2021 World Championship - Kiel, Germany
September 4-11, 2021
Regatta Report
The curtains of the 99th Star World Championship have been officially lifted with the Opening Ceremony, tonight at the legendary 1972 Olympic Village in Kiel, Germany. A parade of the sailors with a flag bearer for each of the 18 nations represented by the 83 teams marked the opening of the Gold Star event. Everyone is eager to race and most of the large fleet hit the water today in 15knots northerly breeze, sunshine and the typical ‘Kiel chop’.
“I am so happy we were able to organize this event, we’ve been waiting for it for a long time because of the pandemic” said Star Class President Hubert Merkerlbach. “I am thankful it’s happening in Kiel, Germany’s sailing city where we had four World Championships before this one: in 1939, 1966, 1977 and 1993. And I am pleased to see 83 teams showing up, with so many young sailors too, it is fantastic – and possibly my last World Championship as President. The Star Class and Kiel have a long story, linked to its Olympic past”.
Lots of memories are indeed brought back among the sailors by being in Kiel during Kieler Woche, the traditional Olympic classes regatta. Normally sailed in June, it has always been one of the key events of the season, often being appointed by the national Federations for the Olympic Games selection.
Among the many great names racing in Kiel for a spot on the 2021 Star World Championship podium, there are indeed the defending World Champions (2019), Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL) and Bruno Prada (BRA). “It’s been long since the last Worlds, two whole years” said Mateusz and Bruno, whose win at this event will make him the most ever winning Star sailors with six titles under his belt.
Start time for the first race tomorrow is at 1300, the forecast is for very light wind which always opens the games, and the entire week will be affected by a big high-pressure over Europe, bringing unlikely warm weather and gentle breezes.
Race Day 1
The morning of the first day of sailing of the 2021 Star World Championship didn’t look promising. The usual chilly breeze blowing at the venue didn’t welcome the 83 teams on their way to the boats. Soon the postponement flag was hoisted and it stayed hanging on the notice pole until 2:00 pm, when the A flag was hoisted, calling it off for the day. No race could be sailed on the opening of the regatta. "The wind is really not good," Race Officer Mandus Freese told the crews at the online skippers’ briefing in the morning. "Two to three knots at the lighthouse”. Unfortunately, that is how it stayed throughout the day.
“It will be a tricky week weatherwise” said two-time Olympic silver medalist Tonci Stipanovic (CRO), “we will take what we get, we are just so happy to be here sailing the Star”. About a month ago Tonci won his second Olympic silver medal in the hyper competitive Laser Class. “In Tokyo it has been so tough, the ranking changed daily, a few penalties have decided a couple of big results and I was overjoyed to step on the podium eventually. Here we want to do well, but we know the level is super high and we just have to take one day at a time not overdoing it. With Tudor (Bilic, CRO, his crew) we have been training a little at home, in Split, and we finished sixth at the Europeans there last May, we would love to finish a little better than that, if we can”.
Stipanovic is not the only Tokyo 2020 Olympian racing at the 99th Star World Championship, Australian Finn sailors Jake Lilley will be on the starting line tomorrow, Tuesday September 7th, when Race Director Mandus Freese is ready to have two races. The first start is scheduled for 11 am, however, the wind is looking light again, and could alter the plans.
Race Day 2
The high pressure system over Europe sadly affected the 2021 Star World Championship. It’s almost ironic if you think the 83 teams are all so keen to get on the water after missing the Worlds last year due to the pandemic.
“We already knew it was going to be a very hard and challenging day,” said Bruno Prada (BRA), five-time Star World Champion, and two time Olympic medalist. “Nonetheless we came to the harbor hoping for the best, but unfortunately day two is very similar to day one. The next few days look a little better, the Committee is thinking now two races per day, as also Saturday doesn’t look very promising, and we need five races to validate the Worlds. I do hope we’ll get on the water tomorrow, because we are very hungry for some sailing. It will be different from the traditional one race per day regatta, as is the Star World Championship since 1922. It will be tough on some teams more than others, with very long hours at sea, and it is important to stay hydrated and energized.”
Race Day 3
Day three started in a very similar way as the previous two days. A very long wait ashore with the dreaded AP flag hanging low and lifeless on the notice pole until about 1pm, when it was lowered and a voice on the VHFs unbelievably called the 83 teams on the racecourse. Joy exploded on the dock and in no-time everyone was on their way to join the Race Committee, about an hour away from the harbor.
