Star World Championship 2026 presented by Schoonmaker - Day 4
by ISCYRA 12 Nov 14:42 PST
5-14 November 2026
Four races, four days of challenging conditions and another shake-up at the 2026 Star World Championship Presented by Schoonmaker. Argentina's Leandro and Lucas Altolaguirre claimed their second victory of the championship today, while two-time Star World Champion Diego Negri and Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA) moved into the overall lead with two races remaining.
Race 4 started on schedule at noon under hazy skies, with a light southerly breeze of just 6-7 knots. Unlike previous days, the wind was more variable across the course, with large patches of pressure making every tactical decision crucial. The left side still offered a slight advantage on the first upwind leg, but the shifts were less predictable than ever.
The young German U30 team of Nick Heuwinkel and Jesper Spehr led around the first windward mark, followed by Will Stout and Danny Cayard (USA), Stephen Braverman and Ron Rezac (USA), the Altolaguirre brothers and Tom Londrigan and Mike Farmer (USA).
By the first leeward gate, Stout and Cayard had taken the lead ahead of the Argentinians, Heuwinkel and Spehr, and yesterday's winners Max Kohlhoff and Ole Burzinski (GER).
But the second upwind leg completely reshuffled the fleet. Finding the right patches of breeze proved decisive, and the Altolaguirre brothers emerged with a commanding lead, followed by Piet Eckert (SUI) and Frederico Melo (POR), Londrigan and Farmer, Scott Barnard and Kilian Weise (USA), and Stout and Cayard.
The Argentinians extended their advantage on the final downwind to secure their second race win of the week, having also won Monday's opening race. Behind them, Londrigan and Farmer crossed the finish line in second, less than a boat length ahead of Eckert and Melo in third. Former Star Class President Hubert Merkelbach and Markus Koy (GER) finished fourth, with Tomas Hornos and Josh Revkin (USA) fifth.
"It was a really difficult race, with very patchy conditions," said Piet Eckert. "We had a good start and headed left, but the wind dropped. Then we found some fresh breeze on that side, which allowed us to cross the fleet. The downwind was extremely difficult as the breeze faded again, but on the second upwind we made a good gain on the right. We had some trouble with seagrass on the final downwind, which cost us some distance, but overall we're really happy with third place, especially after two difficult races earlier in the championship."
Consistency puts Negri and Lambertenghi on top
In a championship where even the most experienced teams have struggled with Miami's unpredictable conditions, consistency is proving the key to success.
Diego Negri, a two-time Star World Champion and four-time Olympian, together with Sergio Lambertenghi, his crew for the 2022 world title, have been the most consistent performers so far. With finishes of 3rd, 12th, 5th and 15th, the Italian duo now lead the provisional standings on 35 points.
Just three points behind are Will Stout and Danny Cayard (USA), tied on 38 points with Eivind Melleby (NOR) and Christian Nehammer (AUT). Scott Barnard and Kilian Weise (USA) sit fourth on 49 points, followed by Augie Diaz and David Burrows (USA) in fifth with 51.
"Today was really hard," said Diego Negri. "This wind direction is quite unusual for Miami. The breeze was shifting, dropping and being influenced by different weather systems, making it extremely difficult. We took a conservative approach on the left but didn't manage to reach the best pressure, so we stayed more in the middle. Still, we were able to finish 15th, which was enough to take the overall lead.
"We know Miami can be challenging, but this week has been particularly difficult without the usual sea breeze. There have been so many ups and downs, and our consistency is paying off. We could have taken more risks in the first two days, but we're happy with our results, our speed and how we're sailing together. We're very focused and happy to still be fighting for the title. The most important thing is to be in contention on the final day, and then we'll see what happens."
Race 4 also proved costly for several major contenders. Defending World Champions Paul Cayard and Frithjof Kleen (USA/GER), Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL) and Bruno Prada (BRA), and Eric Doyle and Payson Infelise (USA) all finished outside the top 40. With other high-scoring results already on their scorecards, even the discard coming into play after Race 5 is unlikely to bring them back into contention for the title.
With just two races remaining, the championship is entering its decisive phase. The discard after the fifth race could dramatically change the standings, but for now Negri and Lambertenghi hold the advantage in what promises to be a thrilling battle for the coveted Gold Star.
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