Star Eastern Hemisphere Championship: intense racing in Warnemünde

The renowned sailing festival of Northern Europe, Warnemünder Woche, is currently hosting the Star Eastern Hemisphere Championship. Alongside other prestigious regattas such as the Soling Europeans and the ILCA Europa Cup, the Star Silver event features an impressive fleet of 32 boats representing 10 nations.
 

Day one of the championship witnessed two challenging races in difficult conditions. Sailors endured a demanding and eventful day, with winds fluctuating from gusts of up to 20 knots to as low as 6 knots, while shifting direction from west in the first race, to northwest in the second. Once the race committee successfully set the starting pin, the 32 teams embarked on the first Silver Championship of the European season, with anticipation building for the upcoming Star World Championship to be held in Italy later this year.

Leading the fleet on the opening day were the Croatian duo of Marin Misura and Tonko Barac, showcasing their prowess with a first-place finish in one race and a fifth-place finish in the other. Close on their heels are Piet Eckert and Frederico Melo from Switzerland and Portugal, respectively, occupying the second position. In third place, former Finn sailor Max Kohlhoff teamed up with Ole Burzinski from Germany, displaying their competitive edge in a class that is relatively new to them.

Reflecting on the day's races, Kohlhoff expressed their enthusiasm, saying, "We had the pleasure of enjoying a fantastic day of sailing in a uncommonly sunny Warnemünde, surrounded by this amazing fleet. Although we are pretty new to the Star Class, we are truly loving the experience, especially with the formidable competition present, including legendary sailors. It was a challenging day on the water, with mixed results for us, and we are eagerly looking forward to performing better tomorrow."
 

The championship will continue with two more races scheduled for Saturday, building anticipation for the final day of competition on Sunday, July 9th. On this day, the 2023 Star Eastern Hemisphere Champions will be crowned, bringing an exciting climax to this prestigious event.