The sailing stars in Kiel, Germany for the 99th Star World Championship
by ISCYRA 4 Sep 2021 06:46 BST
5-11 September 2021
An outstanding 86 teams coming from 18 countries have registered for the 2021 Star Worlds Championship in the iconic sailing capital of Kiel, Germany, that will take place from the 4th to the 11th of September during Kieler Woche, like in the old Olympic times.
Most of those teams will chase the title holders, Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL) with five-time winning crew Bruno Prada (BRA), here to defend it and sky rocket Prada in the Olympus of Star sailors. He would be the first - and only - one to reach the astounding record of having won six Star World Championship titles.
Mateusz Kusznierewicz, who initially collected successes in the Finn and proved his talent and skills with a gold and bronze medal at the Olympic Games and two Gold Cup titles, switched to the double handed keelboat to win the World Championship in 2008 and 2019. As the 2020 Star Worlds was cancelled, the 1999 Sailor of the Year will now try to keep his hands on the prestigious trophy in Kiel. The 46-year-old already proved that he still has "it" with stellar crew Bruno Prada at the traditional Bacadi Cup in Miami. With eight victories in all eight races, the duo dominated the event and to become the first duo to ever win the competition with a clean sweep since it was founded in 1927. Mateusz and Bruno have won Kieler Woche several times each, so they are quite familiar with the spot, making them the team to beat.
The list of favorites at the 99th Star Class World Championships in Kiel is long. Other than the defenders, the reigning European Champions and two-time Olympian Enrico Chieffi with Ferdinando Colaninno (Italy), and the European Vice-Champions Hubert Merklebach, Class President, with Kilian Weise (GER), are here with clear goals set in their minds, the Gold star on their main sail. But also, three-time World Championship runner-up Diego Negri (ITA) with 2014 World Champion Frithjof Kleen (GER); two-time Finn Olympian Jake Lilley (AUS); five-time European Laser Champion and two-time Olympic silver medalist Tonci Stipanovic (CRO); 2017 Star World Champion, Olympian and Volvo Ocean Race finisher, Eivind Melleby (NOR); and of course, the five-time Olympian, bronze medalist in Athens in the Star and seven time Finn and Star World Champion, Xavier Rohart (FRA), will all be on the starting line on Monday September 6th.
The official start of the World Championships will be at the Opening Ceremony on Sunday at 18.30, local time, after registration and weighing of the teams is completed. Then the first starting signal will blow on Monday at 13.00 after the skippers' meeting. Six races are scheduled, one per day as the 100+ year-old tradition dictates, until Saturday September 11th, when the medals will be awarded.
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