208 teams lining up

Perhaps the most competitive event in Olympic sailing, the Star Worlds, are set to begin

All but one of the top 20 ranked Star Class teams in the world are among the 208 competitors who are prepping for their most important race in the Class – the Star World Championships, held annually since 1923.

The Star Worlds 2008 will determine which countries take the last four open slots in the Olympics this summer in China and will determine for many countries, such as Germany, which Star team will represent them at the Olympics.

According to the International Sailing Federation’s (ISAF) updated Star team rankings released today, Mateusz Kusznierewicz from Poland held on to his number one spot and the greatest upward movement was Italy’s Luca Modena who moved up four places to 15th.

Ranked in the number two spot is the Italian Diego Negri, followed by Xavier Rohart of France, Afonso Domingos - Portugal, Freddie Loof - Sweden, Robert Scheidt – Brazil, Marc Pickel - Germany, Hamish Pepper - New Zealand, Flavio Marazzi - Switzerland, Iain Percy - Great Britain, Marin Lovrovic, Jr. - Croatia, Eivind Melleby - Norway, Iain Murray - Australia, Robert Stanjek - Germany, Luca Modena – Italy, John Dane - USA, Peter Bromby - Bermuda, Hans Spitzauer - Austria and George Szabo - USA in 19th place.

Registration for the regatta is winding down while measurement of sails and rigging and weighing of the boats and sailors continues through to the start of racing on Friday. Following a scheduled Practice Race tomorrow, there will be a patriotic and colorful Opening Ceremony at Coral Reef Yacht Club consisting of a parade of 31 nations, national anthems and the US Coast Guard’s Honor Guard with speeches to follow.