2026 North American Championship – Tampa, Florida, USA

2026 North American Championship – Tampa, Florida, USA

Regatta Report

Day One

The 2026 Star North American Championship got off to an exciting start today, with two races completed in excellent conditions and Jack Jennings and Phil Trinter (USA) delivering a flawless performance to take the early lead. A steady northerly breeze of 15–18 knots provided consistent racing conditions throughout the day, allowing the Race Committee to complete two races, each lasting approximately one hour. The breeze strengthened toward the end of the second race, with gusts reaching around 20 knots on the final leg, giving the sailors an energetic finish to the opening day. Jennings and Trinter were the undisputed stars of the day, winning both races and returning ashore with a perfect score of just two points. The opening race saw Jennings and Trinter take the victory ahead of George Szabo and Guy Avellon (USA), who finished second, while John Loe and Shane Zwingelberg (USA) completed the top three.

Jennings and Trinter repeated their winning performance in Race 2, confirming their excellent form and establishing an early advantage in the championship. This time, Loe and Zwingelberg moved up one position to finish second, with Szabo and Avellon crossing the line in third. Behind the leaders, the battle for the remaining podium positions is already close. Loe and Zwingelberg and Szabo and Avellon are tied on five points, sitting second and third overall respectively.

Jim Buckingham and Brad Nichol (USA) occupy fourth place with nine points after finishing fifth and fourth in today's races, while Stephen Braverman and Ron Rezac (USA) complete the provisional top five, also on nine points, with a fourth and a fifth. With two races completed and the championship still wide open, the fleet will return to the water tomorrow for another day of racing. The opening day has already set the tone for what promises to be a highly competitive Star North American Championship.

DAY 1 – RACE RESULTS

Race 1

1. Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA)
2. George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA)
3. John Loe / Shane Zwingelberg (USA)

Race 2

1. Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA)
2. John Loe / Shane Zwingelberg (USA)
3. George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA)

PROVISIONAL OVERALL STANDINGS – TOP 5

1. Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA) – 2 pts (1, 1)
2. John Loe / Shane Zwingelberg (USA) – 5 pts (3, 2)
3. George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA) – 5 pts (2, 3)
4. Jim Buckingham / Brad Nichol (USA) – 9 pts (5, 4)
5. Stephen Braverman / Ron Rezac (USA) – 9 pts (4, 5)

Day Two

Another spectacular day of racing in Tampa Bay, with strong northerly winds and tight battles throughout the fleet. John Loe and Shane Zwingelberg hold second place, while Jim Buckingham and Brad Nichol move into third. Four races, four wins. Jack Jennings and Phil Trinter (USA) continued their impressive run at the 2026 Star North American Championship, adding two more victories to their perfect scorecard on another spectacular day of racing in Tampa Bay.

The fleet enjoyed excellent conditions for the second consecutive day, with a steady northerly breeze of 17–19 knots and gusts reaching 20–22 knots. Two double-triangle races were completed, delivering fast, exciting sailing and incredibly close competition, particularly among the leading three or four boats. But despite the fierce battles at the front, Jennings and Trinter once again found the winning formula. The American duo claimed both race wins, extending their unbeaten streak to four and consolidating their position at the top of the leaderboard with just four points.

The first race of the day saw Burkhard Keese and Jesper Spehr (GER) delivered one of the standout performances of the championship so far. The German team bounced back from two tenth-place finishes on the opening day to take an impressive second place, finishing behind Jennings and Trinter and ahead of John Loe and Shane Zwingelberg (USA), who completed the Race 3 podium. In the second race, Jennings and Trinter were once again first across the finish line, but the battle behind them was particularly intense. Keith Dodson and Mark Strube (USA) secured an excellent second place, while George Szabo and Guy Avellon (USA) finished third, recovering from a difficult opening race.

With four races completed, Jennings and Trinter have established a commanding eight-point advantage over their closest rivals, but the fight for the remaining podium positions is heating up. John Loe and Shane Zwingelberg (USA) remain second overall with 12 points, following a third and a fourth place today. Their consistency has kept them firmly in contention, although the leaders have yet to show any signs of slowing down. Moving into third overall are Jim Buckingham and Brad Nichol (USA), who added two fifth-place finishes to their scorecard. With 19 points, the experienced team has steadily climbed the standings thanks to four consistent results. One of the biggest moves of the day came from Keith Dodson and Mark Strube (USA). After opening the championship with two eighth-place finishes, they stepped up their performance today, scoring a fourth and a second to climb into fourth overall with 22 points, just three behind Buckingham and Nichol.

George Szabo and Guy Avellon (USA) complete the provisional top five with 25 points. After starting the championship with two podium finishes yesterday, they suffered a setback in Race 3, recording a DNC, but responded with a strong third place in Race 4. Meanwhile, Keese and Spehr's second-place finish in Race 3 was a welcome breakthrough for the German team, which now sits eighth overall with 31 points.

After two days of racing, the championship has already delivered outstanding conditions and some thrilling battles on the water. While Jennings and Trinter have taken control of the leaderboard, the competition behind them remains wide open, with just six points separating second and fourth place. The fleet returns to the racecourse tomorrow for Day 3 of the 2026 Star North American Championship, with more close racing expected as the championship approaches its halfway point.

DAY 2 – RACE RESULTS

Race 3

1. Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA)
2. Burkhard Keese / Jesper Spehr (GER)
3. John Loe / Shane Zwingelberg (USA)

Race 4

1. Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA)
2. Keith Dodson / Mark Strube (USA)
3. George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA)

PROVISIONAL OVERALL STANDINGS – TOP 5

1. Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA) – 4 pts (1, 1, 1, 1)
2. John Loe / Shane Zwingelberg (USA) – 12 pts (3, 2, 3, 4)
3. Jim Buckingham / Brad Nichol (USA) – 19 pts (5, 4, 5, 5)
4. Keith Dodson / Mark Strube (USA) – 22 pts (8, 8, 4, 2)
5. George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA) – 25 pts (2, 3, DNC 17, 3)

Day Three

Two more races completed in lighter conditions in Tampa Bay, with George Szabo and Guy Avellon claiming their first race win and moving up to second overall. The 2026 Star North American Championship reached its third day of racing with another two races completed in Tampa Bay, where lighter winds and incredibly close competition brought new challenges and some changes to the provisional standings.

After two days of strong northerly breeze, conditions were slightly calmer today, with winds ranging from 10 to 15 knots from the North/Northeast. The Race Committee completed two windward-leeward races, with the fleet remaining remarkably compact throughout the day. At times, all boats rounded the marks within just two minutes of one another, highlighting the intensity of the competition and the remarkably even pace across the fleet.

After winning all four races on the opening two days, Jack Jennings and Phil Trinter (USA) saw their perfect winning streak interrupted in Race 5, finishing third. But the American duo quickly returned to their winning ways in Race 6, claiming their fifth victory in six races. With the first discard now coming into play, Jennings and Trinter have a net score of just five points, maintaining a commanding lead at the top of the championship standings.

The first race of the day belonged to George Szabo and Guy Avellon (USA), who delivered an excellent performance to take their first bullet of the championship. The pair followed up with a fourth place in Race 6, moving into second overall with 13 net points.
Their climb up the leaderboard was particularly significant after a difficult second day, when a DNC in Race 3 had dropped them down the standings. With that result now discarded, Szabo and Avellon are back in contention for the podium, just eight points behind the leaders.

John Loe and Shane Zwingelberg (USA) continued their consistent championship, recording a fifth and a second today. With 14 net points, they now sit third overall, just one point behind Szabo and Avellon, setting up an exciting battle for second place. Meanwhile, Jim Buckingham and Brad Nichol (USA) remain firmly in the fight, despite a more challenging day. A fourth place in Race 5 was followed by a 12th in Race 6, which they can now discard. The team holds fourth overall with 23 net points.

