Jack Jennings and Phil Trinter take the early lead at the 2026 Star North American Championship
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
Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA)
George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA)
John Loe / Shane Zwingelberg (USA)
Race 2
Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA)
John Loe / Shane Zwingelberg (USA)
George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA)
PROVISIONAL OVERALL STANDINGS – TOP 5
Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA) – 2 pts (1, 1)
John Loe / Shane Zwingelberg (USA) – 5 pts (3, 2)
George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA) – 5 pts (2, 3)
Jim Buckingham / Brad Nichol (USA) – 9 pts (5, 4)
Stephen Braverman / Ron Rezac (USA) – 9 pts (4, 5)
