Star Class Honoring the Past, Leading the Future
Author: Star Class office - November 30, 2021Entry is now open for the 2022 Star World Championship. This will be a celebration of the first 100 years of the Star World Championships. Set your calendar for September 8-17, 2022 in Marblehead, Massachusetts, USA - hosted by Eastern Yacht Club.
Author: Star Class Office - May 26, 2022This year is the 100th Anniversary of World Championships for the Star Class. With that we want to make it a special event and honor the Class in many ways. One way we want to do that is to honor every year there has been a Championship by representing each year as a sail number.
Gold Star winners were given the opportunity to use their years first. Many have responded that they are going, and have claimed their year or are not going and their year is available. Registered competitors have been asked by giving the next choice to select a year that they would like to use as their sail number. The years will be given on a first come first serve basis. The Worlds entry list is being updated as the years are issued.
We strongly believe having every boat with each year will be a striking image and set a great example for our Class motto “Honoring the past, leading the future”.
We know this will make the Star Class and the 100th World Championship a memorable one.
If you'd like to reserve a special year to honor a World Champion, please register for the 2022 Worlds on the website.
Author: Rachele Vitello - September 15, 2022Strong winds kept the Star fleet postponed ashore, before easing enough to get race 4 underway at 1509 hours in 18 knots with some gusts up to 25 knots.
Hiking hard and sailing fast gave Luke Lawrence/Andrew Macrae (USA) race glory, with Paul Cayard (USA)/Frithjof Kleen (GER) coming in behind and third to Eric Doyle/Payson Infelise (USA). A 4th place was enough to maintain the overall lead for Diego Negri/Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA).
The race played out dramatically in the roller coaster conditions, with some thrilling downwind planing, a few dicey mark roundings and a lot of fun. Broken masts ended racing for several teams, including Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL)/Bruno Prada (BRA) whose race wrapped up in the second downwind.
“It has been very tough, cold and windy,” commented Negri. “It was a very good regatta for us, we catch up from 10th and played for the top 3. Just a little shift at the very end we missed the podium for the race. But it is ok, we are still leading.”
“I don’t know how many litres of salty water I drank today, but it was great fun sailing,” laughed Lambertenghi. “With the big waves, going downwind was super, super fun.”
Four races down and four different winners, evidence enough of the calibre of teams competing. The leader board reads like a who’s who of sailing talent, with plenty of World Champions, Continental Champions and Olympic honors. Just two more races to crown the 2022 Star World Champions and there is plenty of unfinished business ahead.
World Champions Outrun and Outclassed
Lawrence/Macrae took victory with a mass of Star World Champions hunting them down. Lawrence, the 2019 Star Junior World Champion, and Macrae were settled in their mode and thrilled to seize the win and rise up the leader board on such a challenging day.
“We started kind of in the middle of the fleet, which is not my normal tactic or routine, but it seemed like the breeze was steady enough to be able to pull it off,” said Lawrence.
Playing the left-hand side of the course opened the door to round the first mark in third, from where they launched their assault, picking off Doyle/Infelise on the run and closing the gap to Jennings/Trouche, before putting the hammer down to take the lead on the next upwind.
“We always had Cayard and Diego and Eric, and those guys were always right there within shouting distance,” continued Lawrence. “It was a little hairy downwind at times. This boat likes to light itself up and sail like a dinghy, so it was the perfect conditions for it.”
“The downwinds were just unbelievable,” added Macrae. “It was a full send!”
U30 Division
Forging their path to lead the U30 division in 18th overall are Daniel Fritz (GER)/Alberto Ambrosini (ITA), from their 14, 22, 35, 32 scorecard.
“Windy sums it up,” grinned Fritz on the day’s exhilaration. “It was fun. We tried to fight our way back, we got up a couple of boats.”
Despite a poor start, the pair still lead the U30 and even finishing in today’s conditions should be considered a good result.
Ambrosini continued, “The day was pretty tough and pretty long. It was very physical, but we are here for this and now we will enjoy the evening.”
The leader board fight is now finely balanced for race 5 and with the discard coming into play tomorrow it will be a challenge for control. Race 5 is scheduled to get underway at 1130 hours on Friday, September 16.
Provisional Top 10 Results – after Race 4
1. Diego Negri / Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA 2021) - 13 pts
2. Tonci Stipanovic / Tudor Bilic (CRO 1991) - 19 pts
3. Eric Doyle / Payson Infelise (USA 1999) - 26 pts
4. Paul Cayard / Frithjof Kleen (USA 1988) - 27 pts
5. George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA 2009) - 48 pts
6. Jørgen Schoenherr / Markus Koy (DEN 8532) - 55 pts
7. Jack Jennings / Pedro Trouche (USA 8464) - 55 pts
8. Jud Smith / Remi Hutchins (USA 1957) - 57 pts
9. Tomas Hornos / Mauricio Bueno (USA 1981) - 58 pts
10. Eivind Melleby / Joshua Revkin (NOR 2017) - 62 pts
August 03, 2021The 100th years of the Star Class World Championships will be held next year September 8-17, 2022 in Marblehead, Massachusetts, USA. The host for the event will be the prestigious Eastern Yacht Club.
The Star was first built in 1911 and the Class held its first World Championship in 1922. Since 1922, the Star Class World Championship has been won by over 72 different helmsmen and 75 different crew. The event is held annually at some of the best sailing venues in the world. “The Star Class is honored to approve the Eastern Yacht Club and Marblehead as the host of our 2022 World Championship, honoring 100 years of racing We look forward to a great week of racing and celebrations.” Dr. Hubert Merkelbach, President of the Star Class.
Eastern Yacht Club has hosted the Star Class World Championship twice; first in 1981 and most recently in 1997.
Top Star Class sailors from around the world are expected to attend. International racers can look forward to a full schedule of Star Class racing with four major championships on the United States Eastern seaboard during the summer of 2022: The Bacardi Cup, The North American Championship, The Western Hemisphere Championship and concluding with the World Championship in September, not to mention several regularly scheduled local events on the east coast.
