Stars gather at Star World Championship

According to Scuttlebutt’s Best Racing Venues in the USA, there’s no better place to be this time of year than southern Florida where 97 entries representing 17 nations are preparing for the 2026 Star World Championship on November 9-14 in Miami.

Founded in 1911 and part of the Olympic sailing program from 1932 to 2012, the 99th edition of this Championship has once again attracted an elite field for the oldest and most competitive international one-design classes still actively racing. PredictWind forecast: high 70s/low 80s with mostly moderate winds.

All eyes will be on defending World Champions Paul Cayard (USA) and Frithjof Kleen (GER), who return to the racecourse determined to retain the title they claimed in 2025. Earlier this year, Cayard and Kleen claimed victory in the 99th Bacardi Cup on these very waters, in Biscayne Bay, confirming excellent form at the Worlds venue.

Among their strongest challengers will be Robert Scheidt (BRA) and Austin Sperry (USA), arriving in Miami as the newly crowned 2026 Star European Champions. Scheidt, a five-time Olympic medalist and three-time Star World Champion, while Sperry as 2024 World Championship crew.

Another formidable partnership is that of Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL) and Bruno Prada (BRA), combining the experience of an Olympic gold medalist with the most successful crew in Star history. They will face stiff competition from Diego Negri and Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA), two-time Star World Champions. Both teams are also past Bacardi Cup winners.