Well there is not a lot to say about a day where the wind was shifting more then 30 degrees and never seemed to go your way. At points during the race we were both hiking out to leeward to try to get the boat moving in no wind and on the last weather leg to the finish, our best route included a trip THROUGH the defunct Berkley Pier. All we can say is that we are re-setting for tomorrow and promise to attack with renewed vigor. Off to bed!
Cheers!
Andy & Brad
Tip of the Day: Keep an eye on the clouds. Big dark clouds that are not raining suck air in from all directions and leave light air under them. Clouds that are raining push air out in all directions and increase the breeze.
RAIN, COLD AND LIGHT AIR
San Francisco, California - Hamish Pepper and crew Carl Williams (NZ) stole racing today, leading the rock star fleet around each mark to finish in first place overall in Day 4 of the Wells Fargo Private Bank Star World Championships. Fellow New Zealanders Rohan Lord and Miles Addy, while taking 11th today, move up the ladder to 2nd place overall.
Sailors were presented with the most challenging day thus far in the competition with gray skies, flat water, occasional rain and the lightest of air. The start was delayed while the St Francis Yacht Club race committee was forced to move marks to adjust for some significant shifts. The breeze never realized more than 8 knots from the west with lows of 3-5 knots during racing - tricky sailing even for the local guys.
With much at stake in this competition, there have been some serious disappointments during the starting sequence. Today saw a general recall at the first start and the second a Z-flag start. A number of teams were over early and penalized, subsequently knocking back some of top guys. Notably, Iain Percy and Steve Mitchell (GBR) whose request for redress related to an over early on Day 3 was denied; today they received a Z-flag penalty, dropping them to 31st overall. Andy Horton and Brad Nichol (USA) also received a Z-flag penalty and sending them from first to 6th overall.
Veteran Star sailor John Kostecki, in a coaching role this regatta was on the docks at the St Francis Yacht Club at day's end. "It's been unusual this week with the weather. It's not typical for San Francisco so there's been no real local advantage unfortunately," he laughed. "But you're still seeing all the good guys at the top."
- Michelle Slade
Standings after four races (no discard) -- 66 boats
1. Hamish Pepper/ Carl Williams (NZL) 26 pts
2. Rohan Lord/ Miles Addy (NZL) 26 pts
3. Xavier Rohart/ Pascal Rambeau (FRA) 26 pts
4. Robert Scheidt/ Bruno Prada (BRA) 28 pts
5. Flavio Marazzi/ Martin Kozaczek (SUI) 34 pts
6. Andy Horton/ Brad Nichol (USA) 44 pts
7. Jim Buckingham/ Mike Dorgan (USA) 59 pts
8. Daniel Stegmeier/ Beat Stegmeier (SUI) 69 pts
9. Afonso Domingo/ Bernardo Santo (SUI) 71 pts
10. Fredrik Loof/ Anders Ekstrom (SWE) 71 pts