The scenario they met wasn’t exciting, the clouds were still blocking the east wind from filling in. Only at 15.30, the same voice announced the starting procedures of race one would begin in 20 minutes. The 2021 Star World Championship was then finally on with the first race underway.
A clear start with four, maximum five knots of breeze from the east, for the fleet evenly arranged on the line. After a long – slightly right favored – upwind, the Hungarian team, with Tibor Tenke at the helm and Miklos Bezereti crewing, rounded first. The reigning World Champions Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL) and Bruno Prada (BRA) were right behind and Athen’s Olympics Star Bronze medalist Xavier Rohart (FRA), here with Ante Sitic (CRO), in third. Things changed slightly at the bottom gate when the Polish-Brazilian duo took the lead but in the light, and shifty wind they were not able to maintain the lead to the finish.
Thanks to impeccable reading of the conditions and an understanding of the racecourse, plus a flawless last downwind, the former Olympian Hans Spitzauer with Christian Nehammer (AUT) crossed first at the finish line, about two lengths ahead of the back-to-back Bacardi Cup winners Kusznierewicz/Prada. In third there were the Croatians Marin Misura and Tonko Barac, followed by four-time Olympian and three-time Star Worlds runner-up Diego Negri with 2014 World Champion crew Frithjof Kleen. Closing the top five, Tokyo – and Rio – Olympic Silver medalist Tonci Stipanovic with Tudor Bilic (CRO).
“It always feels good to win a race at the Worlds, especially the first one as everybody wants a good start!”, commented Hans Spitzauer. “We played the right and we were only eighth at the top mark, with a good downwind we rounded fifth at the bottom gate and then we we opted for the left and we were pleased. We had good pressure, that allowed us to gain on the other boats, so we stayed where we were, and we were the only one hiking. This is where we won the race. It is so good!”
“It feels good to win the first race at the World Championship, even more after two years with no racing at the World Championship”, added Christian Nehammer. “We had a pretty good race in very difficult conditions, with everything working well for us! We make the decisions together, we talk and exchange opinions, I try to give as much information as possible to Hans. But the truth is that 16 years ago we sailed together for the first time, so we just understand each-other, not much talking is needed. Now we are looking forward to more racing!”
The Race Committee called for an ‘early’ start tomorrow, in the hope of finishing two much needed races with the 7-8 knot breeze forecasted earlier in the day.
Race Day 4
Great conditions awaited the 83 teams on the racecourse for some fantastic racing with 8 to 15 knots of steady easterly breeze. The splendid weather was letting everyone forget about how tough the competition is at the Star World Championship, but with the first starting procedures and a few notable black flags the attention level was right back up._.jpg)
Reigning World Champions Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL) with Bruno Prada (BRA) and European Champs Enrico Chieffi with Nando Colaninno (ITA), were caught over the line early and with the U flag in place they were notified at the top mark. Same fate for yesterday's winners Hans Spitzauer and Christian Nehammer (AUT). So there goes their throw-out , when five races are completed, and they’ll have to sail more conservatively from now on.
And conservative is the way Diego Negri (ITA) and Frithjof Kleen (GER) sailed today, going for top speed without taking any risks. And that is how the Italian/German duo won both of today’s races, with perfect starts, and superb race management. They worked their way through the fleet at speed on the first cross in the first race, arriving at the windward mark in the lead group and building their lead down to the bottom gate. From there they kept the chasers Stipanovic/Bilic at bay until the finish with a four-boat length lead.
The second race of the day was almost the same as the first one for Negri/Kleen. Starting from the middle, they took no risks at the start, benefited from their speed and had only 2017 World Champion Eivind Melleby (NOR) with Guy Avellon (USA) ahead of them at the first mark. But Negri/Kleen were unstoppable today and took the lead at the halfway point of the race, then controlled the field with ease and sailed to their second win of the day.
“It can’t get any better than this,” commented Diego Negri, four-time Olympian and three-time Star Worlds runner-up and European Champion. “We had a really great day, we were expecting this left tendency so we were protecting the left and it worked. Our boat speed is amazing, I have to say a really big thank to Werner Fritz for the sail set-up and the support, and to Andrea Folli for an impeccable boat. We have good speed, so we are performing well this time. Tomorrow we expect a westerly, so completely from the opposite direction from today, but we will try to do our best just the same”.
