John Kostecki Interview - 2024 Star Class World Champion
Adding to an already stellar career, John Kostecki has now claimed the Star World Championship
Adding to an already stellar career, John Kostecki has now claimed the Star World Championship, an accomplishment that is the sailing equivalent of winning the Masters in golf. The rich history, prestige, and level of competition associated with these events place a sailor’s name alongside many of the sport’s greatest champions, such as Lowell North, Malin Burnham, and Dennis Conner, similar to how Masters winners join the ranks of legends like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. This latest achievement places him in a league of his own and solidifies his legendary status in sailing.
Kostecki is now the only sailor to have won an Olympic medal, the America’s Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race, and, most recently, the prestigious Star World Championship. His name is now engraved alongside other legends of the sport on the Star World Championship trophy, cementing his place as one of the great sailors of all time.
However, you would never know his celebrity and notoriety by how he acts, as he rarely seeks the limelight. He is a purist, an athlete who loves sailing and enjoys winning, embracing the ethos that "you are only as good as your next race."
I’ve enjoyed watching John develop during his early days as a St. Francis Junior Program beneficiary. Although I never competed against him in dinghies, I have raced against him in keelboats, sailed together, and even coached him at the Farr 40 World Championships.
Interviewing him was an opportunity to catch up and learn firsthand about his last-minute preparations, key moments, and the journey to his victory.
John Bertrand:
John, thank you for sharing your thoughts on the Star World Championship win with my readers.
John Kostecki:
No problem
John Bertrand:
I want to start with a thought-provoking question. Take us into your boat two minutes after the start of the final race of the 2024 Star World Championship. Six boats could win it, and you were tied on points, being chased by five other teams. The pressure was high, and the Championship was on the line. Take us into your head: Where were you positioned? Where were your competitors? Were you on the front foot? What was the game plan?
John Kostecki:
It's a great question, and I can remember it well—it wasn't that long ago (laugh)!
Well, yeah, our plan was really to get the best start we could. We actually had a great start, positioned about a third of the way down from the committee boat on a super-long line. We weren’t focused on any specific boats; we were just trying to get the best result possible since six boats could win. We liked the middle-right side upwind, and a few minutes after the start, with a left shift, we were able to tack and cross the boats that started to the right of us.
The moment we tacked, I looked through the window, and we were looking really good compared to the boats on the right. But, looking back now, I think most of our competitors were actually to the left of us (laughs). We were focused on speed, avoiding mistakes, and staying precise, as the legs were long, and it took time to figure out the shifts. About three to four minutes after the start, on port, we were in a strong position. Austin kept looking back and updating me on how we were doing. The boats to our left tacked onto port and fell behind us, so we gained on them. That’s how it played out, and we rounded just ahead of the five boats we needed to beat.
John Bertrand:
Before we dive into the rest of the final race, could you share some personal details?
John Kostecki:
Sure. I’ve been married to Anne Marie for 21 years. She’s Dutch, from Holland, and grew up in a sailing family. We have two children: Sanne, who’s 16 and a junior in high school, and Julius, who’s 14 and in his first year of high school.
John Bertrand:
Growing up in San Francisco during your time, how did that shape you as a sailor? What impact did it have on your pursuit of the Olympics and your professional career? Could you share more about the mentors, yacht clubs, and racing on the bay? I know the Richmond Yacht Club and the St. Francis Yacht Club played a big part in your development.
John Kostecki:
Yeah, I went through Richmond’s junior program. I started when I was seven or eight and finished the program when I was 17 or 18.
In the meantime, I joined the St. Francis Yacht Club when I was 15. Kimball Livingston got me connected after I attended the Tinsley Island Symposium. I guess he liked me and thought I should become a member, so he pushed hard for me to join. That was a nice boost to my career.
We weren’t a wealthy family growing up, so St. Francis really helped me. They provided me with a Laser for campaigning and even helped with expenses. They gave me a credit card for gas and provided the club van and trailer. We’d load four to six Lasers on the trailer and travel to regattas, which was really helpful in getting my career started.
San Francisco Bay is an incredible place to grow up sailing. The conditions are diverse, with strong winds and current, which helped me develop as an all-around sailor.
