Robert Seida. After going in the lead the entire race, Xavier and his Shkotovo Pierre-Alexis Ponce finished with a large margin from the second and third Hungarian and Brazilian.

In the second race, Jorge Zarif won the win from the kiwi Hamish pepper, beating it on the second loop. From our boat launch failed, it was covered by the other boats, our speed was not enough, with the party guessed wrong, and the further the race the team had in the second half of the fleet finishing in 18th place. However, George and Vitaly have managed to beat stars like Olympic champion Swede Freddie Loof, winner of an integrated world Championships in Aarhus and silver medalist Cypriot Pavlos Kontides and the winners of the world championship in Aarhus Ruggiero Tita and Kevin Peponnet.

The third race was brilliantly won by the Brazilian pair Lars Grael and Samuel gonçalves. While the whole fleet was fighting for the pin, Lars made a bet on the right side and won, receiving soon after the start of a massive run, which took him first to sign a couple of hundred meters ahead. The Russian crew has started on the right closer to the center and left have missed the enhancement that has helped many to rise. In the end, at the first sign of our crew was somewhere in the middle of the fleet, but then lost a few positions, having gone in the wrong direction. Right before the finish Shizuko managed to win a place at the new Zealander Hamish pepper and finish 19th.
Over the two days and seven races, Shaiduko and Kushnir occupy 23-e a place. That is not surprising: the first four races they missed because of poor health steering.

According to Shkotovo Vitaly Kushnir, the crew was not fast enough and, of course, joint training in this weather, wave and wind. In this class plays a big role in balance of weight and correct otkrivanje that need to be trained, but pleased that the team managed to stay on par with the Champions and even win the local battle. “The most important thing today was to show their physical condition as quickly and effectively work with sails, safe — materiel, with the sails, the mast, the “Zvezdice” masts are a bit fragile. A lot of little things that play an important role, it is necessary to tighten in a company, here, any, even the slightest mistake immediately throws you to the curb for twenty. Here you can fight, but as always, the less mistakes wins. In this fleet, everyone can win, everyone can lose. Want to, of course, it is better to act, we will make every effort tomorrow. The distance will show who is capable of what!”

Steering George Shaiduko commented on the day. “Twenty degrees walked the wind – and the wave was decent. Had a good ride on the full course. While slowly climb the standings. Tomorrow is another day. Of course, it is impossible to count on getting into the top ten, but at least we will fight to climb higher in the standings. It is all there. And we all that is possible – I’ll check out the settings and let’s go.”

The first start of the final day of the qualifying races today, December 7, is scheduled for 11.00 am local time (19.00 GMT). Plan to spend 3-4 race.
Live stream to watch here
https://youtu.be/Eh0FNPytlGM

The full results, see here:
http://www.starsailors.com/regatta/1514 ssl finals-5

#sslfinals #StarSailorsLeague