Frithjof Kleen, Star World Champion and Olympian said, “We approached it as we know it, conservative as usual. Just trying not to get a black flag was hard today, a lot of the top guys had a tough day, so we were just staying out of trouble and then, as Diego mentioned, we have exceptional speed, so we are just very happy! Thanks to our coach Marc Pickel, who's helping every day, so thank you Marc, thanks very much. Now we just have to keep our head down and stay focused for the next two days.”
In second overall are the Silver Olympic medalist in both Tokyo and Rio, Tonci Stipanovic, sailing in Kiel with his friend Tudor Bilic (CRO). "I've loved this class since I've been sailing, but it's now my first World Cup appearance in the Star at the age of 35," said Stipanovic. "We still have to adjust to the trim of the boat and to the class rules, what is allowed and not allowed in terms of pumping. That's why we're acting very calmly, but we're happy with how it's gone so far." Two penalty turns spoiled an even better finish for him in the second race, so his fighting words are not unjustified, "We want to continue as before. It's only half-time, and if I compete, then of course I want to sail right at the front."
Completing the provisional podium is the Bronze Medalist in Athens Xavier Rohart (FRA) with Ante Sitic (CRO). But from third place on, they are all very close on points and the Star World Championship is only half way through. Two more races are scheduled for tomorrow with a very light forecast, and the last race for Saturday, September 11th.
Race Day 5
Thanks to Kiel showing its true colors in the first of two races today, the 2021 Star World Championship is officially valid. And if that wasn't big news, given the slow start of the event, after today’s two races and thanks to a brilliant scorecard (4, 1, 1, 1, 2) with a day to spare, Diego Negri (ITA) and Frithjof Kleen (GER) are the 2021 Star World Champions. While the Italian /German duo enjoys their victory, for the rest of the 83-boat fleet, the game was still on and with the throw-out coming in place today things have changed for many teams.
Race four started rough, with wind up to 15 knots, chop and rain. It was the effect of a front going through, and resulted in a few breakages and undesired trips back ashore for some of the teams. But the weather calmed down after the first leg and the fleet was back sailing with 8 knots of south/southwesterly breeze and flat sea.
Diego Negri and Frithjof Kleen were leading throughout the whole race, with Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Bruno Prada chasing from behind getting closer and closer. They were about one boat-length apart on the finish line, a fourth win for Negri/Kleen. In third place was the Star Class President Hubert Merkelbach with Kilian Weise (GER), and in fourth Xavier Rohart (FRA) with Ante Sitic (CRO).
The second race of the day (race 5) started with a promising wind from the same direction of race one. 7-8 knots breeze allowed a nice clean start, and lasted for the first two legs, with the duel between Kusznierewicz /Prada and Negri/Kleen starting back, with the former leading the battle this time. It was more and more about them, with the rest of the fleet far behind.
On the second upwind, and while the Polish/Brazilian team was extending their lead over the Italian/German team, the wind was dying. It went down to 4 knots and there wasn’t much the Principal Race Officer Mandus Fleese could do, other than moving the gate and shortening the fifth and last leg. With the Star Worlds title hanging on the time limit, the tension was palpable, but within the three-hour limit Kusznierewicz/Prara crossed the line, assuring Diego Negri and Frithjof Kleen, who were right behind them, the Star World Championship.
Now the focus shifted to the challenge for second. Kusznierewicz / Prada are in second overall with 12 points, and Hans Spitzauer and Christian Nehammer (AUT) in third, just seven points behind, and only one point behind is the Tokyo Laser Silver medalist Tonci Stipanovic with Tudor Bilic (CRO) in fourth. It will be a battle tomorrow for who crosses first on that last race’s finishing line.
“It is unbelievable, a dream come true", commented Diego Negri, who has been a three-time runner-up at the Star Worlds. "And today was a tough day with rain and clouds around. Towards the end the wind dropped a lot so I was really, really afraid that the race would be cancelled, and it would have been too much to take in, but luckily we made it to the finish line”.
