Jack Jennings and Phil Trinter have stormed to the front of the 2026 Star North American Championship after a commanding opening day in Tampa, Florida. The American duo claimed two race wins to hold a perfect score of just two points, setting the pace in what promises to be a fiercely contested regatta.
A steady northerly breeze of 15–18 knots greeted the fleet on the opening day, providing consistent and enjoyable racing conditions. The Race Committee completed two races, each lasting approximately one hour, with the wind strengthening toward the end of the second contest as gusts reached around 20 knots on the final leg.
Jennings and Trinter were in a class of their own throughout the day. In Race 1, they sailed to victory ahead of George Szabo and Guy Avellon, who finished second, while John Loe and Shane Zwingelberg rounded out the top three. The leading pair repeated their winning performance in Race 2, confirming their superb early-season form. This time Loe and Zwingelberg moved up a place to take second, with Szabo and Avellon crossing the line in third.
Behind the dominant leaders, the fight for the remaining podium positions is already intensely close. Loe and Zwingelberg and Szabo and Avellon are tied on five points, occupying second and third overall respectively. Jim Buckingham and Brad Nichol sit in fourth place with nine points after finishing fifth and fourth across the two races, while Stephen Braverman and Ron Rezac complete the provisional top five, also on nine points, with a fourth and a fifth.
With just two races in the books and the championship still wide open, the fleet will return to the water tomorrow for another day of racing. The opening day has already set the tone for a highly competitive Star North American Championship, and all eyes will be on Jennings and Trinter to see if they can maintain their perfect record.
