The Cayard Chronicles - Americans Win 2 Races, But Swede, Brit Vie For Title Sunday
2004 Star World Championship
Gaeta, Italy April 28-May 2

Today was a beautiful day on the Golfo de Gaeta. It all came good in the end. The fog burned off, the sea breeze filled in and we were off and racing around 1130. Black flag was up for the first start. No time to waste today.

We had a very good start toward the left side. Very good boat speed upwind but unfortunately the wind was winding right. We got to the first mark about 30th. For the rest of the race we moved up, finally finishing 15th. George Szabo (San Diego) with Christian Finnsgard won the first race.

In the second race, black flag up again, we had a good start and after a few minutes tacked onto port and headed for the now obviously favored right side. The wind was 16-18 knots from 250. Mark Reynolds and Steve Erickson were clearly out in front of the fleet about 100 meters ahead of us. We were going very fast now and we ground them down to round the top mark first.

On the reach, Reynolds pushed us both high and they were able to slide down the inside of us for the gybe . . . yes, we went reaching today. Around the gybe mark they stretched on us to have a 100-yard lead at the leeward mark. The Swiss team of Marazzi/De Maria, were in third.

For the rest of the race we went a bit faster than Reynolds upwind and about the same downwind. At the end of the final beat he was tacking on us trying to hold us back. He did and the USA finished 1-2. Marazzi was third and Percy (GBR) fourth.

Tomorrow Freddy Loof (Sweden) or Iain Percy (Great Britain) can win. They are one point apart, and Percy has a 22 as his worst while Loof has an eighth as his worst. If they both finish worse than eighth, Loof is guaranteed of the win. So I think we all know what he will be doing.

Whichever one wins, it will be his second Star World Championship in two or three years. These guys have really dominated the class since their arrival. Loof is especially consistent. Percy is the heavy air specialist.

Provisional results pending protest: 1) Loof/Ekstom (SWE) 15, 2) Percy/Mitchell (GBR) 16, Neelman/Van Niekerk (NED) 23, 4) Marazzi/De Maria
(SUI) 28, 5) Bromby White (BER) 29, 6) Beashel/Giles (AUS) 34, 7) Cayard/Trinter (USA) 39, 8) Mansfield/Collins (IRL) 43, 9) Szabo/Finnsgard
(USA) 46.7 10) Grael/Ferreira (BRA) 49.

I am bushed right now. Two races of full hiking . . . 22.5 miles. Going to sleep very well tonight. Tomorrow, one race and it has to be started before 1400.

Paul Cayard

visit http://www.starworld2004.com/ for full results.