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PLENTY OF STARS AT 2019 STAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
65 teams will be on the 2019 Star World Championship start line in just a couple of days, on Monday, June the 17th. Six races will determine who will lift the almost 100 years old trophy next Saturday. Everything is ready in Porto Cervo at Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, one of the most renowned club in the World, home of Azzurra, the first ever Italian America’s Cup syndicate back in 1983.
The beautiful rocky coast will offer a spectacular background to the fleet and the wind will provide challenging conditions for the 130 sailors coming from 20 countries. A rich social schedule will begin with a cocktail after the Opening Ceremony, a BBQ dinner by the club’s swimming pool on Thursday, a closing party on Saturday and after sail refreshments everyday.
Star World Championship in beautiful Porto Cervo, 30 years later
The Star World Championship is always a time of great action, fatigue and adrenaline on the water and good times, friendship and memories ashore. The 2019 Star World Championship will return, after exactly 30 years, in Porto Cervo, in the North East Shores of Sardinia, a magical Italian island, in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its deep green water got it the name of Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast) and history says that when the Prince Aga Khan visited the area back in the sixties, he fell in love with it and saw the potential of such beautiful and wild region. The rose rocks, forest green bushes, the bright light and the long June days ending with endless sunsets; the scent of the Mediterranean scrub, so intense, fresh and so typical: it’s the smell of freedom as this is an untamable land, made of untamable people.
JORGE ZARIF AND GUILHERME DE ALMEIDA (BRA) ARE THE 2018 STAR WORLD CHAMPIONS
This morning when the 62 teams arrived at the Tred Avon Yacht Club with two races scheduled, the discard coming in play after Race 5, and a very windy forecast, anything was possible. Jorge Zarif and crew Guilherme de Almeida had a comfortable eight point lead over the second place team Paul Cayard (USA) and Arthur Lopes (BRA), and even more over the third place Class President Hubert Merkelbach and Markus Koy (GER). After a DNF in Race 5 for Cayard / Lopes, and a discarded DSQ for 2017 World Champions Eivind Melleby (NOR) and Joshua Revkin (USA) the window of opportunity opened back up for either of the three teams to take the Championship title at the start of a thrilling Race 6.
Jorge Zarif and Guilherme de Almeida fought a tough battle, always sailing within top 10 boats, losing some points in the second upwind beat, then regaining them in the last downwind to finish fourth behind race winner Tomas Hornos and Pedro Trouche, just meters before Melleby / Revkin, Eric Doyle and Payson Infelise in third. The Brazilians narrowly clinched the fourth spot from George Szabo (USA) and Roger Cheer (CAN) by half boat length.
Olympic Finn sailor Jorge Zarif at 26 years old is the youngest World Champion since 1981 when Alex Hagen (GER) won as a skipper at the same age.
2018 STAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, RACING CANCELLED ON DAY FIVE FOR TOO STRONG WIND
A very windy awaking for the 62 team fleet of the 2018 Star World Championship in Oxford, MD, this morning. The remnants of Hurricane Michael passed over the area overnight and left behind a breeze between 18 to 20 knots. Though the wind was slowly decreasing to about 15 knots, gusts were still up to 20 with the sea state a short, steep chop with big sets rolling through was not considered safe for the majority of the fleet by the Race Committee. So PRO Bill Stump sent everyone home and racing will resume tomorrow, Saturday October 13th at 11.00 with the two last races of the series scheduled.
TWO RACES WITH VARIABLE CONDITIONS AFFECTED BY HURRICANE MICHAEL ON DAY 4 OF 2018 STAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Day four of the 2018 Star World Championship in Oxford, Maryland, started with rain, a great 14 knot breeze from north east and choppy sea, all caused by hurricane Michael making its way up north. The flags of the 12 nations representing the 62 teams waved vigorously while the teams got dressed in their wet-weather gear and docked out towards the racecourse.
The mischievous breeze didn’t last through both of the races sailed today, and had died down to 6-8 knots by the second start of the day. Near the end of Race 4 the wind dropped even more on the last downwind leg after shifting of almost 180° and forced the competitors to finish going upwind. Today’s bullets go to Jorge Zarif with Guilherme de Almeida (BRA) conquering the windy third race of the series, and to Paul Cayard (USA) with Arthur Lopes (BRA) for the tricky fourth one.
Both names occupy the top spots of the provisional overall ranking, with Zarif/de Almeida leading, followed by former World Champions Eivind Melleby and Joshua Revkin and Cayard/Lopes in third. (results are provisional and there is a hearing in the jury room that could affect the leading positions).
Two first races of the 2018 Star World Championship won by 2017 World Champions Eivind Melleby and Joshua Revkin
A nice breeze finally made its appearance on the Choptank River on day three of the 2018 Star World Championship held in Oxford, Maryland, hosted by the Tred Avon Yacht Club. Two races were completed by the 62 boat fleet but only one can claim the traditional daily prizes: reigning World Champions Eivind Melleby (NOR) and Joshua Revkin (USA) took both bullets, and let everyone know they’re not ready to hand back one of the most prestigious trophies in sailing. Brazilian Olympic Finn sailor Jorge Zarif with crew Guilherme de Almeida are following the lead pair in the provisional ranking, and in third place, 1988 Star World Champion Paul Cayard (USA) with crew Arthur ‘Tutu’ Lopes (BRA).