The Bacardi Cup
March 5-12, 2022
Coral Reef Yacht Club, Miami, Florida USA
The North American Championship
June 13-18, 2022
Annapolis Yacht Club, Annapolis, Maryland USA
The Western Hemisphere Championship
August 21-27, 2022
Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire, USA
The World Championship
September 8-17, 2022
Eastern Yacht Club, Marblehead, Massachusetts, USA
Interested international sailors are encouraged to contact the Class for the availability of charter boats to attend these four major events. The Class can also connect racers with approved boat transportation services to assist in attending these summer of 2022 events. For more information:
Star Class Office
+1 619.224.6998
Author: Rachele Vitello - June 01, 2022The world-renowned beverage brand Bacardi will support the International Star Class Yacht Racing Association as the presenting sponsor of the 2022 Star World Championship, 8-17 September 2022.
The 2022 Star World Championship will celebrate 100 years of history since the first World Championship was held in 1922. This milestone event will be held in Marblehead, Massachusetts on the eastern seaboard of the United States. This year’s event will celebrate one of sailing’s most popular, successful and appreciated boat and its legends. Star Champions are written in history, with their names inscribed on the sport’s most prestigious yachting trophies, including the America’s Cup, the Olympics and numerous offshore titles.
Remaining true to the heritage of the Star Class since 1922, the World’s will be contested over six days with one long daily race, bringing together the world’s best alongside emerging talent in a battle of endurance, fitness, strategy and competition. The single race format is also reflected at the iconic Bacardi Cup, partner of the Star Class since 1927 – representing one of the longest standing alliances in sporting history.
Honoring this lasting relationship, as presenting sponsor for the 100th Anniversary Star World Championship Bacardi will host an open bar every night and hospitality for the 100th Anniversary Gala Dinner on Wednesday, September 14.
“We are thrilled to have our longtime partner, Bacardi, celebrate this historic Championship with us. Bacardi has always stood with the Star Class and this celebratory week will be no exception,” said Tom Londrigan, President of the International Star Class Yacht Racing Association.
Continuing its reputation for hosting exceptional shoreside hospitality, the unique style of the Bacardi brand will hit the sweet spot to maximize sailors’ enjoyment post-race.
"2022 is a milestone centenary celebration for the globally renowned Star Class, marking an exceptional measure of success at the heart of sailing. The Star can proudly reflect on its achievements and enduring popularity with sailors worldwide” declared Eddie Cutillas of Bacardi USA. “Bacardi is proud to have been a partner of the Star Class since 1927, from the origins of the Bacardi Cup in Cuba to the present day in Miami, USA and now at the 100th celebration of the World Championships.”
“On behalf of Bacardi, as presenting sponsor of the 2022 Star World Championships, I wish everyone a spectacular and memorable event,” Cutillas concluded.
Staking a place on the Star World Championship leader board remains as competitive as ever and the challenge for victory is as tough as the first edition back in 1922. The 2022 Star World Championship will take place at the Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead from September 8th to 17th.
Author: Rachele Vitello - September 16, 2022Patience aplenty has been the pattern at the 100th Anniversary Star Worlds, as every day has featured postponements, general recalls and unpredictable conditions. Friday’s race 5 was no different, with a postponement and general recall, followed by a black flag start to put the eighty-four boat fleet in restrained mode for the start of the 10.3 nm race.
Race 5, the penultimate battle of the 2022 Star Worlds, saw the 12 knot breeze easing and scoreboard pressure rising, as teams eyed each other at the start, hoping they had each chosen the optimum end. The left side of the course seemed clearly favoured, but the wind turned what seemed an unequivocal advantage on its head, as it shifted to the right.
Many of the leading teams were outwitted by the breeze, racking up double-digit finishes to escalate their scorecards in the wrong direction. Reading the conditions perfectly to strategically manage better than anyone else were Eric Doyle/Payson Infelise (USA), the 2019 Bacardi Cup winners, who took the race win.
“A tricky day,” concluded Doyle. “It started out quite windy, coming offshore, very shifty, big changes in pressure. It looked like there was a lot more wind to the left, and I kind of screwed up the start a little bit. I was being very cautious, black flag start, so we had to just hold back a little bit and we kind of got burned off. Then the breeze was going right quite dramatically so we played that to the right side predominantly on the first beat.”
Doyle/Infelise kept their pace downwind, passed a few teams and on the second upwind followed the pressure to the left and accelerated ahead to second at the mark. Going round the final downwind gate, they again pursued the breeze as it went left to take the advantage and the win.
The 2022 European Champions and 2021 Star Worlds silver medalists, Tonci Stipanovic/Tudor Bilic (CRO), who were second overall going into race 5, thought they had the race strategy nailed by choosing the left.
It wasn’t too be, as Stipanovic explained, “We had a good fight with Mateusz for the pin end start. It was looking good after the start, the wind started to drop and slowly shifted to the left, it was what we were thinking would happen, and the right guys didn’t look so good. We were quite happy with the position but then after 4 or 5 minutes it was just slowly going to the right and I think we had a 50 degree shift.”
The duo found themselves in the mid-50s by the windward mark, and pushed extremely hard to get their heads and boat back into the game, concentrating on every puff and taking risks, secure in the position of holding a worst score of 8th. So, whatever their race 5 result, they knew it was discardable. An impressive passage of play saw the pair gear up to finish 18th overall, still in podium contention going into Saturday’s decider.
The race win to Doyle/Infelise propels them into 2nd overall from 3rd going into the day, just 3 points off the leaders Diego Negri / Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA).
An impressive second place for Scott Mason/Charles Nankin (USA), who as weekend enthusiasts found themselves at the front of the fleet in a massive upgrade from yesterday’s DNF after hooking rigs with MacCausland/Sangmeister, and jump to 28th overall. Hubert Merkelbach/Kilian Weise finished in third and move up to 11th overall.
