Learning that the Tred Avon Yacht Club (TAYC) in Oxford would host the Star World Competition came as a delightful surprise. As an occasional sailboat racer, I knew the Star Class and just how dedicated serious sailors are about racing these boats.
The race this past week brought 62 boats from around the world into Oxford for the six-race competition. Among the racers was a friend from America’s Cup days (that’s another story), Paul Cayard. He summed up the significance of the event early on by saying, “It is an honor to sail in the Star Class because of its 100 year-old history. We are a part of the present and the older generations know about our history. But it is important that we show the younger sailors in our class how significant this is and educate them on the history that is so rich of our Class. If we don’t do it they won’t understand what they are a part of.”
As a professional sailor who has competed at the helm of America’s Cup yachts as well as in around the world competitions, today, Paul Cayard, is Star Class Vice President for the Western Hemisphere. And, he knows the class having first raced in Star competitions on the San Francisco Bay 40 years ago.
The week proved challenging, but that is what competition is all about. One day, the lack of wind cancelled racing for the day. Then, with the remains of a hurricane passing through, the wind and water were too fierce for racing.
However, by Saturday morning, four of the six races had been completed and the stage was set for the final two races.
Winds were light but building. Turns out, so was the chop on the Choptank. With strong currents and variable winds, it took more than an hour to set the course. Then, it had to be changed.
The fleet of 62 Star boats and with their two-person crews had been in the water for close to four hours before the first of two races actually was underway. The exciting day racing over almost six hours is well described by Sail World in their story released after the completion of the final racing.
The overall winner of the 2018 Star World competition proved to be Olympic Finn sailor Jorge Zarif. At 26 years old, he is the youngest World Champion since 1981 when Alex Hagen (GER) won as a skipper at the same age.
“I feel really happy! The Star is such a traditional Class full of good people and good sailors.” said Jorge Zarif. “It feels really good to have the opportunity to put my name on that trophy.”
“We had great results and of course we hoped to win.” said Paul Cayard, Vice President of the Star Class. “But Arthur and I won a race and had a second, and 3rd is a great place overall. We are always excited to have the youth in the Class, Jorge is the son of a Star sailor and Josh [Revkin] and Arthur [Lopes] are both young. What we are most interested in is seeing the next generation coming along, so to see Jorge Zarif win the Star World Championship is fantastic. It says a lot for the Star Class.”
And so, the Star Class world competition came to a close. It is one of the oldest organizations in sport history, the second oldest in sailing. It brought with it great and treasured traditions while providing a stage for a young racer to defeat the seasoned competition.
So, I enjoyed a wonderful day on the water as a spectator. Here is a short video slideshow of the experience…
Then, as the week ended and I was returning to Trippe Creek, I found myself wishing I had seen more of the racing and more of the fine people who competed. The TAYC should feel proud of hosting the competition and completing the six races in, to say the least, variable wind conditions. Many hosted racers in their homes and volunteered to work at the yacht club.
Still, it feels we missed an opportunity for the community. A class of boats that have competed for a hundred years, came here to race. Yet, on the final day, I think there were about four spectator boats on the water. To find coverage of the racing, you have to go to sailing sites on the internet. Or, of course, read The Spy!
From Paul Cayard, who started racing Stars forty years ago (and placed 3rd) to the twenty-six year-old winner of the 2018 competition, all the competitors speak of making sure young people get to know the sport and participate in sailing.
Having the Star World competition here was a very big deal….I just wish more people could have experienced the thrill of the competition and the quality of the individuals who compete for hours every day on the water in the toughest conditions we could have provided.
Thanks to all who made this possible!
I wonder, would those who organized this extraordinary event would be willing to share the excitement in some post-race discussions. There are extraordinary photographs and video. There are great Star class racers in the area that could share the excitement of participating in an international competition. Perhaps after the fact, more people can find a way to touch the thrill of Star class racing. Just a thought….
Aside for what you usually share with people….
Craig Fuller is known for his national political experience, but sailing started for him with an uncle and cousins who raced in Newport Beach, California. It continued as he crewed on a cruising class sailboat while in college at UCLA. He has raced sail boats in the British Virgin Islands and was a very active sponsor of America’s Cup racing in the 1990s. Now, he is a frequent spectator and photographer during local race events. He resides with Karen in their home on Trippe Creek.
Howard Freedlander says
Kudos to the Tred Avon Yacht Club and its membership for sponsoring the Star World competition. Volunteers hosted sailors in their homes, drove them to events in Talbot County and served as race monitors. The race in underscored the long tradition of sailing in our county.