2025 Star World Championship in Split, Croatia - Day 4
by ISCYRA 11 Sep 2025 12:38 PDT
7-13 September 2025
Cayard and Kleen take control with back-to-back wins in Split
Day 4 of the 2025 Star World Championship delivered a true test of skill and stamina, with two full-length races sailed in a building northwesterly breeze ranging from 10 to 16 knots, and a choppy sea state that, at times, became very demanding for the fleet of 101 teams.
After heading out on schedule, sailors had to wait briefly as a system of clouds brought a light rain over the race area. Once the breeze settled, Race 3 started around 2,30pm, with the committee boat end of the line and the right-hand side of the course appearing strongly favored. Teams that committed to the right saw immediate gains, reaching the top mark ahead of the pack.
Among them were Paul Cayard and Frithjof Kleen (USA/GER), who rounded the first mark in third place but with a great downwind leg rounded first at the gate and choosed the favored right-hand mark. From there, the duo never looked back, extending their lead with precision to take a convincing win.
Without much delay, PRO Marko Mišura and his race committee launched Race 4, which turned into a masterclass from Cayard and Kleen. The American-German team led from start to finish, showing tactical clarity and impressive speed as they increased their margin on each leg, securing their second bullet of the day and stamping their authority on the event.
"I I feel very blessed, I don't ever remember winning two races in the same day at the Star World Championship and I've been racing since 1978, so it's a day I'll never forget and you know we were just in a in a good zone mentally, we had a bad race on the second race, so in a way it reduced a little bit of pressure, we felt like we weren't in contention with Mateusz and Diego and we just took it easy on the starting line not to be over early but we were very fast obviously. We just found our way to some clear lanes and it all actually ended up feeling pretty easy, and maybe that's the lesson, to just take the tension out of the day and enjoy the sailing and let the boat go fast", commented Paul Cayard.
The U30 team with Nick Heuwinkel and Jesper Spehr, winner of the 2025 Bacardi Cup in the U30 category, have climbed the overall ranking after four races, due to their great consistency. Cayard /Kleen are second and Mateusz Kusznierewicz with Bruno Prada (POL/BRA). Tomorrow's Race 5 will be a pivotal moment in the championship, as the discard will come into effect, allowing each team to drop their worst result so far.
Tonight, competitors, race officers and guests will gather for the Mid-Week Prize Giving and Gala Dinner at JK Mornar, the host yacht club of the championship, an evening to celebrate the racing, camaraderie, and deep-rooted tradition of the Star Class.
The 2025 Star World Championship continues to deliver world-class competition and brilliant sailing conditions, thanks to the support of Croatel, sponsor of the event and of the daily LIVE STREAMING of all races, broadcasting the excitement of the championship to a global audience.
Watch the Star World Championship LIVE thanks to CROATEL on YouTube here.
Full results, photo and video galleries available at worlds.starchampionships.org