“We started a little above the middle boat,” said Mason, “and then we saw boats on the right of us wheeling up and then we tacked and ducked a whole bunch of sterns and got to the right of them and just rode that righty all the way up the leg.”
The pair converted their advantage to lead fleet around the downwind, upwind and final downwind leg, before eventually conceding to Doyle/Infelise.
The question now is how to fathom an advantage going into the podium deciding final day. Theoretically any of the top five teams can claim a podium spot and victory. In practice, based on form to date and with just six points’ separation, the contenders are the top four: Diego Negri/Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA), Eric Doyle/Payson Infelise (USA), Paul Cayard (USA)/Frithjof Kleen (GER) and Tonci Stipanovic/Tudor Bilic (CRO).
The deciding race 6 for the 100th Anniversary Star World Championship title and podium places is scheduled to get underway at 1200 hours Saturday, September 17.
Provisional Top 10 Results – after Race 5
1. Diego Negri / Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA 2021) - 13 pts
2. Eric Doyle / Payson Infelise (USA 1999) - 16 pts
3. Paul Cayard / Frithjof Kleen (USA 1988) - 17 pts
4. Tonci Stipanovic / Tudor Bilic (CRO 1991) - 19 pts
5. Jack Jennings / Pedro Trouche (USA 8464) - 26 pts
6. Jørgen Schoenherr / Markus Koy (DEN 8532) - 37 pts
7. Eivind Melleby / Joshua Revkin (NOR 2017) - 41 pts
8. George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA 2009) - 42 pts
9. Mateusz Kusznierewicz / Bruno Prada (POL 2019) - 45 pts
10. Jim Buckingham / Phil Toth (USA 1958) - 47 pts
Spanning generations
The Star Class is a heritage boat, with the thrill of racing often passed through generations of the same family. Uniquely for the 100th Anniversary Star Worlds, teams were invited to choose a sail number personal to them and we caught up with Bob Lippincott whose mainsail carries 1950.
“It is my grandfather’s sail number from when he won the worlds in 1950,” commented Lippincott in reverence to Robert Lippincott who won with Robert Levin. “It is really cool to be sailing under his number and it means a lot to myself and my family.”
For Danny Cayard, Star Class history throws further back, with both his father Paul Cayard and grandfather accoladed as Star World Champions. Cayard Jr is competing with sail number 1969, representing the year his grandfather, Pelle Pettersson won the Worlds in San Diego, USA. Danny’s father, Paul, has stepped onto the Star Worlds podium an incredible six times, winning gold in 1988 in Buenos Aires.
For Danny’s crew, Jamie Buchan, Star Class success also extends to his grandfather Bill, who won the 1961, 1970 and 1985 Star Worlds and Olympic Gold in 1984, and his father Carl who won the 1992 Star Worlds and gold at the 1984 Olympics in the Flying Dutchman.
Recognizing the importance of attracting the U30 sailors, Eastern Yacht Club and its members have graciously offered to house U30 sailors gratis during the event. Priority will be given to these teams to enable them to attend this prestigious event as well as experience Marblehead hospitality.
The 100th Anniversary of Star Class World Championships will be held this September 10-17, 2022 in Marblehead, Massachusetts, USA. The host for the event is the prestigious Eastern Yacht Club.
Eastern Yacht Club has hosted the Star Class World Championship twice; first in 1981 and most recently in 1997.
Interested sailors are encouraged to contact the Class for the availability of charter boats to attend this and other major events. For more information: Star Worlds Website
Author: Rachele Vitello - August 10, 202290 entries from 14 nations with over 15 past World Champions and 15 U30 teams
It’s shaping up to be an event to remember, the 2022 Star World Championship not only will be celebrating the 100th Anniversary Championship but will register a record number of participants after the Olympic years. There will be over 15 past Star World Champions and a good representation of the new generation with 15 U30 teams.
100 years ago, the first ever Star World Championship took place in Long Island, NY, USA, the boat was about 10 years old and its popularity was expanding from the American borders to the rest of the Globe. This year we celebrate one the most endured sailing classes, the International Star Class, with the 100th Anniversary Star World Championship, in Marblehead, MA, USA, not so distant from the venue of the first edition of the event. 90 entries 10 years after being cut from the Olympic Games, it is a testimony of the longstanding appeal of the boat designed in 1910 by Francis Sweisguth and as an Olympic sailing class for 80 years, from 1932 to 2012, more than any other class.
All of the sailing legends have won a title in the Star Class, from Lowell North, founder of North Sails, to Dennis Conner, Mister America’s Cup, from the all-time hero Paul Elvstrom to three-time Olympic Star medalist Mark Reynolds, from Valentin Mankin, to Torben Grael, Paul Cayard, Robert Scheidt and Iain Percy. These are the sailors who have written the history of our sport and to them and all of the Star World Champions is dedicated ‘100 Years of Gold Stars’, the book written by Carol Newman Cronin in which she interviews most of the living Champions and she captures the best memories of a century of global events.
To celebrate the Star World Champions, each team will have a sail number representing a year of their choice. Past World Champions will have the year in which they won, and other competitors have picked a memorable one for them. Bobby Lippincott chose 1950, when his grandfather Robert won the title in Chicago, and so did Danny Cayard by picking 1960, year in which his grandfather Pelle Petterson won in San Diego, and Larry Whipple 1922, the year of the first World Championship.
The 2022 Star World Championship will begin on September 10th with the official practice race, and will end on Saturday 17th, after seven days in which the traditional two-hour long six races will be finished. After that, a pair of new names – but not necessarily ‘new’ – will be written on the prestigious 100-year-old trophy, and the history of the International Star Class and its renowned World Championship will enter a new century.
Author: Rachele Vitello - September 17, 2022A solid third place in the final race from Italy’s Diego Negri/Sergio Lambertenghi was more than enough to reward them with gold at the 2022 Star Worlds.
