NZL hits the lead at Star World Champs

Hamish Pepper and Craig Monk have hit the lead at the 2009 Star World Championships on now in Varberg, Sweden. With four races now sailed there are just two races remaining to decide the world title.

The 86 boat fleet sailed two races overnight in Sweden playing catch up for a missed day due to lack of wind. The kiwis, who paired up in the Star class earlier this year, had a win in the first race sailed last night. They went on to add an 11th placing in the second race of the day which sees them climb to the top of the leader board after lying 5th at the day’s outset.

Currently they have an eight point lead over second and third place held by Mark Mendelblatt & Mark Strube (USA) and Andrew Campbell & Magnus Liljedahl (USA) respectively. After therace five, scheduled to be sailed tonight, all sailors will exclude their worst score from their points total which may see more changes to the standings.

The official report describes the kiwis win in race three of the regatta.

“They popped off the boat end of the starting line and took the express lane up the right hand side of the course with the current propelling them forward in flat (and shallower) water. Others, in the middle of the course, struggled against the current in the light air. The Kiwis followed Mark Mendelblatt and Mark Strube (USA) around the weather mark and overcame the Americans' 40-second lead on the run after Mendelblatt and Strube gybed toward the inside for what looked like more pressure. It was just the break that the Kiwis needed to take the lead and stay in a controlling position for the remainder of the race.”

Following the race, Pepper said, "We sailed pretty conservatively today. It's easy to lose boats in this fleet and in these conditions."

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.

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2009 Star World Championships
Top Ten Standings after four races

1st Pepper/Monk (NZL) – 32 points
2nd Mendelblatt/Strube (USA) – 40 points
3rd Campbell/Liljedahl (USA) – 40 points
4th Marazzi/DeMaria (SUI) – 42 points
5th Schlonski/Kleen (GER) – 42 points
6th Loof/Tillander (SWE) – 45 points
7th Celon/Natucci (ITA) – 61 points
8th Polgar/Kroeger – 64 points
9th Grael/Seifert – 64 points
10th Domingos, Melo – 65 points