Iain Percy and Andrew 'Bart' Simpson: 2010 Star Class World Champions. Image copyright Fried Elliott/www.friedbits.com
by Lynn Fitzpatrick
Iain Percy and Andrew “Bart” Simpson (GBR) were crowned 2010 Star World Champions Thursday. The reigning Olympic Gold Medallists continue to add treasures to war chests. Percy’s sterling collection of championship titles includes the 2002 Star World Championship and an Olympic Gold Medal in the Finn in 2000.
Percy and Simpson are in the TeamORIGIN afterguard and began sailing Stars together in 2007. They were persistent in getting every ounce of boat speed out of their Mader Star and won the Olympic Gold Medal in the most exciting Medal Race of all of the Olympic Classes.
Following the Olympics, they took a breather from Star sailing and have been doing a lot of match racing. Their last Star regatta was Sail for the Gold in Weymouth, where they won the Gold. They did not compete in the 2009 Star World Championship nor did they compete in the Taca Royal Thames and South American Championship earlier this season. They had two practice sessions leading up to this regatta. Percy commented at the pre-regatta press conference, “Sometimes short, sharp training sessions can work in your favor.”
This victory places Percy in the rarified company of Torben Grael, Mark Reynolds, Bill Buchan, Jr.; Lowell North, and Agostino Straulino as a Star skipper who has won an Olympic Gold Medal and multiple Star World Championship titles.
Flavio Marazzi and Enrico De Maria (SUI) entered the 2010 Star World Championship ranked #1 by ISAF and hoping to find the Holy Grail after their second place finish in the Taca Royal Thames Regatta and victory in the South American Championship. This second place finish matches their second place finish at the 2004 Star World Championship. They were fourth in 2008.
Marazzi/DeMaria’s doggedness in trying to close the point spread between them and Percy/Simpson kept the World Championship title up for grabs through the final race of the series. Percy went into the race, “holding all of the cards” and knowing that Marazzi/DeMaria would have a difficult time accomplishing two very difficult feats: placing first or second in the race and having the Brits finish eight or more points behind them.
“The start did not quite go as planned,” explained Simpson. “We thought that we were pushing them to the wrong end of the line and a big shift came through in their favor. They did a great job.”
The Brits’ miscalculation put the Swiss more than two dozen boats ahead of them at the top mark and trading places with Lars Grael and Ronald Seifert (BRA) and Johannes Polgar and Markus Koy (GER) and Fernando Echavarri and Fernando Rodrigues (ESP), all talented light air sailors. Said Percy, “We had a nervous moment at first when they crossed the fleet, but we continued to play the shifts and make gains.”
Mark Mendelblatt and John Von Schwarz led around the first windward mark. They, like many others, had problems with the current after tacking for the offset mark, they slipped back to fifth. “We jibed to get clear air, and it turned out to be a good decision,” said Mendelblatt who went on to win his first race in a Star World Championship. He continued, “It was a good way to end the regatta.”
Percy/Simpson made a huge gain half way up the second beat and, “got quite close to them, and actually enjoyed the last lap,” said Percy.
In the end, Flavio Marazzi and Enrico DeMaria slipped from being in contention for first or second to 12th and Iain Percy and Andrew “Bart” Simpson had recovered to 16th place.
Said Percy, who was pleased to win another important sailing title with his best mate, “The race didn’t quite go as planned and was a good reminder that you can’t rest on your laurels especially in the Star Class.”
Alexander Schlonski and Frithjof Kleen (GER) matched their Race 1 second place finish with another second place finish today. Torben Grael and Marcel Ferreira (BRA) followed them across the finish line in third.
Grael/Ferreira claimed third place in the regatta. Lars Grael and Ronald Seifert (BRA) followed their third place finish at the 2009 Star World Championship with a fourth in Rio. Alan Adler and Guiherme Almeida (BRA) finished fifth.
Torben Grael said, “I am very glad with our performance. It was a wonderful way to get back into the Star with a third at the South Americans and a third at the Worlds. There is such a high level of competition locally and it is fun for all of us. The races are always difficult and we are always pushing one another. We have talented newcomers, like Andre Mirsky. It is good for the Class.”
