Three races and halfway through the Star World Championship in Buenos Aires and the cream is starting to rise to the top. With so many gold stars (10) and gold medals (9) it comes as no surprise that each race has been won by one. Today it was the turn of Double Laser Gold medallist Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA).

The race started in 12 knots with the chop still evident, an average start but some good shift picking saw us round the top mark first, just in front of Presti/Saliou (FRA) and Reynolds/Trinter (USA) a split on the first downwind saw us stuck in the middle as the wind increased on the right side, this bought the chasing pack right onto our tail at the leeward gate with Scheidt/Prada (BRA) and Rohart/Rambeau (FRA) rounding the other gate mark to us and getting the first shift right to both cross us halfway up the beat. These two approached the windward mark together for the second time, stuffing to get around, letting us close the gap ready for the run.

Scheidt’s years of Laser downwind sailing showed as he held us off to the bottom gate, after we had overtaken Rohart halfway down, we could almost touch his transom as we rounded the mark, he went off left and we chose to take some to the right, his choice proved correct and he crossed us by five lengths halfway up the beat, with Rohart a further five behind us. Presti, Murray/Palfrey (AUS) and Loof/Ekstrom (SWE) led the chasing group. By the finish Scheidt had covered us to win by two lengths, while we did the same to Rohart to finish second. The Brazilian support made its presence felt with horns and cheers for Scheidt/Prada’s first victory.

The overall standings have Rohart/Rambeau in 1st with 10pts, Loof/Ekstrom 2nd with 12 pts, Grael/Ferreira 3rd with 15pts. We have made it up to 17th counting our 53pts for race 1.

As always this Star worlds will go down to the last race.

Results (race 3)

1 BRA 8127 SCHEIDT/PRADA

2 GBR 8144 PERCY/MITCHELL

3 FRA 8107 ROHART/RAMBEAU

4 FRA 7879 PRESTI/SALIOU

5 AUS 7836 MURRAY/PALFREY

6 SWE 8191 LOOF/EKSTROM

7 ITA 8031 MODENA/LAMBERTENGHI

8 BRA 8210 GRAEL/FERREIRA

9 POR 8145 DOMINGOS/SANTOS

10 NED 8170 HEINER/BREUSEKER