A pair of sailors departed Oxford, Maryland, as world champions after a Star Worlds full of challenging weather conditions.
2018 Star World Champions Jorge Zarif and Guilherme de Almeida. Photo: Brian WhiteOlympic Finn skipper Jorge Zarif and crew Guilherme de Almeida, of Brazil took the championship title for the one-design racing class. At age 26, Zarif becomes the youngest world champion since 1981.
“I feel really happy! The Star is such a traditional Class full of good people,” said Jorge Zarif, “…and good sailors. It feels really good to have the opportunity to put my name on that trophy.”
De Almeida got his start on Star boats at age 14, racing with Zarif’s father, and says that winning alongside Zarif is a dream.
62 teams from 12 countries around the world sailed out of Tred Avon Yacht Club in the five-race series. The first two days of racing were canceled for a lack of wind. Then the final day of racing saw a very windy forecast. Race organizers called it “the most challenging day of racing yet,’“ with “40 degree shifts, an 8-10 knot breeze that built to over 20 knots by the end of the day, and the heaviest current they have seen all week.”
Last year’s defending champions, Eivind Melleby from Norway and American Joshua Revkin, took second in the championship.
-Meg Walburn Viviano
