Star Class Honoring the Past, Leading the Future
Jonas Wibom and Fredrik Liljegren are the 2023 Swedish Champions!
The 2023 International Swedish Champions are Jörgen Schönherr and Markus Koy!
A Championship where all the medals are decided on the last lap after 7 races is thrilling, and this was the case at the 2023 edition of the International Swedish Championships in Saltsjöbaden. A total of six boats could win the gold before the very last race out of seven…
However, the International and overall list was dominated by African Queen.
A total of 28 boats gathered at Sune Carlssons boatyard in Saltsjöbaden, and in the international list we found former world champion Ejvind Melleby from Norway, this time in a brand new mint green C-star, and also the Star Class President Tom Londrigan, Springfield Illinois, USA.
The Vintage Star Class is on the move today. In this regatta represented by Maria and Henrik Widstrand in a newly restored beauty, competing with Don Parfet and Jon Vandermolen from Gull Lake, Michigan USA in the Sune Carlsson vintage classic named “Tupp” (Swedish for rooster).
The regatta sight was Baggensfjärden, where Star legend Sune Carlsson and his son Leif has been building Starboats for 60 years!
The overall winners of the regatta after 7 races showing exceptional speed were Jörgen Schönherr and Markus Koy Denmark/Germany before Ejvind Melleby och Petter W Norge. In third the Swedish Champions Jonas Wibom and Fredrik Liljegren followed by Calle Schröder and Henrik Glimstedt. The third place in the Swedish Championships went to the 2022 winners, Stefan Nordström och Joakim Dovrén.
The regatta dinner was held in the main hall of the yard, this being the final party of the Sune Carlsson Boatyard, now sold waiting for the new owners to take over. Sune, 93 years old, was present and held a speech before letting the band take over the singing and dancing.
At the prizegiving ceremony the Swedish Championship Winners Jonas Wibom and Fredrik Liljegren were asked how they felt, answering the following:
Maybe the most important prize, the knotted “Non Violence” Fair Play Trophy gun, went to Lars Nordling former captain and presently treasurer in the arranging Rasta Star Fleet.
You may ask yourself why the Star Class still attracts so many active racing sailors from all over the world not being an Olympic class anymore? I believe that there are two reasons for this. No 1 is that the Star is so demanding, making it fantastic to sail at all times and weather conditions and No 2, is that the Starclass is so well organized.
Rasta Starfleets staff under the lead of Leif Carlsson, delivers in every respect and then it is fun for all of us to come and race…
I ask myself from time to time, why I didn´t buy a Starboat earlier…
Thomas Gross
