Star Eastern Hemisphere Championship 2026 at Balatonföldvár, Hungary - Overall
by International Star Class 6 Jun 17:15 BST
30 May - 6 June 2026
Austria's Hans Spitzauer and Christian Nehammer completed a remarkable week at the KÉSZ Group Balaton Star Sailing Week, claiming the title of 2026 Star Eastern Hemisphere Champions after a dominant performance that also saw them win the District 17 Championship earlier in the week.
The final day delivered the classic southwesterly breeze for which Lake Balaton is famous. Under brilliant sunshine and in a steady 8-11 knot wind, gently oscillating by around 10 degrees, the fleet enjoyed two beautiful races to conclude the championship.
For Spitzauer and Nehammer, the title was effectively secured after winning the fifth race of the series. With a comfortable lead established, the Austrian team did not need to sail the sixth and final race. Their scoreline throughout the regatta was impressive: three race victories and podium finishes in all five races that counted toward their championship total.
The silver medal was claimed by Germany's Daniel Fritz and Jan Eli Gravad, whose consistency throughout the week kept them firmly in contention until the final day. Fritz and Gravad are also the best U30 team in the Championship. Fellow Germans Hubert Merkelbach and Markus Koy completed the podium in third place after a strong championship that included a race victory on Thursday.
The best-placed Hungarian crew was the home-club team of Tibor Tenke and Miklós Bezeréti from Spartacus Sailing Club, who finished eighth overall.
A former Finn World Champion and Olympic fourth- and fifth-place finisher in the Star Class, Hans Spitzauer attributed much of his success to decades of experience sailing on European lakes.
"I have been coming to Lake Balaton to race for forty years. I first sailed here when I was 21 years old at the Finn Youth European Championship," said Spitzauer. "The Austrian Neusiedler See, where I do most of my sailing, is very similar. These European lakes are completely different from the sea. You have to read the wind, constantly take advantage of the shifts, and avoid taking unnecessary risks on either side of the course. If there is a secret, that's probably it."
The championship brought together 28 teams from 11 nations, who faced a wide variety of conditions throughout the week. From storm-force northwesterly winds and abandoned races to tactical light-air contests and today's picture-perfect finale, the regatta tested every aspect of Star sailing.
With the conclusion of the Eastern Hemisphere Championship, the KÉSZ Group Balaton Star Sailing Week came to a successful close. The event will conclude tonight with the championship prize-giving ceremony and gala dinner in Balatonföldvár, celebrating another memorable chapter in the history of Star sailing.