Jørgen Schoenherr and Ed Wright have taken over at the top of the Star European Championship in Medemblik after Diego Negri and Robert Scheidt shared Thursday's race wins on the IJsselmeer.

Denmark's Jørgen Schoenherr and Britain's Ed Wright have moved into the overall lead of the 2026 Star European Championship after four races in Medemblik, as the early American advantage was overturned on Thursday (August 27).

Leaders Press On – DEN 8532 Jørgen Schoenherr and Ed Wright race in Medemblik, where their consistent scoreline has put them at the top of the Star European Championship after four races. Photo: Matías Capizzano

As Afloat reported after Wednesday's opening exchanges, George Szabo and George Iverson (USA) held the overnight lead on countback from Hubert Merkelbach and Markus Koy (GER) after both crews opened with an eighth and a second.

But another two races on Thursday produced a significant reshuffle, with Diego Negri and Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA) winning the first contest before five-time Olympic medallist Robert Scheidt, sailing with Austin Sperry (BRA/USA), staged a major comeback to take the second.

Negri Strikes From the Front

Grey skies and an easterly breeze greeted the 76-boat international Star fleet before conditions brightened during the afternoon.

The day's opening race began in a steady 10-knot easterly, and two-time Star World Champion Negri and Lambertenghi immediately took control. The Italians led from the first beat and stayed in front to record their first win of the championship.

Italian Bullet – ITA 8612 Diego Negri and Sergio Lambertenghi power through the IJsselmeer after leading Thursday's opening race from start to finish for their first win of the championship. Photo: Matías Capizzano

Schoenherr and Wright continued the consistency that has propelled them up the leaderboard with second, while Germany's Max Kohlhoff and Ole Burzinski, the 2023 Star World Champions, took third.

Scheidt Recovers From 15th

The second race brought a different challenge as significant shifts made the IJsselmeer racecourse increasingly difficult to read.

Scheidt and Sperry, who won Wednesday's opening race before slipping to 12th in the second, found themselves around 15th at Thursday's first windward mark. They then worked steadily through the fleet before taking the lead in the closing stages to record their second victory from four races.

Scheidt Strikes – BRA 8593 Robert Scheidt and Austin Sperry race through the Star fleet after recovering from around 15th at the first windward mark to claim Thursday's second race victory. Photo: Matías Capizzano

Jack Jennings and Andrew Palfrey (USA/AUS) finished second, while Doug Smith and Brian O'Mahony (USA) were third. The result leaves Scheidt and Sperry third overall despite their two race victories.

American Pursuit – USA 8464 Jack Jennings and Andrew Palfrey press on in Medemblik, where another second-place finish has moved them into second overall after four races. Photo: Matías Capizzano

Schoenherr's Consistency Pays

With no discard yet applied, Schoenherr and Wright now lead the championship after producing another consistent day's racing. Jennings and Palfrey have climbed to second overall, with Scheidt and Sperry third. It represents a change at the top from Wednesday, when Szabo and Iverson led Merkelbach and Koy on countback and Schoenherr and Wright were third.

Marking Time – The international Star fleet negotiates another crowded rounding on the IJsselmeer as shifting conditions continue to shuffle the order at the European Championship. Photo: Matías Capizzano

Negri and Lambertenghi remain in the hunt despite finishing around 12th after their Thursday victory.

"So far, so good," Negri said. "Yesterday we had one good race and one difficult one, and today it was the same, a bullet in the first race and around twelfth in the second."

The Italian said the shifting Medemblik racecourse was proving difficult to master. "We were in the leading group both times, but this racecourse is really tricky," he said. "I still can't completely read the shifts here, and both yesterday and today we lost a lot of distance to the leaders in the second half of the race."

With three races remaining, Negri believes the championship remains open. "We're around the top five and very much in the game with three races to go," he said.

Three races are scheduled across Friday and Saturday, with Schoenherr and Wright now holding the advantage as the European Championship enters its decisive stages.