For Negri, winning the 100th Anniversary Championship marks a successful defense of his 2021 Worlds title, while Lambertenghi debuts his hands on the trophy. A return to light shifty conditions for the final day was the perfect conclusion for Negri/Lambertenghi.
“It was really a tough Championship,” said Negri, “and today, these tricky conditions for the last race. It was not easy, waking up at 0600 to be ready for the regatta. I knew that in these conditions we are the best in the world,” continued Negri on this morning’s race expectation.
“We played this from the beginning... stay calm and we are going to win the Championship. It was great fun, a lot of intensity, I thank Sergio who was with me the last few years, always supporting me. He has been great, today especially, so I am very, very happy.”
Negri already has a bucket full of Star World Championship medals, adding gold in 2022 and 2021 to his three silvers (2016, 2014, 2008) and bronze (2015). A Star Worlds victory has until today proved elusive for Lambertenghi, after two silvers (2016, 2014) and a bronze (2015).
“We started to sail together in 2013,” reflected Lambertenghi. “In 2014 we lost the Championship by just one point, and we were so close for the next two or three years. But I thought, this is not enough and I will keep continuing. I knew that last year was the right time, but I was in Kiel in ’93 and I had enough,” Lambertenghi said in reference to the 1993 Star Worlds. In Lambertenghi’s absence, last year Diego sailed to gold with Frithjof Kleen (USA).
“This year we planned to come here for a holiday,” Lambertenghi laughed. “But then when you get into the competition you start playing hard and everything was perfect. We are super happy, no words.”
The final race was finely balanced with four teams in contention for the podium. The final race was a battle of the big names jockeying for position. While out of contention for a medal, Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL)/Bruno Prada (USA) led to the first mark, chased by Negri/Lambertenghi, and Croatia’s Tonci Stipanovic/Tudor Bilic, who had their work cut out to close the points needed for a podium finish.
Negri overhauled Kusznierewicz/Prada by the downwind gate, with the Croatians holding on to third. All changed at the finish with the win going to Kusznierewicz/Prada, the Croatians in second to secure silver and Italians in third to get gold.
A few boats further back Paul Cayard/Frithjof Kleen were gunning for the bronze, and with their podium rivals, Eric Doyle/Payson Infelise (USA) struggling and back in 31st, their quest was secure as they crossed the line in eighth.
Stipanovic/Bilic competed at their first Star Worlds last year, wrapping up with silver, so, as Bilic said, “This year we had to win the silver again!”
Going into the final race in fourth overall, 6 points behind the leaders, they were hoping for light breeze to have the opportunity to attack and challenge the teams ahead,
Commenting on the challenge of racing in Marblehead, Stipanovic added, “It was really nice, we had all kinds of conditions.”
Last night Cayard/Kleen did their research on the expected current and sea breeze, seeking advice from local sailor Jud Smith and the feeling was, the left would be favored. Ashore after racing, Cayard commented, “We started three-quarters of the way down the line and went left and unfortunately the wind went right a lot and we found ourselves pretty deep on the first beat, which has been a little bit of the theme for us this regatta, as we have been on the wrong side of the first beat a little too much. We have made amazing comebacks, but it is hard to beat guys like Diego and Sergio if you are on the wrong side of the first beat all the time. We are satisfied, we got third in a very competitive fleet,”Cayard concluded.
Today’s bronze medal represents the seventh time Cayard has stood on the Star Worlds podium, and it was thirty-four years ago in 1988 that he won gold with Steve Erickson. More recent glory days for Kleen saw him secure top spot last year with Diego Negri, and previously in 2014 with Robert Stanjek.
A win in the last race was never going to be enough for Kusznierewicz/Prada to make it to the podium, after their dismasting in Thursday’s race 4 and Friday’s 26th place finish saw them out of contention with an insurmountable points mountain.
“We took that hard,” reflected Kusznierewicz, as at the point of dismasting, they were in 2nd or 3rd place, which would have been enough to place them on the podium. “It is always nice to win the last race of the Championship. We are very happy.”
“It is good to finish after a week that we took a lot of bad decisions and maybe some bad luck. To finish winning gives us some hope for the future,” concluded Prada.
Final Top 10 Results Overall
1. Diego Negri / Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA 2021) - 16 pts
2. Tonci Stipanovic / Tudor Bilic (CRO 1991) - 21 pts
3. Paul Cayard / Frithjof Kleen (USA 1988) - 25 pts
4. Eric Doyle / Payson Infelise (USA 1999) - 27 pts
5. Jack Jennings / Pedro Trouche (USA 8464) - 45 pts
6. Eivind Melleby / Joshua Revkin (NOR 2017) - 45 pts
7. Mateusz Kusznierewicz / Bruno Prada (POL 2019) - 46 pts
8. Jørgen Schoenherr / Markus Koy (DEN 8532) - 47 pts
9. Tomas Hornos / Mauricio Bueno (USA 1981) - 56 pts
10. Hubert Merkelbach / Kilian Weise (GER 8446) - 58 pts
Prize Giving
The medal ceremony and prize giving celebrations will run long into the evening this evening at Eastern Yacht Club, with trophies also presented to the winners of the age categories:
U30 (skipper aged under 30) - Antonio Carvalho Moreira/Ubiratan Matos (BRA) – 26thoverall
Senior (skipper aged 30-49) - Tonci Stipanovic/Tudor Bilic (CRO) – 2nd overall
Master (skipper aged 50-59) - Diego Negri / Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA) – 1st overall
Grand Master (skipper aged 60-69) - Paul Cayard (USA)/Frithjof Kleen (GER) – 3rd overall
Exalted Grand Master (skipper aged 70 or over) - John Dane III/Tim Ray (USA) – 16thoverall
The Star Class Legacy Foundation and the Eastern Yacht Club have collaborated to ensure the U-30 teams will have a special entry fee rate for the 2022 Star World Championship in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Qualified U30 teams will enjoy a reduced entry fee of $150.
“This news is fantastic. Housing provided and now a manageable entry fee makes this event possible for young sailors,” said District 2 U30 sailor Matt Rajacich. In addition, the Australian Star Class commented that “we are working very closely to develop a couple of Australian U30 sailors and this provides additional motivation to get them into the Class seeing the support offered – it is truly an amazing Class!”
Star Class President Tom Londrigan added, “I had two separate U30 sailors approach me yesterday and promised to give a donation to the Legacy Foundation when they heard the news. These young sailors don’t have much but the reduced fee is not lost on them, they want to show their appreciation. It’s this type of support that reminds us that we are all part of this Class and that our growth and success is a team effort.”
The 2022 Worlds is aiming to draw over 100 teams to the regatta, and all the organizations involved ageree on the importance of attracting U30 teams for the class and for the sport as a whole. This reduced entry fee is a group effort across each of the organizations: Eastern Yacht Club reduced the fee in half for U30 teams; the Star Class waived its portion of the fee; and finally, the Legacy Foundation agreed to support the remaining fee on an application basis.
Entry forms can be found on the Star Worlds website
Sailors interested in applying, please contact the Star Class office
Author: Star Worlds Organizing Authority - August 28, 2022Star Worlds Competitors;
Please check your inbox for the Logistics arrival memo that was mailed to all competitors today. It is also posted on the Worlds website.
Looking forward to seeing everyone very soon!
Author: Star Class office - December 12, 2022View the recap of the 2022 Star World Championships with photos from event photographer, Matias Capizzano.
Author: Rachele Vitello - September 10, 2022The Eastern Yacht Club on Boston’s north shore, one of the USA’s most preeminent clubs, is home to the 2022 Star Class World Championship presented by Bacardi from September 8-17.
Marking the 100th Anniversary since the first Star Worlds in 1922, the Championship represents a significant moment in history, reflected in the attendance by sailors from around the world who will compete to write their names on the Star World Championship Trophy, titles and prizes.
Following four days of inspection to ensure compliance with class rules, the practice race got underway today, Saturday, September 10, followed by a cocktail hour hosted by Bacardi, which no doubt will be a popular post-race daily gathering throughout the Championship.
“The International Star Class Yacht Racing Association is beyond proud to be celebrating this historic achievement, the first by any international class,” commented Tom Londrigan, Star Class President. “Over the past 100 years, the role the Star Class has played in international sailing cannot be overstated. The Star has led with innovations, not least modernizing itself, while retaining its distinctive one-design hull shape. The Star’s popularity continues, spanning generations. Beloved by all ages, the youngest sailor competing here is Vincent Schrader (GER), 23 years old, with the oldest, John Chiarella (USA) at 85 – all thrilled to be competing. John Chiarella is the Star Class Commodore. Thank you to our hosts the Eastern Yacht Club, to the Star Class sailors and volunteers. We look forward to a wonderful week.”
Roll Call of Legends
As teams made their final preparations, a look around the hectic boat park sees multiple World Champions, Star Continental Champions, Bacardi Cup winners and other famous names set for some super competitive racing.
Every Star World Championship is a battle of legends and winning the 100th anniversary event will be something special, something dreams are made of. One hundred and sixty eight sailors from thirteen nations are in the quest for glory, with fourteen former World Champions in the mix.
Among those installed as favorites are defending 2021 Star World Champions Diego Negri/Frithjof Kleen (ITA/GER), racing here with different teammates, Negri is back with crew Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA) and Kleen is crewing for Paul Cayard (USA).
Racing
The six-race series features a traditional one long two-hour race per day, from Monday, September 12 through to Saturday, September 17, with a lay day scheduled on 14 September. The series discard will come into play after five races.
The revered Star World Championship Trophy will be presented to the winning team, with prizes to the top five overall, along with trophies to top placed teams in the Under 30, Masters, Grand Masters and Exalted Grand Masters divisions, as well as daily and series prizes.
Enduring Legacy
In tribute to the heritage of the Star Class, teams were invited to choose a sail number to mark a moment in Star history which resonated with them, and a read down the sail numbers reflects plenty of personal stories and memories.
Larry Whipple chose 1922 to mark the inaugural worlds, and as one of the creators of the ‘Star Class Legacy Foundation’ his goal is to introduce future generations to this versatile, technical and challenging boat.
Like many former World Champions, Paul Cayard opted for the year he won the Star Worlds, and will race under ‘1988’, while his son Danny chose ‘1969’ to reflect the year his grandfather Pelle Pettersson claimed the title.
Celebrations
From the racetrack to shoreside, the 100th Anniversary will embrace plenty of celebrations and socials, with dinners, cocktail parties and live music. Every former Star Class World Champion alongside many other celebrities have been invited to the Gala Dinner hosted by Bacardi on Wednesday, September 14, to join teams for a night of celebration to remember.
The Star Class is renowned for its camaraderie, and the post-race hospitality is set to make this a Championship to remember for many years to come.
Celebrating the Star Class legacy, the official Anniversary Book, ‘100 Years of Gold Stars’ written by Carol Cronin, chronicles the story of the Star Class from the drawing board to the present day, presenting a unique history of facts, figures, anecdotes and first-hand accounts, illustrated with stunning photos. Teams and fans can also memorize the moment with commemorative apparel.
Follow the Star Worlds
Results, reports, live tracking, photos and video will be available throughout the Star World Championship on 2022worlds.starchampionships.org as well as updates on Facebook and Instagram.
The official hashtags for the Championship are: #2022StarWorldChampionsip #StarSailing #StarSailors
Author: Star Class office - June 03, 2022On September 8-17, the International Star Class Yacht Racing Association (“ISCYRA”) will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Star Class World Championship and Eastern Yacht Club (“EYC”) has stepped up to host the historic event. Eastern Yacht Club enjoys a long history of hosting major yachting events. A couple months ago, EYC and the Star Class Legacy Foundation combined to significantly reduce the entry fee for competitors under the age of thirty (“U-30”) teams.
