Kusznierewicz/Zycki win Miami’ Star worlds

“We made a great decision on the downwind leg and used every opportunity to stay close to the Italians,” he said. According to his crew Zycki they have dreamed of putting a gold star on their sails. “One of our dreams came true today,” he said.

Second place went to Diego Negri/Luigi Viale (ITA) who crossed the finish line 18 seconds behind the leader with a total of 23 points. Both Kusznierewicz and Negri started at the signal boat end of the line and went after the start. Unfortunately, the wind went left and they got hosed. With 100 boats racing, they rounded mid-fleet at the first weather mark.

Third place went to Robert Scheidt/Bruno Prada (BRA) who finished the Star Worlds in fourth with 33 points.

Today’s sixth race was won by the Irish team of Patrick O’Leary and Stephen Milne who could be deemed the comeback kids of the series. They were a solid candidate for a top five finish in race four but they lost their mast on the second downwind run.

“We never gave up at any time during the race today or during the entire week,” said O’Leary. “We chipped away at every opportunity after an awful start and we are absolutely delighted to have won today’s race,” he said.

Flavio Marazzi/Enrico De Maria (SUI) not only finished in second place today with an overall fourth, but qualified Switzerland for one of the four remaining Olympic slots in the Star Class event. The three other countries qualifying today were Croatia, Ireland and Austria.

Marazzi and De Maria sailed together in the Athens Olympics and placed fourth. They were also fourth in the 2007 European Championships. Said Marazzi, “We’re always fourth but we hope to change that at the 2008 Olympics.”

Rick Merriman/Brian Sharp (USA) took third place today, their best finish in the series. “Being at the top of fleet today felt great the last couple of days,” said Merriman. “We had a good start mid-line and we stayed high around the weather mark and went left. We had great pressure and clear air around three quarters of the way down where we got ahead of the fleet,” he said.

Today’s final race got off in 10 knot winds with seven boats black flagged. Carl Buchan/Jamie Buchan (USA) were leading with Mark Mendelblatt/Mark Strube (USA), Hamish Pepper/Carl Williams (NZL) and Marc Pickel/Ingo Borkowski (GER) just behind them at the first weather mark.

At the first leeward gate, Flavio Marazzi/Enrico De Maria (SUI) jumped to first place followed by Robert Scheidt/Bruno Prado (BRA). O’Leary/Milne moved up to third place followed by Rick Merriman/Brian Sharp (USA). Joining the top 10 were the two teams holding first and second overall, Kusznierewicz/Zycki and Negri/Viale.

O’Leary/Milne grabbed the lead at the second weather mark and never let it go. Marazzi/De Maria stuck to the leader from the second gate to the finish.

 Press info www.starworlds2008.com
 Photo Th.Martinez / http://www.thmartinez.com