Top Junior
Tomas Hornos and Luis Hornos (USA) - the top Junior skipper at the 2010 Star World Championship is Tomos Hornos. Tomas sailed with his father, Luis, the District 1 Secretary. Tomas is the 2007 Snipe World Champion. Luis’ brother, Carlos, joined them in Rio. Tomas sailed his first Star regatta in New England years ago at his uncle’s suggestion. Tomas is in his final semester at Tufts University, where he is the Jumbo’s A Division skipper. The father and son combination finished 44th overall.
Top Master
Peter Ficker and Urbirtran Oliviera (BRA) – The 1976 Olympic Silver Medalist in the Flying Dutchman teamed up with the 2005 Brazilian Star National Champion crew for this regatta and topped the group of eight Masters teams in the 2010 Star World Championship. They finished 38th overall.
Top Grand Master
Gastao Brun and Gustavo Kunze (BRA) – The 2010 Star World Champion Regatta Chair, and his family have been working around the clock helping to make the regatta perfect. Brun is the 2008 South American Champion and the 1990 North American Champion, and a lengthy list of other victories. Brun won the warm-up regatta and had two races in the top ten, including on Wednesday, the day that half of the top ten teams to cross the finish line were Brazilian. Gustavo Kunze sailed Optimists and Lasers and started crewing with Brun in 2007. They finished 16th overall, ahead of all of the Junior, Master and Grand Master teams. Said Brun, “It is great to be sailing with all of these guys. It is so much fun. It makes you feel alive.” Brun has won many races in these waters, said, “You need to be calm and can’t go to the extremes.”
Preliminary Results of the 2010 Star World Championship
Place Boat Skipper Crew Sail #: Fleet 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total
1 GBR 8371 Percy Iain Simpson Andrew 8371 Sol 2.0 11.0 2.0 1.0 4.0 18.0 20
2 SUI 8364 Marazzi Flavio De Maria Enrico 8364 TB 30.0 1.0 6.0 4.0 6.0 12.0 29
3 BRA 8397 Grael Torben Ferreira Marcelo 8397 GuB 5.0 25.0 21.0 7.0 3.0 3.0 39
4 BRA 8392 GRAEL LARS SEIFERT RONALD 8392 Par 35.0 15.0 12.0 10.0 2.0 5.0 44
5 BRA 8210 Adler Alan Almeida Guilherme 8210 RdJ 6.0 5.0 11.0 13.0 9.0 74.0 [OCS] 44.0001
6 ITA 8266 Negri Diego Colaninno Fernando 8266 VE 23.0 18.0 5.0 6.0 13.0 10.0 52
7 SWE 8387 Loof Fredrik Tillander Johan 8387 Bk 8.0 9.0 18.0 19.0 11.0 6.0 52.0001
8 NOR 8317 Melleby Eivind Morland Pedersen Petter 8317 Nor 9.0 10.0 4.0 16.0 16.0 15.0 54
9 BRA 8255 SCHEIDT ROBERT PRADA BRUNO 8255 Gua 3.0 19.0 50.0 5.0 5.0 32.0 64
10 GER 8378 Babendererde Johannes Jacobs Timo 8378 Moh 1.0 8.0 39.0 8.0 15.0 34.0 66
11 USA 8361 Campbell Andrew Nichol Brad 8361 SDB 12.0 3.0 24.0 26.0 14.0 14.0 67
12 GER 8140 Schlonski Alexander Kleen Frithjof 8140 Lub 24.0 2.0 74.0 [BFD] 20.0 23.0 2.0 71
