The 2026 Star European Championship is set to deliver one of the most compelling regattas of the season as 76 teams from more than 20 nations converge on Medemblik, The Netherlands, from 24 to 29 August. With 12 former World Champions, multiple Olympic medalists and America’s Cup sailors among the entries, the championship promises six days of elite competition on the IJsselmeer.
Hosted by Star Class Holland, all three Dutch fleets (Loosdreck, Holland and Medemblik) and the International Star Class Association at the renowned Regatta Center Medemblik, race management will be entrusted to the Royal Netherlands Yacht Club Muiden (KNZ&RV). The event marks a significant homecoming, returning to one of Europe’s most celebrated sailing venues exactly 25 years after the 2001 Star World Championship was held at the same location.
The entry list reads like a who’s who of international keelboat racing. Leading the fleet is five-time Olympic medalist Robert Scheidt of Brazil, widely regarded as one of the greatest sailors in Olympic history. He is joined by an impressive roster of former Star World Champions including Enrico Chieffi of Italy, who also holds the European title, Diego Negri and Sergio Lambertenghi of Italy, Max Kohlhoff, Frithjof Kleen and Ole Burzinski of Germany, Eivind Melleby of Norway, George Szabo and Austin Sperry of the United States, Pascal Rambeau of France and Samuel Gonçalves of Brazil.
Beyond the on-water action, the Star European Championship remains a celebration of the unique spirit that has characterized the Class for more than a century. A full social program will accompany the racing, bringing together sailors, families and supporters from around the world and reinforcing the camaraderie that has always distinguished the Star community.
With World Champions, Olympians, rising young talent and local favorites all set to compete, the regatta confirms once again why the Star remains one of the most prestigious and competitive classes in international sailing.
The European Championship also serves as a key milestone on the road to the season’s final major events. The North American Championship follows in October, leading into the Star World Championship in Miami this November, where reigning World Champions Paul Cayard of the United States and Frithjof Kleen of Germany will defend the coveted Gold Star.
