The list of the 25 world class skippers and crews for the Star Sailors League Finals in Nassau is a veritable who’s who of the Star class and the sport, and so too is the expert media and commentary team.
This years commentary team is headed by America’s Cup expert Peter Lester, backed up by double Olympic Champion and CNN TV presenter Shirley Robertson.
Providing expert insight into how to race the Star keelboat is Mark Covell, who won Olympic silver at Sydney 2000 crewing for Ian Walker.
These days Mark plies his trade as a professional DJ and at 6ft 7 inches, has a commanding view of the dancefloor.
This week he will be working to a different beat as he surveys the performance of 25 world-class Star crews. He’s very happy to be coming back to the Star scene after many years away.
“Things have moved on since I was racing in the boat, and I’ll be interested to see the different techniques they use to get the boats downwind, with the crews standing up and using their bodyweight to help work the boat on the waves.”
“I see my role as providing some insight and color as to what the sailors will be thinking and doing at key points during the race.”
Behind the scenes, sailing journalist James Boyd will be interviewing the competitors and analyzing the racing in his daily news report, while Sebastien Guidoux coordinates the SSL live broadcast.
You can join all the action live and free streaming on internet with expert commentary from special studio guests. On the water, the latest in hi-tech camera technology, as well as Virtual Eye 3D Graphics, will provide thrilling viewing.
After four days of qualification rounds, the competition goes into the knockout stages on Saturday. Single races decide who survives and who is heading for the dock.
The last four teams will contest a final race, with the first to finish earning most of the $200,000 purse.
2018 Star Sailors Legue Finals – Entry
Iain Percy (GBR) – Anders Ekström (SWE)
Šime Fantela (CRO) – Antonio Arapovic (CRO)
Robert Scheidt (BRA) – Henry Boenig (BRA)
Freddy Lööf (SWE) – Edoardo Natucci (ITA)
Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL) – Dominik Zycki (POL)
Max Salminen (SWE) – Johan Tillander (SWE)
Paul Cayard (USA) – Arthur Lopes (BRA)
Diego Negri (ITA) – Frithjof Kleen (GER)
Pavlos Kontides (CYP) – Markus Koy (GER)
Tonci Stipanovic (CRO) – Frederico Melo (POR)
Gerogy Shayduko (RUS) – Vitalii Kushnir (UKR)
Lars Grael (BRA) – Samuel Gonçalves (BRA)
Xavier Rohart (FRA) – Pierre-Alexis Ponsot (FRA)
Jorge Zarif (BRA) – Pedro Trouche (BRA)
Ruggero Tita (ITA) – Enrico Voltolini (ITA)
Zsombor Berecz (HUN) – Michael Maier (CZE)
Kevin Peponnet (FRA) – Mark Strube (USA)
Hamish Pepper (NZL) – Steve Mitchell (GBR)
Francesco Bruni (ITA) – Nando Colaninno (ITA)
Mark Mendelblatt (USA) – Brian Fatih (USA)
Eivind Melleby (NOR) – Joshua Revkin (USA)
Geroge Szabo (USA) – Roger Cheer (CAN)
Augie Diaz (USA) – Bruno Prada (BRA)
Ondrej Teplý (CZE) – Antonis Tsotras (GRE)
Guido Gallinaro (ITA) – Kilian Weise (GER)
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