13 ARG 8381 Kouyoumdjian Juan Colla Alejandro 8381 Lar 4.0 30.0 8.0 22.0 7.0 33.0 71.0001
14 CAN 8398 Macdonald Ross Lekszycki Andre 8398 EB 10.0 13.0 14.0 15.0 20.0 26.0 72
15 BRA 8283 Brun Gastao Kunze Gustavo 8283 RdJ 21.0 7.0 15.0 48.0 8.0 22.0 73
16 CRO 8339 Lovrovic Marin Mikulicic Sinisa 8339 Kv 17.0 34.0 13.0 14.0 10.0 19.0 73.0001
17 GER 8109 Polgar Johannes Koy Markus 8109 Ess 26.0 4.0 42.0 24.0 17.0 7.0 78
18 GER 8340 Stanjek Robert Stanjek Philipp 8340 BF 14.0 12.0 27.0 23.0 19.0 16.0 84
19 POR 8276 Lima Gustavo Nankin Charles 8276 Por 7.0 74.0 [BFD] 9.0 46.0 21.0 8.0 91
20 ARG 8211 Rigoni Alejo Percossi Juan Pablo 8211 BA 29.0 31.0 7.0 12.0 25.0 20.0 93
21 BRA 6475 Mirsky Andre JORDÁO MARCELO 6475 RdJ 33.0 6.0 22.0 3.0 34.0 74.0 [DNC] 98
22 USA 8267 Mendelblatt Mark Von Schwarz JOhn 8267 TaB 44.0 17.0 25.0 31.0 26.0 1.0 100
23 IRL 8385 Treacy Max Shanks Anthony 8385 Isol 13.0 32.0 33.0 9.0 29.0 17.0 100
24 USA 8362 Merriman Rick Trinter Phil 8362 LH 49.0 36.0 17.0 2.0 1.0 46.0 102
25 FRA 8237 Rohart Xavier Ponsot Pierre Alexis 8237 NI 66.0 14.0 1.0 18.0 12.0 74.0 [OCS] 111
26 POR 8309 Domingos Afonso Melo Frederico 8309 CP 25.0 29.0 16.0 17.0 27.0 37.0 114
27 GER 8299 Miller Matthias Wenk Benedikt 8299 UB 62.0 20.0 31.0 25.0 24.0 21.0 121
28 USA 8273 Szabo George Peters Rick 8273 SDB 53.0 39.0 10.0 42.0 22.0 9.0 122
29 BRA 8337 Cunha Renato Mascarenhas Marcos 8337 RdJ 34.0 27.0 3.0 33.0 41.0 27.0 124
30 ARG 7966 Labandeira Julio Thompson Valentin 7966 OL 15.0 26.0 23.0 43.0 38.0 23.0 125
31 ITA 8155 Poggi Giampiero Corsi Manlio 8155 Rom 22.0 23.0 20.0 38.0 33.0 30.0 128
32 GRE 8138 Papathanasiou Emilios Papastefanou Pachos 8138 GR 16.0 49.0 30.0 11.0 44.0 74.0 [DNC] 150
33 ESP 8297 Echavarri Erasum Fernando Rodriguez Rivero Fernando 8297 Lar 18.0 74.0 [BFD] 29.0 65.0 36.0 4.0 152
34 BRA 7590 King John A Spear Macpherson Norman 7590 Cop 11.0 56.0 45.0 27.0 74.0 [BFD] 13.0 152
35 ITA 8384 Celon Nicola Natucci Edoardo 8384 SG 41.0 21.0 43.0 21.0 30.0 74.0 [DNC] 156
36 GBR 8396 Razmilovic Ante Hammersley Brian 8396 NB 40.0 40.0 38.0 58.0 28.0 11.0 157
37 CRO 8280 Lovrovic Dan ARAPOVIC Antonio 8280 Kv 27.0 37.0 44.0 50.0 31.0 24.0 163
38 BRA 8300 FICKER PETER Oliveira Ubiratan 8300 San 19.0 33.0 56.0 28.0 45.0 43.0 168
39 BRA 8282 PASCOLATO ALESSANDRO Boening Henry 8282 Gua 28.0 22.0 51.0 30.0 43.0 50.0 173
40 BRA 8393 Carabelli Horacio Ilha Fernando 8393 RdJ 57.0 46.0 40.0 40.0 18.0 31.0 175
41 GBR 8025 Gimson John Greig Ed 8025 Sol 37.0 41.0 37.0 36.0 74.0 [BFD] 29.0 180
42 BRA 8145 Bodra Fabio Barbosa Lopes Arthur 8145 SP 20.0 24.0 19.0 45.0 74.0 [DSQ] 74.0 [OCS] 182
43 CAN 8143 Cramer Brian Johnston Matt 8143 WLOC 31.0 52.0 41.0 37.0 53.0 25.0 186
44 USA 8067 HORNOS Tomas HORNOS Luis 8067 BH 39.0 48.0 32.0 44.0 32.0 40.0 187
