Star World Championship 2026 presented by Schoonmaker - Day 2
by ISCYRA 11 Nov 09:34 AEDT
5-14 November 2026
Light winds and challenging tactical conditions marked the second day of the 2026 Star World Championship Presented by Schoonmaker, with Americans Will Stout and Danny Cayard claiming an impressive victory in Race 2 and moving into the provisional overall lead in a fleet of 95 boats.
The race started at noon in a light southeasterly breeze of 7-9 knots, with the teams positioned toward the pin end of the starting line gaining an early advantage on the opening upwind leg.
Peter Bromby and Myles Pritchard (BER/BAH) were first around the windward mark, followed by Tomas Hornos and Josh Revkin (USA), Rick Merriman and Phil Trinter (USA), Giovanni Coppo and Giovanni Bradanini (ITA), Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Bruno Prada (POL/BRA), and Will Stout and Danny Cayard (USA).
Stout and Cayard made their decisive move on the first downwind leg, taking the lead at the leeward gate ahead of Bromby and Pritchard and Kusznierewicz and Prada. From there, the American team never looked back, extending their advantage throughout the remaining legs to cross the finish line with a commanding margin.
Kusznierewicz and Prada finished second, followed by Eivind Melleby and Christian Nehammer (NOR/AUT) in third, Augie Diaz and David Burrows (USA) in fourth, and Tomas Hornos and Josh Revkin (USA) in fifth.
"We had a fantastic day today. It was very tricky, really light and shifty," said Danny Cayard. "We had a good start and sixth at the first windward mark. Then we had a strong downwind, made a small gain at the gate and managed to build from there. We really enjoy these subtle conditions. Sailing in Southern California, we get a lot of practice in lighter air, where concentration and patience are essential."
For Stout and Cayard, who finished second at the 2024 Star World Championship in San Diego, today's result brings them one step closer to their ambition.
"Doing better than we did in San Diego is definitely the goal," added Cayard smiling. "It's not easy, but we seem to have a little luck in Race 2. Hopefully we can keep it going for the rest of the week!"
After two races, Stout and Cayard lead the provisional standings with seven points, four ahead of opening-day winners Leandro and Lucas Altolaguirre (ARG), who are tied on points with Eric Doyle and Payson Infelise (USA). Peter Bromby and Myles Pritchard sit fourth, with Diego Negri and Sergio Lambertenghi completing the top five. With just eight points separating the first five teams and four races still scheduled, the battle for the Gold Star remains wide open.
Racing continues tomorrow, Wednesday, November 11, with another long-course race on Biscayne Bay.
Race 2 Results: (top five)
- Will Stout / Danny Cayard (USA)
- Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL) / Bruno Prada (BRA)
- Eivind Melleby (NOR) / Christian Nehammer (AUT)
- Augie Diaz / David Burrows (USA)
- Tomas Hornos / Josh Revkin (USA)
Provisional Overall Standings after Day 2: (top five)
- Will Stout / Danny Cayard (USA) - 7 pts (6, 1)
- Leandro Altolaguirre / Lucas Altolaguirre (ARG) - 11 pts (1, 10)
- Eric Doyle / Payson Infelise (USA) - 11 pts (2, 9)
- Peter Bromby (BER) / Myles Pritchard (BAH) - 13 pts (5, 8)
- Diego Negri / Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA) - 15 pts (3, 12)