Corporate Sponsorship of this historic event has been strong. Therefore, in the spirit of supporting the competitors, EYC has committed to reducing the entry fee for all athletes. Sailors from all over the world will come to race and celebrate the Championship and with seventy-five international entries already, the Championship may include over 100 teams.
“Eastern Yacht Club is committed to supporting the events and athletes in our sport. This commitment will help defer some of the competitors’ costs and help make the 100th anniversary of our World Championship a special event.” said Paul Cayard, Western Hemisphere Vice-President of the International Star Class Yacht Racing Association.
“The Eastern Yacht Club is honored and thrilled to be hosting this milestone event for the legendary Star class,” said Henry Brauer, Commodore of the Eastern Yacht club. “These competitors embody what we all aspire to as sailors: excellence, camaraderie, and a deep respect for the history of yachting. We view the entry fee reduction as our appreciation for all those who make this class a unique and special community on the water.”
For further information, please see the regatta website or contact the regatta leadership at: 2022starworlds@easternyc.org
About Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.: Bacardi U.S.A. Inc. is the United States import and distribution arm of family-owned Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world. The company boasts a portfolio of some of the most recognized and top-selling spirits brands in the United States including BACARDÍ® rum, PATRÓN® tequila, GREY GOOSE® vodka, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch Whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, MARTINI vermouth and sparkling wines, the world’s leading vermouth and the world’s favorite Italian sparkling wines, and other leading and emerging brands. Founded more than 158 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, Bacardi Limited currently employs more than 7,000, operates more than 20 production facilities in 11 countries, and sells its brands in more than 170 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on Twitter @BacardiLimited or Instagram @BacardiLimited1862. Enjoy Responsibly. BACARDÍ, its label, its bottle design and the Bat Device are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Bacardi & Company Limited. © 2022 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Visit: www.bacardi.com
Author: Rachele Vitello - September 11, 2022The 2022 Star Class World Championship presented by Bacardi was officially declared open by Tom Londrigan, International Star Class President, on the morning of Sunday, September 11 accompanied by a parade of nations and gun salute at Eastern Yacht Club.
The opening day was plagued by a light and shifty breeze, with a major left shift forcing the race committee to postpone the start and reset the course, with the second attempt abandoned. At 1530 hours, race 1 got underway with a 2.2 mile upwind leg, featuring breeze of around 4 knots and big shifts. The leading pack read the course well, but it was a dice roll for many of the 84 teams in the fleet with the changing pressure, dropping to 2 knots and up to 6 knots at times, with a strong current proving tricky.
Getting settled into their lane straight away and holding the advantage skillfully to the windward mark were Paul Cayard (USA)/Frithjof Kleen (GER), with defending Star World Champion Diego Negri racing with Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA) in second, and Tonci Stipanovic/Tudor Bilic (CRO) in third. After the front third of the fleet rounded, the wind shifted and dropped leaving the rest with nowhere to hide as they struggled to make gains towards the mark.
By the second windward mark, it was the same three boats controlling the lead but a different order, with Stipanovic/Bilic gaining a critical edge in front, Negri/Lambertenghi close behind and Cayard/Kleen in third. A change of course for the final downwind leg, saw Stipanovic/Bilic remain focused with their eyes on the finish to take the first win of the Worlds.
Hugely experienced, the partnership convincingly won the 2022 Star European Championship in July, and three-time Olympian Stipanovic owns silver medals in the Laser Standard from Tokyo 2020 and Rio 2016.
“It was very hard to decide where to choose to start,” commented Stipanovic. “It was a really huge starting line and then the wind was changing all the time. I had some feeling that if the wind were to start to drop it would move to the left and in the end it happened like that, so we had a good start and played with the pressure all the time. It was for us just important to stay in the pressure, and then in the end on the left side there was more pressure. On the second upwind we were just a bit more patient than Diego and Paul. They tacked immediately on the first shift and we proceeded just a little bit to catch some more pressure and then it was game over”.
Three-time Bacardi Cup Champions Mateusz Kusznierewicz/Bruno Prada worked hard to turn round their start, riding their luck in the unpredictable conditions to work through from around 20th to finish 10th – not a position they are used to.
Provisional Top 10 Results – after Race 1
1. Tonci Stipanovic / Tudor Bilic (CRO 1991) - 1 pt
2. Diego Negri / Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA 2021) - 2 pts
3. Paul Cayard / Frithjof Kleen (USA 1988) - 3 pts
4. Marin Misura / Tonko Barac (CRO 1952) - 4 pts
5. Jim Buckingham / Phil Toth (USA 1958) - 5 pts
6. Augie Diaz / Brad Nichol (USA 8509) - 6 pts
7. David Watt / William Siemers (USA 1992) - 7 pts
8. Ingvar Krook / Christoffer Thunberg (SWE 1928) - 8 pts
9. Joshua Powell / Mark Strube (USA 8522) - 9 pts
10. Mateusz Kusznierewicz / Bruno Prada (POL 2019) - 10 pts
The day’s racing transitioned to the Formal Opening Ceremony sponsored by North Sails at the Eastern Yacht Club. Race 2 is scheduled to get underway at 1230 hours on Monday, September 12.
Follow the Star Worlds
Eighty-four teams from thirteen nations are racing for the 2022 Star World Championship title, trophies and prizes. Daily racing continues through to Saturday, September 17, with a lay day scheduled on Wednesday, September 14.
July 20, 2022The U30 Committee would like to thank Michael "Moose" Marcel from Quincy Yacht Club for making his second boat, 7739, available to a U30 team!
Michael is an enthusiastic supporter of young Star sailors and will himself be sailing with a U30 helm at the Worlds. Perhaps he will recall a touch of the same magic he brought to Peter Bromby when they finished third overall together at the 1997 Worlds with this young helmsman. We take the liberty of quoting Mr. Marcel directly from his communication with us:
"I am a huge supporter of the U30 and I am a crew with a Star who will be sponsoring U30 skippers for as long as I can going into the future."
