Four races, four wins: Jennings and Trinter dominate day 2 of the 2026 Star North American Championship
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
Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA)
Burkhard Keese / Jesper Spehr (GER)
John Loe / Shane Zwingelberg (USA)
Race 4
Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA)
Keith Dodson / Mark Strube (USA)
George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA)
PROVISIONAL OVERALL STANDINGS – TOP 5
Jack Jennings / Phil Trinter (USA) – 4 pts (1, 1, 1, 1)
John Loe / Shane Zwingelberg (USA) – 12 pts (3, 2, 3, 4)
Jim Buckingham / Brad Nichol (USA) – 19 pts (5, 4, 5, 5)
Keith Dodson / Mark Strube (USA) – 22 pts (8, 8, 4, 2)
George Szabo / Guy Avellon (USA) – 25 pts (2, 3, DNC 17, 3)