“It’s been a long way to come to this finish line. All my sailing history is coming together here, today. I think it was a tough championship, with some waiting in the beginning, and then two long races per day, trying to keep the focus at all times. But it’s great, and it came in a good moment in my sailing career. I don't know what I could have done better this week, I knew that we had to do something special to beat the other guys, Mateusz and Bruno, Xavier and the others, and I think Frithjof and I really did something special. We’ve prepared hard for this, with Werner Fritz helping us, coming out so many times with us on Lake Garda, always trusting us, and then thanks to Folli who gave me this amazing beautiful girl, I love her!!
“I named her ‘21’ because she arrived after the pandemic in 2021, and she is a winner like in blackjack, where 21 is the winning number. So, she will now be my baby forever. Special thanks go to my family, of course, especially my wife, without her, there would be no chance I could have done any of this. Thanks to everyone!”
“This is not my first Star World Championship, but it feels more special than the other one”, said Frithjof Kleen. “The biggest dream for me was to bring Diego here, to win this. This is what makes it so special. Only one downside, I won’t be able to make fun of him anymore, I used to tell Diego to look up on the mainsail, that he had ‘only’ a silver star, while I had a gold one, so he should be listening to me. Now we have two golds, and I'm happy for that. Tonight we’ll celebrate, and forget the diet for one year at least.”
Race Day 6
The 2021 Star World Champions who won the event yesterday at the end of Race 5, Diego Negri (ITA) and Frithjof Kleen, have sailed a flawless series and topped everyone else in the 83-boat fleet. They opted for not racing today and left the field free to the teams fighting for the Star Worlds podium. And it proved to be quite a battle, first with their nerves.
18 boats were spotted over the starting line early in the second general recall of race six with a black flag hoisted, and for this they were disqualified. A heavy burden for a few, already discarding a high result in their scorecard. They all presented a request for redress, the jury rejected all but one. Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Bruno Prada were granted redress by the International Jury but due to their first UFD, it didn’t help much in their hunt for a place in the spotlight.
On the water, the fight for the podium was decided between the Austrians Johann Spitzauer and Hans-Christian Nehammer (AUT) and Tonci Stipanovic with Tudor Bilic (CRO). The 2017 Star World Champion Eivind Melleby (NOR) with Guy Thomas Avellon (USA) and Denmark's Jörgen Schönherr, with crew, European Champion, Markus Koy (GER) were also still in the game.
While Schönherr and Melleby got off to a good start in the race, Spitzauer and Stipanovic had to work their way through the field after a slow start. By the second lap however, the Austrians and Croatians had caught up to such an extent that they were already on course for the podium. Schönherr/Koy led the field ahead of Melleby/Avellon and crossed the finish line in the same way, but the points gap in the overall standings was too high to make it onto the podium.
Spitzauer/Nehammer would have needed a top result directly behind the Croatians to win in the final race. And for a long time they had the best cards in their hands. But Stipanovic, in his first World Championship appearance in the Star boat, pulled off a winning move on the final cross. While Spitzauer/Nehammer went to the left side, Stipanovic/Bilic tacked to the right in the middle of the finish and found the right wind to pass the Austrians. The Americans Benjamin Sternberg/Stuart MacIntosh tipped the scales: they were also overtaken by Stipanovic but had Spitzauer in their wake.
This result was enough for the Croatians to place second ahead of the Austrians. Behind them in the overall standings were Jörgen Schönherr/Markus Koy, Mateusz Kusznierewicz/Bruno Prada and Eivind Melleby/Guy Thomas Avellon.
To top the day, after his win in the last race, Jörgen Schönherr received the prize for the top Master Star skipper, while the top placing junior team, presented with the new Ding Schoonmaker Trophy, are 25-year-old Jan Borbet and his one-year older crewmate Jesper Spehr in twelfth place overall. "This is our first real Star boat season, and we didn't expect the award. It was all about getting the best out of it for us. It's a pity that the real junior world championship had to be cancelled," said Jan Borbet. "We definitely want to stay in the Star class. After finishing our studies, we both started our careers and now have a bit more time."
The Prize Giving ceremony, held right in the middle of the crowded Kieler Woche Festival, sealed the 99th Star World Championship in Kiel, Germany’s sailing city. The class effort moves now on to the Centenary World Championship, scheduled for September 10-17, 2022, in Marblehead, Massachusetts, the cradle of US sailing, very close to where the 1st ever Star World Championship took place in 1922.
