Robert Scheidt and Ubiratan Matos win the 2021 Star South American Championship
After a fierce duel against Jorge Zarif and Arthur Lopes, the two-time Olympic champion keeps his leading position
The Star South American Championship was decided today, Monday 15th, a Brazilian national holiday, at the Yacht Club de Ilhabela, on the northern coast of São Paulo. After eight balanced races, the win came in the last race for the duo Robert Scheidt and Ubiratan Matos. They have been faster than their main opponents, Jorge Zarif and Arthur Lopes, since the beginning of the competition, and beat them by only two points. The bronze medal went to Juninho de Jesus and Guilherme de Almeida.
The two-time Olympic champion Robert Scheidt raced with Ubiratan Matos for the first time, and the championship marked his return to the class after more than two years away. The partnership showed regularity from the beginning to the end of the Star South American Championship. Of the eight races, the duo won three, came in second four times, and only in the last race took one sixth, which was discarded.
The two candidates for the title, were practically tied on the decisive day, but the discarding of the worst result and the average maintained by Robert and Ubiratan were fundamental for the result.
“Today was the final of the Star South American Championship, a very exciting day, with a lot happening. We even had some boat breakdowns and a yellow flag penalty in the first race. But in the end, we still managed to regroup and make our strategy in the decision. We were able to use the discard criteria of the worst result very well”, said Robert Scheidt.
Jorge Zarif and Arthur Lopes won the first race of the day, taking a provisional lead. The champions, however, had to pay a penalty and made a recovery race, finishing the seventh race in second place.
It was in the last race that everything changed. With a fourth place for Jorge Zarif and Arthur Lopes, the title was in the hands of the helmsman owner of five Olympic medals, who finished in sixth place, a result discarded in the table. The final regatta was won by Juninho de Jesus and Guilherme de Almeida.
Ilhabela marked the third Star South American Championship for Robert Scheidt, the greatest name in Brazilian Olympic sport. Unfortunately, this time it is not a ‘Silver event’ as there wasn’t the minimum number of teams required to give away the silver star. The other titles were in 2006, with Bruno Prada, and 2018, with Arthur Lopes. Both were in Rio de Janeiro. And the first for Ubiratan Matos, one of the prominent prowlers of Brazilian sailing, not only in monotype but also in the ocean.
“Bira (Ubiratan Matos) did a great job this week and the result was worth it. He dedicated himself a lot to the boat, especially during the mast change,” added Robert Scheidt.
The 51st edition of the event started on Friday, November the 12th, and gathered 10 teams formed by experienced athletes in Olympic Games, Pan-American Games and World Championships not only in the Star class, but also in other classes.
“The championship was very competitive, and the title was well deserved by Robert and Ubiratan. There were four days of strong wind and good sailing conditions in Ilhabela. After almost two years without the event due to the pandemic, we were able to organize the races. I cannot forget to thank Mitsubishi and the Yacht Club de Ilhabela, our main sponsors. Without their support, this championship would not have been possible,” explained Tutu Lopes, competitor and organizer of the Star Class in Brazil.
The 2021 Star South American Championship was organized by the Yacht Club de Ilhabela in partnership with the Ilhabela City Hall.
Final results (8 races and 1 discard)
1 – Robert Scheidt | Ubiratan Matos (Banco do Brasil) – 11 pp
2 – Jorge Zarif | Arthur Lopes (Regatta) – 13 pp
3 – Mario de Jesus | Guilherme de Almeida (Vida Bandida) – 20 pp
4 – Pedro Lodovici | Samuel Gonçalves (Dom) – 26 pp
5 – Admar Gonzaga | Ronald Seifert (Maricota) – 31 pp
6 – Daniel De La Torre (ARG) | Maurício Bueno (Enrique) – 42 pp
7 – Robert Rittscher | Marcelo Valland (Born Free) – 47 pp
8 – Antonio Moreira | Arcelio Moreira (Culé) – 50 pp
9 – Marco Szili | Pedro Trouche (Viva la Vida) – 55 pp
10 – Fabiano Vivacqua | Caio Gerassi (Balada) – 68 pp
Full results here.
