| CASCAIS, PORTUGAL-(4-9-2003) In the first race of the competition, the typical conditions of Cascais, with the wind blowing north, exactly from north-west, between 12-16 knots, allowed a promising start of the Stars. As in the Pre European Race, the Race Committee selected course 3, with three upwind and two downwind legs, with about ten nautical miles, and at the right time, 14h05m, the start was given. Since the beginning, two separate groups sailed upwind to the first mark. A first group chose a wider course, near the shore, and a second one more through the center. Mark Neeleman (NED), the winner of the first race, started very well and in the first round mark was third, while Michael Koch (GER) was first, followed by Torben Grael (BRA). The first downwind leg showed decisively the progress of the boats: the dutch crew was the first to round the mark and afterwards kept the leadership, having increased the distance over their opponents. Michael Koch/Marcus Koy fell to the second position and in third was an italian crew - Roberto Benamati/Filippo Domenicalli - after a remarkable recovery, as in the first leg they didn't appear in the top ten. The brazilians couldn't find their rhythm in the first downwind leg, getting far from the top places, finishing seventh. Till the end, there were no changes in the first three positions: Neeleman was first, with almost two minutes advantage over Koch, the second, and Benamati (third). Mark Neeleman, 44 years old, revealed the tactics that allowed them to finish first: «a good start and the selection of the best side of the course (leeward), with few boats». Today the dutch showed that they have a superior pacing when comparing to their opponents. However, when questioned about his goals, he said he doesn't think about the european title: «finishing in the best ten european» is the target. The best portuguese sailor was, as expected, Afonso Domingos, finishing 23rd. The skipper really enjoyed today's race, besides the variations of the wind. But, in the following days, «the wind will be more steady, so the faster will take advantage». And, concerning to the pacing of the nacional Star, there still doubts: «the problem is when we think that we are sailing well, but when you get in the race area, besides we are all similar in this class, there are always some that are faster, as Torben, Percy and Bromby». In this way, it's very hard to achieve his goals - «to get in the elite group» - and only time can say if the speed of the lusian team is enough to finish the European Championship in the top 15. There are competing two more portuguese crews: Patrick Monteiro de Barros and Henrique Anjos finished 46th, while Elísio Lourenço/Alexandre Carioca crossed the finish line in 59th. Tomorrow the race will start an hour earlier than what was initially scheduled, at 13h00, because the Race Committee intends to sail two races.
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