Star Worlds: Brun and Kunze win Taca Darke de Mattos - Practice Race

1:32 AM Sat 16 Jan 2010 GMT

'Taca Darke de Mattos and also the Proctice Race for the Star World Championships, 2010, Brazil' Fried Elliott ?

Gastao Brun and Gustavo Kunze (BRA) won the Practice Race of the 2010 Star World Championship. More importantly, they won the Taca Darke de Mattos, the longest running sailing regatta in South America.

Today, sailors had a special treat. Just as if they were sailing a big boat in the Caribbean, Asia or Europe, they sailed an irregular racecourse that provided them a tour of Rio's most famous waterfronts - Copacabana and Ipanema.

The course went something like this.

The starting line will be in front of 'Morro da Viuva' point,
Leave the bay on either side of Large Island
Round the mark in front of the Copacabana Palace Hotel leaving it to port,
Round the mark near the Copacabana Fort leaving it to port,
Re-enter the bay on either side of the Large Island,
Finish at the entrance of the Club's inner harbor.

Brun/ Kunze had an early lead in light and shifty conditions. Julio Labandeira and Valentin Thompson (ARG) passed them as the shrinking fleet headed back from Copacabana. Labandeira/Thompason lost the lead under the lee of Sugarloaf. Branislav Erac and Ozren Tosic (SBR) were neck and neck with Labanderia/Thompson as they played the final shifts through the mooring field in front of Rio de Janeiro Yacht Club. The new Serbian crew finished third.

The last boat to cross the line, Gerardo Della Torre and Guillermo Latour (ARG) win a very special trophy - a gilded gold shoe with a well-worn heel. Sailing legends have won this cherished trophy in this very traditional race.

Gastao Brun in foreground and Gustavo Kunze on deck. 2010 Star World Championship , Brazil - Fried Elliott _? Click Here to view large photo

What they said

Gastao Brun - Winner
'Patience. We were more patient than the others.'

'We recovered on the run by staying out of the Sugarloaf's wind shadow and remaining in the air that funnels through the two mountains for as long as possible.'

Julio Labandeira - Second Place Skipper who also sailed the event in 2004

'We sailed it as if it was an ocean race. We were in the top six or seven all of the time. It was best when we were in first, but Gastao passed us in the shadow of Sugarloaf.'

Branislav Erac - Third Place Skipper who has spent 62 hours in a Star
(The Serbians Facebook Fan Club is mushrooming. Become a fan of Erac Branislav and Ozren Tosic)

'It is the first time ever for any Serbian crew to be in the Star World Championship and we are here with our Slovenian coach.'

'Including this race, we have sailed 62 hours in a Star. Every hour on the water is really precious, and of course, this was a unique opportunity to sail in front of Copacabana.'

www.worldregattas.com

www.starworlds2010.com

by Lynn Fitzpatrick