Thank you Michael for all that you are doing to ensure that our Class has a long and successful future and for sharing the best traditions of the Star class with the next generation.
Now, we need just one more "Moose" to complete our project. One more boat please, and we will be able to meet our objective of providing free boats to all the U30 teams who have expressed an interest in competing at our World Championship this fall.
Humbly and sincerely,
Benjamin Sternberg
Arnd Glunde
Author: Rachele Vitello - September 12, 2022An impressive run of form gave the race 2 win to Jørgen Schönherr (DEN) and Markus Koy (GER) who controlled the fleet from start to finish and end the day in 4th overall.
Headlining the leader board though are Italy’s Diego Negri/Sergio Lambertenghi, who now count two second places, to lead over Paul Cayard (USA)/Frithjof Kleen (GER), with Croatia’s Tonci Stipanovic/Tudor Bilic in third.
A postponed start, followed by a general recall saw racing get underway at 1409 hours. The 6-knot breeze remained steady with a short chop, significant current, super close racing and some supreme performances throughout the 8 nm race. A frustrating day though for the five teams who gave themselves a points mountain to climb after adding a UFD penalty to their scorecards.
Anticipating the wind would go left, Schönherr/Koy opted for the port pin end start. While the shift didn’t materialize, their positioning and boat speed kept them ahead, with Negri/ Lambertenghi on their tail the whole race.
“We had a great day today,” grinned Schönherr on the pair’s ability to hold off a fleet packed with World Champions. “We had a super start and then we had a tough fight with all the gold Stars breathing on our necks. We managed to stay ahead, so we are proud of that.”
A racetrack fact revealed by Schönherr is that today’s win marks only the second time he has won a race at a Star Worlds, the previous time being the final race at last year’s Worlds, where the pair finished 4th overall.
“From the start we were leading the race and we could finish it also leading which was great,” added Koy. “The key to success was that we had very good upwind speed, plus good downwind speed. We were never really under pressure speedwise, so we could sail tactically in front of the others a little bit and control them.”
Negri/Lambertenghi were ever present in attack, building on every puff in the final leg to hunt down the race leaders, as Schönherr acknowledged saying, “Diego is always fast. If we can stay connected to him we are super happy.”
Negri has a battle on his hands to defend his 2021 Star Worlds title, with a fleet full of former World Champions hoping to add another gold star to their trophy cabinet, as well as plenty of rivals wanting to claim their first at this 100th Anniversary event. In a strange twist to his title defense, Negri has been forced to take a punt on some borrowed sails as his are stuck in Ireland, although so far the loaner set are not disappointing!
2009 Star World Champion George Szabo is one of those many rivals enthused about the event, “It’s the big wigs, its always so much fun.”
Reflecting on the change in approach when racing such a large fleet, Szabo commented, “You can’t go up the middle so much, you need to stay to the edges and also with so many boats, the water is more choppy, so you have to set the sails a little more full and a bit more loose to get out of the way sometimes. We have a two-mile plus beat, it is so much fun you can’t even find the mark for a long time. Every little shift magnifies itself across the leverage you have across this massive racecourse. It’s epic.”
Post-race the racetrack rivalries turn off and the deep-rooted camaraderie turns on, with the usual Star Class spirit and socialising boosted by tonight’s party sponsored by Doyle Sails.
Race 3 is scheduled to get underway at 1230 hours on Tuesday, September 13.
Provisional Top 10 Results – after Race 2
1. Diego Negri / Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA 2021) - 4 pts
2. Paul Cayard / Frithjof Kleen (USA 1988) - 6 pts
3. Tonci Stipanovic / Tudor Bilic (CRO 1991) - 8 pts
4. Jørgen Schoenherr / Markus Koy (DEN 8532) - 13 pts
5. Eric Doyle / Payson Infelise (USA 1999) - 15 pts
6. Mateusz Kusznierewicz / Bruno Prada (POL 2019) - 15 pts
7. Augie Diaz / Brad Nichol (USA 8509) - 18 pts
8. Jim Buckingham / Phil Toth (USA 1958) - 21 pts
9. Jud Smith / Remi Hutchins (USA 1957) - 31 pts
10. Larry Whipple / Anders Ekstrom (USA 1922) - 33 pts
Author: U30 Committee - July 12, 2022The U 30 committee would like to express its thanks to Starclass member and 2006 District Champion Will Swigart for stepping up to sponsor Vincent and Marcel from Germany. Will has kindly lent his beautiful 8291 to these young star sailors so that they can compete at the Western Hemisphere Championship and the Worlds. Indeed, he has gone so far as to arrange delivery of the boat to and from the regattas, so all the boys have to do is show up and sail their best.
We use this opportunity to thank Will publicly for his participation and to commend him as an example of American hospitality and honoring the best traditions of our class. Quoting Will here without his permission:
“I remember being an age when gestures like this made an enormous difference, equally German Star sailors were amazingly open and helpful to Chuck Beek and me in the summer of 1986.”
Certainly most of us can remember a time early in our sailing careers when we were helped along by senior members of the class. Now we need two more of these. There are U 30 teams from Austria and Brazil waiting to buy plane tickets if we can supply them with boats! We once again urge the membership to participate in our project for the future of our class and sport.
Humbly and sincerely,
Benjamin Sternberg
Arnd Glunde
The U 30 committee has received requests from two more U 30 teams – one from Austria, and one from Brazil – for loaner boats to attend the Worlds in Marblehead. We humbly and urgently ask the membership of the Star Class to come up with two more race-ready boats to welcome these young teams to our marquee event of 2022 and inaugurate them into the best traditions of our class.
If you are an American within a reasonable driving distance of Marblehead please contact us about lending your boat to one of these teams.
There are charter boats available, so a cash donation could pay for the transport or the charter fee for one of these boats. Please contact the Star Class office if you would like to make a donation for an U30 team.
