Star Class Honoring the Past, Leading the Future
Author: Rachele Vitello - June 17, 2022Jennings/Trouche head into the last day as provisional leaders
Day three of the 2022 Star North American Championship in Annapolis had the 33 teams attending it, finish race 4, after the big day yesterday with three Olympic course races with stormy winds up to 22 knots. Today’s windward-leeward course was set up at 195 degrees with a well manageable 11 knots of wind and in a beautiful bay.
PRO Kevin Reeds signaled a general recall for the first start and after that the fleet started properly. The whole race was consistent, solid with few wind shifts and perfect conditions for the 33 fiery teams, but only one can claim the win, and the winners of race 4 are Chris Larson with Phil Trinter (USA). They are fifth overall after having dismasted during yesterday’s last race. Former World Champions John MacCausland / Dave Caesar (USA) and Eric Doyle / Payson Infelise (USA) finished respectively second and third and are fourth and eighth overall.
Race number five was set up just as number four, but everything changed as the fleet approached the gate marks. Leaders were within one minute of the gate when the wind clocked from 195 degrees to 250 degrees. Race committee signaled a change of course and set up on the new course axis of 250 degrees. Halfway down the final leg the wind velocity and air temperatures dramatically increased. The boats finished dead downwind in 16-18 knots of breeze creating a great finish to day three.
The best to adjust to the change come from Argentina, Alberto Zanetti with Lucas Altolaguirre (ARG) won today’s last race and are 12th overall, due to a DSQ in the very first race. They were followed by 2008 Star Olympian John Dane III with Tim Ray (sixth overall) and in third by Jack Jennings / Pedro Trouche (USA/BRA) who are the provisional leaders of the 2022 Star North American Championship.
They have a good seven-point lead over their chasers – another American-Brasilian team, made of Augie Diaz and Bruno Prada, World Champions together in 2016 in Miami – but from the second to the fifth there are only five points, so tomorrow will be decisive.
Photos by Will Keyworth.
Gibson Island Yacht Squadron, host of the District 2 Miller Series, June 25-26, is offering free storage for any Star sailing in the Miller Series. The Miller Series will be held the weekend after the North Americans and is on the road up from Annapolis to Marblehead. GIYS is an exclusive and safe island with 24/7 security at the entrance to the island. For more information contact Tom Price
June 13-18 North American Championship info - Annapolis, MD
June 25-26 Gibson Island Miller Series info - Gibson Island, MD
August 6-7 Sunapee Open & District 23 Championship - Sunapee Lake, NH
August 21-27 Western Hemisphere Championship - Sunapee Lake, NH
September 8-17 Star World Championship - Marblehead, MA
Author: Rachele Vitello - June 18, 2022First Silver Star for the American skipper with SSL Finals winner crew. Will Keyworth photo.
Skipper Jack Jennings and crew Pedro Trouche have captured the 2022 Star North American Championship, hosted by Annapolis Yacht Club and contested on the Chesapeake Bay.
Jennings and Touche got the gun in Race 2 and also counted a second place and two thirds in posting a low score of nine points – seven better than the runner-up team of Augie Diaz and Bruno Prada.
It was the first North American crown for Jennings, a 42-year-old Chicago native who has been competing in the Star class since 2008. His previous best finish at North Americans was a sixth off Marblehead, Massachusetts in 2017.
Principal race officer Kevin Reeds did not send the fleet out on Wednesday due to lack of wind but was able to complete three races in 15-20 knot southerly winds on Thursday. Jennings and Trouche posted a 2-1-3 score line to take the early lead.
Friday brought 10-12 knot winds from the south and Reeds completed two more races. Jennings and Trouche placed 10th in Race 4 and that wound up being their throwout. They rebounded to take third in what proved to be the final race of the regatta.
Forecast for Saturday on the Chesapeake Bay was steady winds of 20-25 knots with gusts up to 30. After meeting with class representatives and the organizing authority, the race committee decided to cancel racing. Considering that six boats sustained rig damage in lighter winds on Thursday, that announcement was well received by most of the fleet.
Jennings was thrilled to receive the Royal Canadian Yacht Club Trophy as winning skipper at Star North Americans. Trouche was presented with the Mead Batchelor Trophy as winning crew.
Diaz, a Miami native who is 68 years old, won the third race of the series and also counted results of fourth, fifth and sixth. He was the top finisher in the Grandmasters category (60 to 70 years old).
Skipper George Szabo and crew Guy Avellon placed third overall with 17 points and were the top Masters (age 50 to 60) entry. Class legend John Dane III, sailing with Tim Ray as crew, finished sixth and took home the trophy as top Exalted Grandmasters (70 to 80) skipper.
Star North American Results
1, Pied Piper, Jack Jennings & Pedro Trouche, 2-1-3-(10)-3=9
2, Danilu, Augie Diaz & Bruno Prada (Grandmasters), 6-(9)-1-4-5=16
3, Pop, George Szabo & Guy Avellon (Masters), 1-6-5-5-(21)=17
4, GM, John MacCausland & Dave Caesar (Masters), (9)-3/RDG-6/RDG-2-7=18
5, TBD, Chris Larson & Phil Trinter (Masters), 5-4-(34/DNF)-1-11=21
6, Back from the Dead, John Dane III & Tim Ray (Exulted Grandmasters), 4-(34/DNF)-8-7-2=21
