Annapolis presents day three of Star North American Championship

Day three of the 2022 Star North American Championship in Annapolis had the 33 teams attending it, finish race 4, after the big day yesterday with three Olympic course races with stormy winds up to 22 knots. Today's windward-leeward course was set up at 195 degrees with a well manageable 11 knots of wind and in a beautiful bay.

PRO Kevin Reeds signaled a general recall for the first start and after that the fleet started properly. The whole race was consistent, solid with few wind shifts and perfect conditions for the 33 fiery teams, but only one can claim the win, and the winners of race 4 are Chris Larson with Phil Trinter (USA). They are fifth overall after having dismasted during yesterday's last race. Former World Champions John MacCausland / Dave Caesar (USA) and Eric Doyle / Payson Infelise (USA) finished respectively second and third and are fourth and eighth overall.

Race number five was set up just as number four, but everything changed as the fleet approached the gate marks. Leaders were within one minute of the gate when the wind clocked from 195 degrees to 250 degrees. Race committee signaled a change of course and set up on the new course axis of 250 degrees. Halfway down the final leg the wind velocity and air temperatures dramatically increased. The boats finished dead downwind in 16-18 knots of breeze creating a great finish to day three.

The best to adjust to the change come from Argentina, Alberto Zanetti with Lucas Altolaguirre (ARG) won today's last race and are 12th overall, due to a DSQ in the very first race. They were followed by 2008 Star Olympian John Dane III with Tim Ray (sixth overall) and in third by Jack Jennings / Pedro Trouche (USA/BRA) who are the provisional leaders of the 2022 Star North American Championship.

They have a good seven-point lead over their chasers – another American-Brasilian team, made of Augie Diaz and Bruno Prada, World Champions together in 2016 in Miami – but from the second to the fifth there are only five points, so tomorrow will be decisive.