Honoring the Past, Leading the Future

President's Message

Dear Star sailors,

Welcome back in the Starclass racing season 2021:  unfortunately, the virus is still here but we have already been able to sail some encouraging events.

Bacardi Cup:  2 weeks ago we raced the 94th edition of the Bacardi Cup under fantastic sailing conditions. Due to the Covid situation we had a reduced fleet , but everybody was super happy to sail again in the waters of Biscayne Bay. With 8 (!) bullets the Polish/Brazilian world champion team of Mateusz Kusznierewics/Bruno Prada were the  sovereign winner of the Cup! Second was Eric Doyle/Payson Infelise ahead of Augie Diaz/ Markus Koy. A big gratitude goes to  BACARDI, Mr Eddie Cutillas, Sara Zanobini, Mark Pincus and their whole team for running the Bacardi Cup in such an excellent and professional way during these difficult times.
During the middle of February the Winter Series in Miami was won by Eric Doyle and Payson Infelise by an impressive series of 6 firsts and 1 second place.
 
World Championship:  some of you might have heard about the news, that because of the pandemic, Kiel Week was moved into the time period of our Worlds, which brought up some questions about the organization on water and land. After intensive conversations with the organizers we can give you now some important information:

1. The planned Kiel Week 2021 will be definitely different from other Kiel Weeks the years before with 7 boats classes not racing (49er, 49er FX, Laser, FD, Nacra 15 and 17, Finn). So there will be less boats and sailors in Kiel than during a „normal“ Kiel Week.
2. Race course: we will have our own dedicated race course as indicated on the drawings in the application. This is a great race area outside but the closest one to the harbor. Depending on the wind - it should take us about 30 minutes to get there. We will  have a Kiel Week and Star Class experienced Race officer.
3. Moorings: Stars will have nice, safe moorings all together in the harbor (similar to the last Europeans there)
4. Star sailors will get their OWN exclusive Lounge, where we can meet before and after racing for our events. Special events like the Gala dinner will take place at Kieler Yacht Club.
5. Trailer parking and car parking will be close to the moorings
6. There will be a contact person who can help all interested sailors, if there are any questions and problems by travel restrictions etc.

Our District 13 Secretary Helge Spehr is our contact person for the World Championship and we have to thank Helge very much for his hard work during the whole organizing process!
With all this new information, I am absolutely confident that we will have a great World Championship in Kiel that will satisfy all our wishes and requirements. The fact to be now connected with the Kiel Week will turn into an advantage giving the Star Class great publicity in the sailing world.
 
At the moment all our Silver events on all continents will take place as planned and if the COVID situation requires to postpone an event, we will inform you asap. I think everyone understands that we have to stay flexible in the current situation.
If someone thinks about participating in any regatta (Worlds,Continentals etc) please do your entry right now. During these challenging times the organizing clubs will be able to plan much better and we show our appreciation and support as well. If the event has to be cancelled or postponed all entry fees will be refunded. All events are organized by a special safety concept. We also assume that (e.g. by more vaccinations) the situation will improve during the year.
Please stay all safe and healthy and Í hope to see you soon on the racing course!

Yours sincerely,

Hubert Merkelbach  

2021 Major Regatta Calendar

An overwhelming display of dominance from defending champions Mateusz Kusznierewicz/Bruno Prada (POL) made Bacardi Cup history, as according to event knowledge, never before has a team recorded an all-win scorecard. Today Kusznierewicz/Prada wrapped up their assault to defend their title by claiming two more race wins to walk away with the 94th Bacardi Cup on a 15 point advantage. The wind steadily dropped throughout the week and racing unfolded today in a lighter 6-10 knot breeze and fairly flat water across the two Biscayne Bay race courses.

Kusznierewicz/Prada made achieving their second consecutive Bacardi Cup title look easy, but despite their record breaking scorecard the race track didn’t always go their way, as twice they had to play catch up to secure their wins! Not today though, as they again led from start to finish in what can only be described as an unsurpassable event for the pair. To win with a win as a discard is simply once in a lifetime stuff!

“Since we left Miami last year after a beautiful Bacardi Cup so many things happened and we were looking forward to come here again and we managed to do this,” said Kusznierewicz. “It was not easy to get to the United States for Bruno from Brazil and me from Poland, but we made it and we experienced such nice sailing conditions, such nice hospitality. Of course we are so happy to win the 94th edition of the Bacardi Cup, it is a great privilege. I just want to say that once you try Bacardi, you want it more and this is why I think we performed so well.”

Prada added, “Much bigger than our victory was the courage of the Bacardi team to run the Bacardi Cup. It was a super tough year last year and to 2021 and we would like to congratulate all the Bacardi team to make it happen.”

The battle going into race 7 was all about podium second and third and the two teams having the overnight hold on those places didn’t ease up. Eric Doyle/Payson Infelise went into race 7 on 13 points, with Augie Diaz/Marcus Koy (USA) 5 points behind. Doyle/Infelise took the upper hand, scoring 4th to Diaz/Koy’s 9th, assuring them of second overall.

Onto the podium deciding race 8 there were now three teams, and four former Star Class World Champion sailors, vying for third place with just 2 points separating Diaz/Koy, John MacCausland/Phil Trinter and George Szabo/Guy Avellon.

Diaz/Koy knew they had to keep the pressure on to hold onto third place, as Diaz explained their road to the final spot on the podium.

“We had a really good race between three of us for third place. Our first race this morning was not very good, we ended up 9th and that was our throw out. So basically there were three of us to get third place and we had a really good start, so we were very fortunate that we were able to control the race. We were third at the weather mark and we were pretty much in second the rest of the way and we just felt really fortunate. It is just so nice to be able to sail in a Bacardi Cup under the conditions that are currently existing.”  

A top performance from Star Class President Hubert Merkelbach and crew Kilian Weise, who unleashed their best day of racing, with a 2,5 bumping them up the leader board to finish in 6th overall and earn the Tammy Rubin-Rice Trophy.

As Kusznierewicz/Prada yet again shared the honor of sipping Bacardi Rum from the perpetual Bacardi Cup Trophy and the Tito Bacardi Cup, division prizes were also presented. Doyle/Infelise won the Masters (skippers age 50 through 59), Diaz/Koy the Grand Masters (skippers age 60 and above) and John Ferguson Dane III/Art Anisov the Exalted Grand Masters (skippers age 70 and above).