Pepper and Monk in 5th at Star Worlds

Hamish Pepper and Craig Monk are lying 5th after day two at the 2009 Star World Championships on now in Sweden. Two races have been sailed; another four remain to decide the world title.

Each with significant independent sailing careers, this is Pepper and Monk’s first season together in the Olympic Star class and their first Star World Championship as a pair. Pepper is a former Star World Champion having won this event in 2006 sailing with Carl Williams.

Sticking with tradition the fleet of 86 boats sail just one race per day. Day two and race two has just concluded in Varberg, Sweden and the only kiwi pair in the fleet is in 5th place with a points total of 20. 11th in race one, Pepper and Monk were 9th in last night’s race which saw them improve their standing up to 5th in the world class fleet.

Conditions in Varberg were challenging for race two of the series. Light winds with big shifts meant for an on shore postponement before racing finally got underway. “Gray, wet, gloomy, chilly and limited visibility sum up the afternoon,” says the official report.

Flavio Marazzi and Enrico De Maria of Switzerland lead the regatta just one point clear of local sailors Fredrik Loof and Johan Tillander.
Racing continues tonight with the third race of the 2009 Star World Championship in Varberg, Sweden.

2009 Star World Championships
Top ten standings after race two

1st Marazzi/DeMaria (SUI) 6 points
2nd Loof/Tillander (SWE) 7 points
3rd Mendelblatt/Strube (USA) 12 points
4th Kusznierewicz/Zycki (POL) 13 points
5th Pepper/Monk (NZL) 20 points
6th O'Leary/ Goodbody 25 points
7th Schlonski/Kleen (GER) 26 points
8th Scheidt/Prada (BRA) 28 points
9th Celon/Natucci (ITA) 28 points
10th Campbell/Liljedahl (USA) 28 points

See the regatta website for full results, news, images and more information.