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Americans claim Star victory

Reynolds and Liljedahl beat Australians Beashel and Giles by 10 seconds

MARINA DEL REY, California -- American skipper Mark Reynolds and crew member Magnus Liljedahl have won the fourth race of the Nautica Star World Championships.

The pair won Wednesday's race in Santa Monica Bay by just 10 seconds over Australia's Colin Beashel and David Giles.

Liljedahl dedicated the victory to his girlfriend Kimberly Birkenfeld, 37, who was critically injured last week by the propeller of a chase boat while she was practicing for the 2004 Athens Olympic test regatta.

"One thing about sailing is it makes you think about other things," he said. "Now I can send her an e-mail with good news in time for her to speak again."

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Reynolds, a two-time Olympic and world class champion, and Liljedahl were the International Sailing Federation's (ISAF) sailors of the year in 2000 after winning the Star Gold medal at the Sydney Olympics.

Brazil's Torben Grael and crew Marcelo Ferreira are still the overall race leaders despite finishing in ninth place -- their worst result of the week.

Great Britain's Iain Percy and Steven Mitchell finished third, moving into second place with 27 points.

Percy said: "If you start thinking about points you're in big trouble. We just need to keep sailing well."

The United States' Paul Cayard and Hal Haenel remained third with 28 points, but France's Xavier Rohart and Yannick Adde fell to fourth place after placing 33rd.

The two-man Star is the grandfather of the Olympic classes and this year's event -- held every year since 1922 -- is the 81st world championship.

Twenty-six countries are represented, with 11 former class champions and four Olympic gold medallists.

Competitors, who are awarded points in direct proportion to their finishes, will sail one race a day until the event ends on Friday.

Nautica Star World Championship results after 4 of 6 races:

1. Torben Grael/Marcelo Ferreira, Brazil, (3-1-5-9) 18 points

2. Iain Percy/Steven Mitchell, UK, (19-4-1-3) 27 points

3. Paul Cayard/Hal Haenel, San Francisco, (7-9-4-8) 28 points

4. Xavier Rohart/Yannick Adde, France, (6-8-2-33) 49 points

5. Mark Mansfield/Killean Collins, Ireland, (2-13-17-25) 58 points

6. George Szabo/Austin Sperry, San Diego, (1-20-10-30) 61 points

7. Alan Adler/Ricardo Ermel, Brazil, (26-3-22-17), 70 points

8. Peter Bromby/Martin Siese, Bermuda, (33-2-32-5) 72 points

9. Rick Merriman/Bill Bennett, San Diego, (53-7-8-4) 72 points

10. Colin Beashel/David Giles, Australia, (41-19-11-2) 73 points