Star Class celebrates 100 years of one design sailing

by Lynn Fitzpatrick - WorldRegattas.com on 27 Aug 2009 Star sailors from North America's famous sailing lakes - Lake Sunapee, Lake Hoptacong, Lake Ontario, Lake Michigan, Lake Springfield, Seneca Lake, Gull Lake and well known sailing venues throughout the world such as the Chesapeake Bay, Puget Sound, Annapolis, Rio, Buenos Aires and San Diego Bay will join Long Island Sound sailors for two major Star regattas hosted by Cedar Point Yacht Club this September.

Mark your calendars for September 12th-13th for the Cedar Point Open for the Bedford Pitcher. This is a tune-up regatta for the 2009 Star North Americans, which will be sailed on September 15th - 18th. These great sailing events will be steeped in Star Class tradition as the oldest active Star fleet in the world, Star Fleet #2, based at Cedar Point Yacht Club, hosts the regatta.

It's no surprise that Fleet #2 is part of the First District of the Star Class. Western, Central and Eastern Long Island Sound is where the oldest one-design class in the world, the Star Class, was conceived and prospered. The Class will kick off its 100th Anniversary celebrations at the 2009 North American Championship. The highlight of the century celebrations will be the 100th Anniversary Regatta hosted by Larchmont Yacht Club in 2011.

Bill Allen, Star Class President, stated recently, 'The idea for the Star was hatched on Western Long Island Sound. It has taken a lot of hard work and conviction on the part of many of the world's most talented sailors to continually develop the Star boat, class governance and a worldwide calendar of events. The best one-design sailors in the world have gravitated to the Star Class for a century. We are excited to kick off the 100th Anniversary celebrations of the Class at the 2009 Star North Americans and are looking forward to a couple of great years of celebrations around the globe and a second century of racing this fantastic one-design sailboat. The Star's Century celebration is significant for the Class and for all of one-design sailing.'

Who knows what weather will touch down on Long Island Sound after Labor Day, but reigning Star World Champions, George Szabo and Rick Peters, who are used to light air and swells off the coast of Southern California will be the team to beat. They have been on Cloud Nine since garnering the long-sought Holy Grail of sailing, the Star World Championship title and the Gold Star, in early August. A Silver Star is up for grabs at the North American Championship in addition to the honor of having names engraved on trophies that date back over half a century.

Event website: click here