Please select your home edition
Edition
2024 fill-in (top)

Star Sailors League Finals - Torben Grael and Jorge Zarif join fleet

by Alex D'Agosta on 21 Oct 2014
Torben Grael and Guilherme de Almeida in action. Carlo Borlenghi / Star Sailors League
It is with great pleasure that the Star Sailors League announces that two more top Brazilian sailors will be joining the fleet of 20 super-champions taking part in the Star Sailors League Finals 2014 being held for the second consecutive year at Nassau Yacht Club in the Bahamas between December 1st and 7th.

2013 winner Robert Scheidt and new entry Marcelo Fuchs, 12th in the Skipper Ranking, will now be flanked by two highly prestigious wildcards from the Brazilian and international sailing scene.

Torben Grael, of course, requires no introduction. Winner of five Olympic medals, including four in the Star class (Bronze at Seoul 1988, gold at Atlanta in 1996, bronze at Sydney in 2000 and gold again at Athens in 2004), five world titles in Olympic classes, victory in the Louis Vuitton Cup 2000 with Luna Ross and first place in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008/2009 with Ericsson 4. Torben got back to Star racing last year and is currently ranked number 21 of the 1,001 skippers in the SSL’s official ranking.

Jorge Zarif in action © Robert Deaves/Finn Class http://www.finnclass.org
Jorge Zarif in action © Robert Deaves/Finn Class http://www.finnclass.org


Making his international Star debut is 22 year old Jorge Zarif, one of the strongest up-and-coming Brazilian sailors. His boat of choice is usually the Finn – he was junior world champion in 2013 despite the difficult conditions in Tallinn in Estonia, repeating his feat of 2009.

The two Brazilians will be flanked in their endeavours with the strongest Star fleet of all time (the words of Jorge) by fellow countrymen Guilherme De Almeida (SSL Crew #9, 2,882 points), who was Torben’s bowman in five of the six regattas that counted towards the SSL points (the South American Championship was the exception with Bruno Prada on the bow) and Henry Boening (SSL Crew #16, 2,095 points) who normally sails with Alessandro Pascolato (BRA).

Jorge Zarif: 'The SSL format is the future of sailing and the Star class is the most famous and important boat in our sport. This says a lot about how I felt when I received the invitation. I immediately called Dino Pascolato to ask him for his crew and North Sails for new sails. We have already set some training dates and have started to lose a bit of weight (we have to lose 10 kg each). Since I saw Robert and Torben, the two greatest Brazilian Olympians, and Freddy Loof, one of the greatest ever Finn and Star sailors, and all the others, I stopped feeling nervous. The league will also attract more great sailors, so maybe we are talking about the strongest fleet ever. I hope we survive with all those guys around us.... 2014 was fine: good regattas in Miami, Hyeres and the test event. The Worlds were horrible but that happens when you are sailing at a high level. Let’s see if we can finish the year on a high Star Sailors website

Boat Books Australia FOOTERRS Sailing 2021 - FOOTER38 South / Jeanneau AUS SF30 OD - FOOTER

Related Articles

SailGP: Spain wins Final in Bermuda
Smart tactical decisions by Spain held off a mid-race comeback by the Kiwi crew Diego Botin's young Spanish team executed flawless tactical decision-making to head off New Zealand and Australia season, in the three-boat winner takes all Final sailed on Bermuda's Great Sound.
Posted on 5 May 20th PalmaVela Overall
Galateia win again at PalmaVela… but only just David Leuschen and Chris Flowers' Wallycento Galateia won the Maxi class at PalmaVela for the third time in a row today in light winds on Palma Bay. Whilst last year's triumph was something of a whitewash, this time they were made to work all the way.
Posted on 5 May The Transat CIC Day 8
Richomme still on course for Transatlantic double While the IMOCA race leader Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA) was still making more than 20 kts this afternoon, a nerve racking slow down is still expected for the final miles to the finish of the Transat CIC solo race from Lorient to New York.
Posted on 5 May The oldest footage of 505 racing
A look back into our video archive We delve into the past, and round-up all videos which show sailing at in the 5o5 class of dinghy.
Posted on 5 May International 18s in the 1950s
A period of New Zealand-led design & innovation Following the first major change in the 18 footers from the big boats of the early 1900s to the 7ft beam boats of the mid-1930s, there had been no major change or innovations until the late 1940s
Posted on 5 May Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix Day 1
Aussie's come out firing on opening day After crashing out in the previous event, Tom Slingsby's Australia SailGP Team completely dominated the opening day of the Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix.
Posted on 4 May Spirit & competition shine at Antigua Sailing Week
The 55th edition attracted 88 boats from 20 different countries The 55th edition of Antigua Sailing Week attracted 88 boats from 20 different countries and 750 crew from all over the world. Antigua Sailing Week is one of the most celebrated regattas in the sailing world; the 2024 edition added another great chapter.
Posted on 4 May From setback to triumph
Australians lead leaderboard in Bermuda Tom Slingsby and his Australian squad unleashed a masterful comeback performance at the opening day of the Apex Bermuda Sail Grand Prix, securing their seat at the top of the leaderboard.
Posted on 4 May SailGP: Fired up Slingsby wins two in Bermuda
Australia dominates fleet racing on the opening day of Bermuda Australia has bounced back from its devastating Christchurch penalty by dominating fleet racing on the opening day of Bermuda.
Posted on 4 May Clipper Race 11 - See ya Seattle, next stop Panama
The start of Race 11: #StayConnected with SENA Seattle bids farewell to the Clipper Race fleet as it departs for the start of Race 11: #StayConnected with SENA.
Posted on 4 May
This site and its contents are Copyright © 2024 Sail-World Sail-World Australia and/or the original author, photographer etc. All Rights Reserved. Photographs are copyright by law. If you wish to use or buy a photograph contact the photographer directly.
If you have any questions about advertising or editorial then please contact our team. If you encounter any technical issues then please email techsupport@sail-world.com
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy