Star Class Eastern Hemisphere Championship at Yacht Club Adriaco - Preview
by Stefano Bareggi 27 Apr 2018 13:10 PDT
30 April - 5 May 2018
All set in Trieste for the Star class Eastern Hemisphere Championship © YCA / Alberto Lucchi
Nine days of great sailing with the Star Class. The Gulf of Trieste and the Yacht Club Adriaco are ready to host the best of Star Class racing, with two competitive events featuring 68 international skippers and crews from 16 nations (United States, Russia, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary, Holland, France, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Italy) for one of the most eagerly awaited international Star events of the 2018 season.
The races will kick off with the traditional 33rd Coppa Tito Nordio to be held from Saturday 28 to Sunday 29 April, paving the way to the eagerly awaited Star Eastern Hemisphere Championship 2018, the much coveted title for any Star sailor, and the start is set on Wednesday 2 May (after two days dedicated to measurements). The Star Eastern Hemisphere Championship races will continue until Saturday 5 May, for a total of seven races.
The regatta will feature high-level competitors, as for instance the presence of number one world ranking skipper, Italy's Diego Negri (together with Sergio Lambertenghi) who will battle it out for the title.
Among the favourites are the team of USA's veteran of Cuban origins Augie Diaz (Star World Champion in 2016 in Miami) with Brazilian bowman Bruno Prada (four times world champion with a silver and a bronze Olympic medal around his neck). Another favourite for the title is USA's Jack Jennings with Germany's Frithjog Kleen (2014 World Champion and winner of Star Sailors League finals last year in Nassau, Bahamas).
The German fleet is headed by Hubert Merkelbach (fourth in 2016 World Championship in Beunos Aires) and on the podium (third) in the 2016 Eastern Hemisphere Championship.
Another golden star of sailing (symbol distinguishing the winner of a world title) taking part in the regatta of Trieste will be Italy's Roberto Benamati, pure class and Star veteran, competing in Trieste for a single purpose.
Although he is not a Star class specialist, Slovenia's Vasilij Zbogar stands among the possible candidates to victory. He has an excellent sailing career boasting three Olympic medals (with two silver medals and a bronze conquered at the last three Olympic Games in Laser).
Many local sailors have signed up for both Star events: the list includes the host skipper (racing with the Yacht Club Adriaco colours) Guglielmo Danelon, Michele Paoletti (professional skipper who has found time be at the helm of a Star in this occasion) and among his rivals there is also his father Diego. The local sailors, who know all the secrets of the race area, are Maurizio Planine, Marco Augelli, Roberto Distefano and Davide Battistin just to name a few.
More information at 2018ehc.starchampionships.org