Star Class Honoring the Past, Leading the Future
The Royal Yacht Club in Muiden organized the Open Dutch and Big 3 championships for the second time since its inaugural visit in 2022. After three thrilling days of racing concluding on Sunday, a deserving champion emerged in our 2023 Star World Champions. Leading the regatta from day one, the formidable team of Max and Ole concluded the final day with two additional victories. Their remarkable achievement saw them finish the regatta with just 6 points, even after discarding a ninth-place finish from Saturday's race.
Sunday's conditions proved to be slightly more challenging compared to the first two days, with winds ranging from 6 to 8 knots and shifting directions causing a significant shake-up on the podium. Nick Heuwinkel and Jesper Spehr of Germany managed to climb one place on the last day, securing second place overall, followed closely by Daniel Fritz and Michael Oberweger in third place. They successfully fended off last year's fifth-place finishers in the World Championship, Manu Hens and Joost Houweling, in a thrilling final race that concluded with a downwind leg, earning them the bronze medal.
In addition to the thrilling racing on the water, the onshore program and traditional blazer dinner were exceptional. During dinner, table singers surprised us with performances of hits from the 80s to today. Of course, the après-sailing drinks were outstanding, with open bar after racing on all three days.
It's heartening to witness the resurgence of the Star class in the Netherlands. This regatta saw 16 Dutch boats at the starting line, with a notable performance from Haico de Boer and Samuel Goncalves, who finished fourth overall. With three more boats in the top ten, the Star fleet of the Netherlands can truly celebrate a revival of the class.
A big thank you to all our sponsors who were essential to the success of this event
Big star: Contender, CodeZero, Heinz Nixdorff, Mates Rum and StarClass yacht transport
Middle Star: MRI Centrum, DynaScan, Seadis and Resail,
Small Star: Fritz Segel, Heren2, ONJ en PPFC
Friend-Star: Bart Schipper, Mark Drontmann, Haico de Boer and Ard van Aanholt