45 BRA 8049 Raulino Guilherme LAGOA MARCO 8049 Par 51.0 16.0 48.0 39.0 35.0 60.0 189
46 ITA 8383 Augelli Marco Rocca Leone 8383 FdiT 74.0 [DSQ] 42.0 49.0 29.0 42.0 28.0 190
47 ITA 8400 Santoni Silvio Toccoli Fabio 8400 NG 32.0 43.0 74.0 [BFD] 35.0 46.0 35.0 191
48 ITA 8242 Boggi Lucio Lambertenghi Sergio 8242 Gar 43.0 74.0 [BFD] 28.0 32.0 37.0 57.0 197
49 BRA 8251 Conrad Reinaldo Pomerantzeff Paulo Andre 8251 San 45.0 50.0 46.0 74.0 [DNF] 47.0 38.0 226
50 BRA 8284 Raulino Gabriel Camargo Rosas Juliano 8284 Par 59.0 54.0 35.0 49.0 50.0 39.0 227
51 BRA 8391 Gonzaga Neto Admar Figueiredo De Freita Alexandre 8391 Par 46.0 47.0 52.0 54.0 40.0 42.0 227
52 ITA 8370 Simeone Luca La Porta Manuele 8370 Rom 42.0 62.0 36.0 60.0 51.0 45.0 234
53 ITA 7556 Fornaro Andrea Tarabella Andrea 7556 LdB 48.0 35.0 63.0 63.0 49.0 41.0 236
54 SUI 8085 Zimmermann Lorenz Hollweg Nils 8085 LUV 56.0 60.0 26.0 41.0 60.0 54.0 237
55 ARG 7700 Della Torre Daniel Barroso Julian Gazari 7700 BA 60.0 28.0 54.0 53.0 58.0 48.0 241
56 ARG 7777 Della Torre Gerardo Latour Guillermo 7777 BA 67.0 38.0 59.0 52.0 74.0 [BFD] 36.0 252
57 BRA 8287 Almeida Reis Luiz Andre Moura Renato 8287 Par 64.0 58.0 34.0 57.0 74.0 [BFD] 44.0 257
58 AUT 8368 Tomasini Grinover Roberto Bahr Gunnar 8368 AU 55.0 44.0 55.0 51.0 55.0 74.0 [DNC] 260
59 USA 8279 Bonanni Claude Burgess Richard 8279 TaB 36.0 74.0 [BFD] 61.0 64.0 52.0 49.0 262
60 SUI 8009 Gautschi Christoph Koenig Juerg 8009 Bod 70.0 61.0 65.0 34.0 56.0 56.0 272
61 POR 8048 De Barros Patrick M Plantier Santos Bernardo 8048 FdeL 63.0 57.0 60.0 47.0 57.0 52.0 273
62 ARG 7909 Perez Jorge Oscar Tufarolo Marcelo 7909 OL 54.0 55.0 53.0 70.0 59.0 53.0 274
63 GER 8016 Rauch Hubert Schappeler Ingo 8016 And 52.0 51.0 64.0 61.0 74.0 [BFD] 51.0 279
64 BRA 7441 Bueno Mauricio Zarif Jorge Joao 7441 Gua 69.0 45.0 58.0 55.0 54.0 74.0 [DNS] 281
65 BRA 7284 Castro Cezar Montezuma Afonso 7284 Par 68.0 53.0 47.0 67.0 74.0 [BFD] 59.0 294
66 CHI 7972 Gimeno Pablo Calegari Frederico 7972 Val 38.0 65.0 66.0 [66.0, RDG] 66.0 74.0 [BFD] 61.0 296
67 ITA 7551 Graciotti Vincenzo Cisbani Paolo 7551 Con 74.0 [DNS] 64.0 66.0 56.0 48.0 64.0 298
68 SRB 7888 Erac Branislav Tosic Ozren 7888 Isol 47.0 66.0 57.0 71.0 62.0 74.0 [DNC] 303
69 BRA 8117 Caruso Bruno Manzoli Bremer Rolf 8117 Gua 71.0 59.0 67.0 59.0 63.0 55.0 303
70 BRA 7772 Siemsen Francisco Floricke Manfredo 7772 Cop 65.0 74.0 [BFD] 74.0 [BFD] 69.0 39.0 58.0 305
71 BRA 8212 Goretkin Sergio Cruz Renato 8212 RdJ 50.0 74.0 [DSQ] 74.0 [DNS] 74.0 [DNS] 61.0 47.0 306
72 ITA 8382 Irrera Renato Cristaldini Corrado 8382 Pal 58.0 67.0 62.0 62.0 74.0 [BFD] 62.0 311
73 BRA 7823 De Almeida Joao Marcos Bunge Manuel 7823 Cop 61.0 63.0 74.0 [BFD] 68.0 64.0 63.0 319
World Regattas
Star Class
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