One of the strongest performances in the final race came from Mike Hecky and Luke Lawrence (USA), who secured an impressive third place in Race 6. After a difficult Race 4, in which they recorded a DNF, the pair have steadily recovered and now move into fifth overall with 29 net points. Another standout performance in Race 5 came from Arnd Glunde and Christopher Wenzke (GER). After a challenging start to the championship, the German duo found their pace in the lighter conditions, securing an impressive second-place finish ahead of championship leaders Jennings and Trinter. With six races completed, the championship is entering an increasingly decisive phase. Jennings and Trinter remain the team to beat, having won five of the six races sailed so far, but the competition behind them is closer than ever with two more races scheduled for tomorrow.

DAY 3 – RACE RESULTS

Race 5

1. George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA)
2. Arnd Glunde / Christopher Wenzke (GER)
3. Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA)

Race 6

1. Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA)
2. John Loe / Shane Zwingelberg (USA)
3. Michael Hecky / Luke Lawrence (USA)

PROVISIONAL OVERALL STANDINGS – TOP 5

1. Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA) – 5 pts (1, 1, 1, 1, [3], 1)
2. George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA) – 13 pts (2, 3, [DNC 17], 3, 1, 4)
3. John Loe / Shane Zwingelberg (USA) – 14 pts (3, 2, 3, 4, [5], 2)
4. Jim Buckingham / Brad Nichol (USA) – 23 pts (5, 4, 5, 5, 4, [12])
5. Michael Hecky / Luke Lawrence (USA) – 29 pts (6, 6, 7, [DNF 17], 7, 3)

Day Four

Five wins in eight races secure the title for the American duo, ahead of John Loe and Shane Zwingelberg and George Szabo and Guy Avellon. Jack Jennings and Phil Trinter (USA) are the 2026 Star North American Champions. After leading the championship from the opening race, the American duo sealed the title with an impressive five victories in eight races, finishing with just 10 net points with a race to spare. The final day brought two more races in a northerly breeze of 10–12 knots, with the competition for the remaining podium positions going down to the wire.

Jennings and Trinter added a second place in Race 7 before sitting out the final race, having already secured the championship. Behind them, John Loe and Shane Zwingelberg (USA) delivered a strong finish, winning Race 7 and taking third in Race 8 to claim the silver medal with 18 points. George Szabo and Guy Avellon (USA) completed the podium with 21 points after finishing sixth and second in today's races, recovering from an earlier DNC to secure bronze.

Jim Buckingham and Brad Nichol (USA) finished fourth overall, while Burkhard Keese and Jesper Spehr (GER) took fifth on countback ahead of Keith Dodson and Mark Strube (USA). The final race victory went to Doug Smith and TC Belco, providing a fitting conclusion to four days of competitive Star sailing.

The championship offered a great variety of conditions, from the strong northerly winds and gusts exceeding 20 knots of the opening days to the lighter, tactically demanding breeze of the final two days. Throughout the eight races, the fleet delivered close battles and exciting mark roundings, once again showcasing the competitive spirit of the Star Class. The event concluded with the prize-giving ceremony, celebrating the new North American Champions and the top finishers.

FINAL OVERALL RESULTS – TOP 10

1. Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA) – 10 pts
2. John Loe / Shane Zwingelberg (USA) – 18 pts
3. George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA) – 21 pts
4. Jim Buckingham / Brad Nichol (USA) – 33 pts
5. Burkhard Keese / Jesper Spehr (GER) – 46 pts
6. Keith Dodson / Mark Strube (USA) – 46 pts
7. Stephen Braveman / Ron Rezac (USA) – 48 pts
8. Michael Hecky / Luke Lawrence (USA) – 50 pts
9. Doug Smith / TC Belco (USA) – 56 pts
10. John Polglase / Paul Wetmore (USA) – 59 pts

Results