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Eight-time World Champion and double Olympic gold medallist in the Laser SCHEIDT finished fourth in Monday's race with crew PRADA and consequently the Brazilian pair edge one point ahead of Andy HORTON and Brad NICHOL (USA).

Defending World Champions Xavier ROHART and Pascal RAMBEAU (FRA) move up into fifth place overall after finishing yesterday's race in fifth. Meanwhile many of the other pre-event favourites continued to struggle, notably the 2004 Olympic Champions Torben GRAEL and Marcelo FERREIRA (BRA), who crossed the line in 31st place.

GRAEL was honest in his assessment of the team's performance so far, 'We're not doing too good. We got it wrong on the run today. We haven't been sailing Star boats enough. We have to work on getting it right.'

Reading The Shifts Is Key

Day two of the Wells Fargo Private Bank Star World Championships continued on the Berkeley Circle on Monday. A moderate westerly breeze of ten to twelve knots prevailed although the start was delayed by several hours due to a dense marine layer suffocating the breeze earlier in the day. The cloud burned off about 1400, bringing brilliant sunshine and steadier conditions. Reading the shifts was the answer to success on the course with competitors reporting very shifty conditions at the outset of racing.

Taking first place on day two was the Swiss team of MARAZZI and KOZACZEK, with LORD and ADDY in second. Third place also went to Switzerland in the shape of brothers Daniel STEGMEIER and Beat STEGMEIER. Arriving in town late last week and sailing on a twelve year old chartered Star, the STEGMEIER brothers are elated with their success so far, currently sitting in seventh place overall.

Swiss Brothers Delighted

Skipper Daniel with a huge smile on his face said, 'The racing is very good and we're enjoying it. We had already had a good experience on the right side yesterday. The locals seem to think the left is the favourable side but we stubbornly stayed right and it worked out. We don't have a coach and didn't get any training in here so it's always nice to beat the professionals like this.'

It was also a good day for the winners of this year's Europeans, Mark MEDELBLATT and Mark STRUBE (USA), who finished eighth to move up to eleventh overall. 'We did better than yesterday,' was MENDELBLATT's assessment. 'There was more breeze and it was steadier. We got off to a slow start and got stuck on one side a few times. We've been training here in 15-20 knots and we like the breeze. The past few days have been a bit light.'

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