European Star Class Championships: Heuwinkel and Spehr win silver in Medemblik

The European Star Class Championship Off Medemblik, Nick Heuwinkel of the Kieler Yacht-Club and Jesper Spehr of the Malente-Gremsmühlen Sailing Club finished with silver. After five races, the German team were still one point ahead. In the two decisive races, however, the experience of the Brazilian Robert Scheidt proved decisive: the five-time Olympic medallist won the regatta alongside his American bowman, Austin Sperry. Six points separated the new European champions from Heuwinkel and Spehr in the final standings.

The bronze went to the Italians Diego Negri and Sergio Lambertenghi. This meant the German duo found themselves on the podium flanked by two crews who have been among the world’s best in the class for years. For Heuwinkel and Spehr, this is their first major international podium finish in the overall standings.

Rain fronts, offshore winds and gusts of up to 20 knots

The decision was made on the final day under challenging conditions. With an offshore south-westerly wind of around 13 knots, rain showers swept across the course. At times, visibility was so poor that several leading teams struggled to make out the finish line. Scheidt and Sperry used the sixth race to take the lead with a win. Heuwinkel and Spehr finished in sixth place.

In the final race, which followed shortly afterwards, the sky cleared and the wind continued to pick up. Gusts of up to 20 knots and steep waves put the crews under considerable strain on the downwind leg. Scheidt/Sperry won again, with Negri/Lambertenghi finishing second. Heuwinkel/Spehr secured the European vice-champions’ title with their third-place finish.

“We didn’t lose first place; we won second place,” Heuwinkel summed up after the regatta. This is more than just diplomatic language: in a field of 66 teams from 17 nations, the two Germans battled it out for the title right until the very end.

The rise of the young German team

Heuwinkel and Spehr have only been sailing Star-class boats together for a few years. Nevertheless, they have made rapid progress. In 2024, they won at the International German Championship off Travemünde the title. At the 2025 Starboat World Championships in Split, they finished sixth overall and won the U30 classification.

For Heuwinkel, the switch to the Star class was the next step in a performance-oriented career following years in the ILCA and Finn dinghy classes. Spehr, on the other hand, has been competing in the class since childhood. This combination of single-handed sailing experience at the helm and long-standing Star class experience on the bow works remarkably well.

The European Championships in Medemblik also highlight the breadth of the German Star fleet. Max Kohlhoff and Ole Burzinski finished eighth as the second-best German team, although a disqualification in the final race prevented them from achieving an even better result. Right behind them in ninth place were the reigning German champions, Hubert Merkelbach and Markus Koy. Just how close the competition is in this class was already demonstrated by the 2025 Star Class World Championships with Paul Cayard and Frithjof Kleen.

Next destination: the World Championships in Miami

Heuwinkel and Spehr are heading to the World Championships in Miami in November. Around 100 teams are expected; their boat has already been loaded into a container in Rotterdam for transport. Having won gold in the U30 category and silver at the European Championships, the crucial question now is: can the pair maintain their consistency against the strong field at the World Championships?

The result at Medemblik speaks for itself. It wasn’t just a single race win, but a run of victories in changing conditions that took the team onto the podium. This sends a clear signal, particularly in the Star class, where a feel for the boat, trim and well-rehearsed procedures are crucial over long races.

Starboat: 115 years of class and Olympic history

The Star Class combines the success of Medemblik with an unusually long tradition. The boat was designed by Francis Sweisguth in 1911; the first Star boats sailed their regatta on Long Island Sound on 30 May 1911. The international class association was founded as early as 1922, followed a year later by the first World Championship. The hull shape has remained essentially unchanged since then, whilst the rig and equipment have continued to evolve. The History of the Star Class traces the evolution from its gaff-rigged origins to today’s high-performance keelboat.

The Star class was an Olympic class from 1932 until London 2012. As the oldest Olympic sailing class It attracted top sailors for decades – and retained this appeal even after being dropped from the Olympic programme. More than 8,600 boats were built; according to the class association, over 2,200 are still actively sailed. The fact that a young German team featuring Scheidt and Negri was competing for the title in Medemblik therefore fits perfectly with the unique culture of this class: tradition and world-class sailing continue to come together at the same starting mark.

Book recommendations

Winning regattas on dinghies and yachts By Fred Imhoff, this book guides readers through the key aspects of regatta sailing: equipment, sail trim, weather, currents, tactics and the psychological demands of a race. For readers who wish not only to follow Heuwinkel and Spehr’s success at the European Championships as a result, but also to gain a better understanding of the factors behind their consistent run of form, this book provides a practical foundation for both dinghies and yachts.

Tune up to win focuses on the technical aspects of speed: how the rig, sail profile and appendages generate speed, how the boat can be adapted to different wind strengths, and what changes when sailing close-hauled or downwind. The book thus complements the tactical perspective by providing an understanding of the trimming techniques that are particularly crucial in the Star class.