The entry list of the 2019 Star Junior World Championship is shaping up as we are getting closer to the first warning signal of the week in Miami’s magnificent Biscayne Bay.
More than 30 under30 skippers are signed up and will try to win the first ever Junior trophy of one of the oldest and most prestigious sport association in history, the International Star Class, and with them more than 30 crews, some of whom just as young, some other more experienced but also some real champions.
That is for the Star Sailors League Finals 2017 winner and 2014 Star World Champion, Frithjof Kleen (GER) who will join the event helping young talented Italian Laser Radial World Champion Guido Gallinaro on waters he should know very well after winning in Miami the Bacardi Cup in 2016.
“We are from the same club – declared Frithjof Kleen (a.k.a. Frida) – Fraglia Vela Riva in Riva del Garda, Italy, he’s been training with us at the SSL Training Center since October for the SSL Finals 2018 and I can easily say he’s one Star sailors now. He did very well in Nassau for the Star Sailors League with his crew Kilian Weise, who will also be in Miami for the Juniors with the Dutch skipper he finished third at the Eastern Europeans with (Thomas Allart), and I expect Guido do also perform here and at the European Championship in Riva del Garda in May, which will also be the SSL Breeze Grand Slam SSL 2500.”
Frithjof is also one of the three board members of the Star Class Legacy Foundation that really worked hard to have this first Junior World Championship, with him there are Larry Whipple from USA and Alberto Zanetti from Argentina. “The goal is to have the Junior Worlds every year, alternating Miami in February and Riva del Garda in October – continues Kleen, who now left Berlin for Lake Garda – to keep the class lively with the entrance of new generations. It is a way to show young sailors that instead of getting on other classes they could consider the Star too, with its long tradition and all of the great champions that are still racing in it.”
“It is great to be able to attend the Under 30 Worlds with Frida – told us Guido Gallinaro – I loved the boat when I first raced in Nassau with that special format and the incredible line-up. After that experience I couldn’t have missed this event. In Nassau I received so much energy and support from all of the champions, I am very happy to go to Miami and after this I will also attend the Europeans in Riva and then I will study full speed for my final high school exams in June.”
SSL Press Officer since 2015