Baltimore Sailing Club's O'Leary Brothers off to a Great Start at Star Euros

10th August 2018

Peter and Robert O'Leary competing in the 2018 Star Europeans Championship in Flensburg, Germany Credit: Sven Jurgensen/FSC

Baltimore Sailing Club brothers Peter and Robert O'Leary are off to a great start at the 2018 Star Europeans Championship that officially started on Wednesday evening with the Opening Ceremony at Flensburger Segel-Club, Germany but it was yesterday that the battle on the water had its first go today.

Peter O'Leary, who is a veteran skipper of the Beijing and London Games in the former Olympic class, purchased a new Star boat late last year and has been campaigning it on both sides of the Atlantic. He previously finished as high as fourth at the Star Worlds in France sailing with David Burrows in 2011. The brothers are currently placed fifth.

Conditions on the first day of sailing in the Euros were just right, with wind ranging between 8 and 12 knots, only a little shiftier than expected. With an unusual sun and clouds mix for this summer day, the 71 boats started together on one big start line. The unsettled wind direction made it difficult to decide the favorite side, and there were lots of positions’ changes in both races.

Star Euros startline The Star European Championships start line in Flensberg. Photo: Sven Jurgensen/FSC

The first one was won by American skipper Augie Diaz with Brazilian crew Bruno Prada, followed by Russian Georgy Shadyuko and Aleksei Borisov, and Swiss Jean-Pascal Chatagny and Serge Pulfer. The second one went to Norwegian Star World Champion Eivind Melleby with Brazilian crew Guilherme de Almeida, second spot to Swedish Erik Dahalen and David Nogén and third to another Swiss team, Urs Hunkeler with Alex Gouda.

At the end of the first day former World Champions Augie Diaz (USA) and Bruno Prada (BRA) are the provisional leaders, followed by Lars Grael and Samuel Gonçalves (BRA) and third is the German team skippered by Ulrich Vater with crew Karsten Morf. Roberto Benamati from Italy is fourth.

From today to Sunday the 142 sailors will sail five more races under the strict command of Flensburger Segel-Club PRO, Claus Otto Hansen, who, alongside his Race Committee, decided that tomorrow’s first start will be at 14,30 local time (GMT+1), as some really strong winds are expected to hit the bay in the morning.

For full results here

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At A Glance – Star Specifications

Designer Francis Sweisguth
Year 1910
Crew 2 (Skipper + Crew)
S + 1.5 C ≤ 250 kg (550 lb)[1]
Draft 1.016 m (3 ft 4 in)
Hull Type keelboat
Hull weight ≥ 671 kg (1,479 lb)
(including keel)
LOA 6.922 m (22 ft 9 in)
LWL 4.724 m (15 ft 6 in)
Beam 1.734 m (5 ft 8 in) at deck
1.372 m (4 ft 6 in) at chine
Hull appendages
Keel/board type bulb keel
401.5 ± 7 kg (885 ± 15 lb)
Rig
Rig type sloop
Mast length 9.652 m (31 ft 8 in)
Sails
Mainsail area 20.5 m2 (221 sq ft)
Jib/genoa area 6.0 m2 (65 sq ft)
Upwind sail area ≤ 26.5 m2 (285 sq ft)