If you are somewhere in between – maybe with time and a vehicle – and are willing to deliver a boat gratis please let us know.
We firmly believe that absent the Olympics and the SSL the only way we can replenish our ranks and grow our class is by showcasing our most valuable asset – ourselves. The way we will do this is by applying the resources we have and our goodwill towards the future to roll out the red carpet for our young teams so that not only will they come to compete with us, but that in their turn they will extend the same courtesy they received to the next generation. This is truly the best tradition of our class, one that we learned from those who came before us, and that we are bound to teach by example to the generations to come.
Sincerely,
Benjamin Sternberg
Arnd Glunde
U30 Committee
Author: Rachele Vitello - September 14, 2022Wednesday day dawned sunny and breezy at the 100th Anniversary Star Worlds, in a perfect change of fortunes after Tuesday’s fog, rain and lack of wind forced racing to be cancelled.
Italy’s Diego Negri/Sergio Lambertenghi retain pole position after a solid 5th place score, whilst the race win to George Szabo/Guy Avellon (USA) rockets them eight places up the leader board to 7th overall in the eighty-four boat fleet.
Watched by a flotilla of spectator boats, the racetrack served up classic Star Class conditions, with a 12-knot offshore breeze and chop greeting teams as they took on the 2.2nm windward leg on the first of 5 laps of the 10.8nm windward/leeward upwind finish course format. After two general recalls, not the best of starts for the five teams who struggled with the shifts off the start to earn a BFD penalty.
Intercepting the shifts
Breezy and shifty conditions offered plenty of opportunity for position changes. The intensity required was huge though, as the 20-degree shifts played through the fleet, with gains and losses as teams tried to keep with the pressure and make adjustments to stay in the chess match. The unpredictable breeze demanded a frequent pace change and racing style along with two course changes in a textbook challenge for Star sailors.
Whilst race 3 was for the strong wind players, control of the lead was only ever about who intercepted the shifts better between Jack Jennings (USA)/Pedro Trouche (BRA) and George Szabo/Guy Avellon (USA).
Jennings/Trouche are boosted by an impressive season, 2nd at the 2022 Star Europeans and 1st at the Star North Americans, while Szabo has the kudos of a gold Star on his mainsail from victory at the 2009 Worlds. Szabo/Avellon have been working together for the past three years and most recently finished third at the 2022 North Americans.
“We had a great day. Winning that race was really interesting,” said Szabo. “We started the middle weather end of the line and just getting through that chop was tough, just keeping that bow down and get through the waves.”
The shifts were key, as Szabo explained, “We were fortunate the first three shifts put us in the right spot to be in the contention at the weather mark, and we got away on the first shift on the run. The next beat was tough, Guy was watching the numbers and watching the angles and a huge part of that was making sure we were in the right place.
“Going into the finish Jack was going to have us,” continued Szabo, “but he made one manoeuvre to cover Tonci which looked like the right call at the time. In the end the guys lifted so much that they overstood and reached in, and we got to the mark and got them by maybe a boat length. It was a pretty entertaining day!”
Laughing, Avellon added, “It was fun when we heard the gun!”
Putting pressure on behind to finish third were the 2022 Star European Champions Tonci Stipanovic/Tudor Bilic (CRO), who move up into 2nd overall. Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL)/Bruno Prada (BRA), who count seven Star World Championship titles between them, translated the crazy narrative of the racetrack, which saw them around 11th at the first mark, into a 4th place finish and step up to third overall.
Prada reflected on a tough day, “We did a really bad start. We held a little bit to be a little bit more conservative. It was not good, we got passed from other boats. We didn’t do the right decisions upwind. We really sailed super well downwind.”
“But we have reached our goal,” chipped in Kusznierewicz. “Every day we are climbing two places!”
After a lacklustre start, series leaders Negri/Lambertenghi fought back with a determination as fierce as their talent, steadily finding advantages to get back in the game and claim a 5th place finish.
Leading the charge amongst the U30 teams are Daniel Fritz/Alberto Ambrosini (GER) in 18th overall.
Race 4 is scheduled to get underway at 1230 hours on Thursday, September 15.
Provisional Top 10 Results – after Race 3
1. Diego Negri / Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA 2021) - 9 pts
2. Tonci Stipanovic / Tudor Bilic (CRO 1991) - 11 pts
3. Mateusz Kusznierewicz / Bruno Prada (POL 2019) - 19 pts
4. Eric Doyle / Payson Infelise (USA 1999) - 23 pts
5. Paul Cayard / Frithjof Kleen (USA 1988) - 25 pts
6. Jørgen Schoenherr / Markus Koy (DEN 8532) - 36 pts
7. George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA 2009) - 41 pts
8. Jim Buckingham / Phil Toth (USA 1958) - 45 pts
9. Augie Diaz / Brad Nichol (USA 8509) - 45 pts
10. Jud Smith / Remi Hutchins (USA 1957) - 45 pts
History Speaks
You get a real feel for the history of Star Cass in the boat park, and amongst the many big names at the Eastern Yacht Club is Star legend Malin Burnham. He won his first Star Worlds at 16 years old as crew for Gerald Driscoll in 1944 and scooped the honour again in 1945 as skipper with Lowell North. Burnham will be sharing some of his memories and anecdotes at this evening’s Gala Dinner.
Bacardi spirit
Tonight, Bacardi will host the 100th Anniversary gala dinner for around 300 guests, including sixteen former world champions. Amongst the highlights of the evening will be a video presentation by Bacardi, a look back at the past 100 years with the Star Class, a silent auction, plenty of fun, entertainment and Bacardi cocktails.
Follow the Star Worlds
Eight-four teams from thirteen nations are racing for the 2022 Star World Championship title, trophies and prizes. Daily racing continues through to Saturday, September 17, with a lay day scheduled on Wednesday, September 14.
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
100th Anniversary of the Star World Championahips (1922 - 2022)