In terms of mentors, I was fortunate to have people like you, Paul Cayard, Steve Jeppsen, Craig Healy, and others, including Tom Blackaller. Guys like you, who were three to ten years older, had such successful careers, whether it was winning Laser Worlds or competing in the Olympics. Watching your success showed me that it was possible for me too, and that was pretty cool.
John Bertrand:
How did your partnership with Austin Sperry develop, and what made you two so successful at the Worlds?
John Kostecki:
Austin and I sailed Stars together about 20 years ago for roughly a year and a half. We were sponsored by Duraflame and spent most of our time sailing in Florida and Miami. We were aiming for the 2004 Olympics, but about a year before the Games, I got recruited by an America’s Cup team. I took the job, leaving Austin without a skipper. He teamed up with his father-in-law, John Dane, and they went on to have great success, even winning the 2008 Olympic Trials and competing in the Olympics.
We stayed in touch over the years, and he recently got into the Etchells class. Last year, he invited me to sail the Etchells winter circuit in Miami with him, and we did three to five regattas. We had a lot of fun.
When he set his sights on the 2024 Star Worlds, he needed to find a new skipper or crew because he and his usual crew were over the class weight limit. He said he didn’t mind crewing and asked if I’d drive for the summer. I jumped at the opportunity.
John Bertrand:
Maybe that’s a bit of payback for leaving him hanging in the Olympic campaign! He mentioned that winning the Star Worlds was a lifelong dream—30 years in the making. That must feel pretty special for both of you.
John Kostecki:
Yeah, he was really pumped. I think this was his first World Championship, and the Star Worlds is a pretty special one to win. He was definitely thrilled.
John Bertrand:
It looked like you only sailed together in five regattas leading up to the Championship.
John Kostecki:
Yeah, something like that. Each regatta, we got better and better. We didn’t focus too much on the results in those regattas. We were just working on the processes, getting the boat speed right, and staying sharp for the Worlds. When the Worlds came around, we were going fast and felt confident. We applied the same processes, addressed a few weaknesses, and it all paid off.
John Bertrand:
How were you able to sail so consistently? In a fleet of 64 boats, you didn’t have any big scores. The starting line was massive, and I assume conservative positioning was key, letting things play out and never taking too many risks.
John Kostecki:
Yes and no. In general, yes, but in the first race of the regatta, we started right at the pin end and won it. Two or three minutes in, we were able to tack and cross the fleet, leading at the first windward mark. That day was really shifty and tricky, though. But in general, yes, we sailed conservatively. We were fast upwind, stuck to the basics, sailed the long tack, and tried to stay on the favored side. It sounds simple, but it worked because we were fast!
John Bertrand:
Can you talk about your approach to starting on such a long line?
John Kostecki:
In the Star class, they typically raise the orange flag with 10 minutes to go, five minutes before the actual warning. Most of the time, you had enough time to work your way to the end of the line where you wanted to be. It got trickier after a general recall or when they reset the line.
Many of the starts had general recalls, so we’d often hang out above the line in the middle, which gave us the flexibility to bolt to one end or the other when the line reset. We tried to stay as flexible as possible. We also kept an eye on what some of our top competitors were doing and always had that in mind.
John Bertrand:
Let’s talk about the final race. You covered the first upwind—take us through the rest.
John Kostecki:
I think it was the first downwind where we solidified the win. We rounded just ahead of two of the five boats we needed to beat—Will Stout, Danny Cayard, and George Szabo, Guy Avellon. In the previous race, there was a similar wind pattern with a south wind and lots of shifts. In that race, staying off to the right side of the course on the downwind leg paid off, so I kept that in mind. Our competitors jibed and headed towards the middle of the fleet, while we stayed on the right and found a little more pressure. That allowed us to extend on those two boats and the rest of the fleet.
We gained about 15-20 boat lengths on them by the time we reached the bottom mark. From there, we opted to go left on the next upwind, and they followed us, making it easier for us to control the race. Rounding the same gate mark as them was key because it kept us in control and in the same part of the course. Splitting gate marks in a big fleet like that can be risky when you're leading.
The Argentinian brothers, Leandro and Lucas Altolaguirre, who are really fast downwind, came from behind and rounded the bottom mark first. They went far out to the right on the second upwind, while we stayed more left. We got a little more pressure and a slight left shift, which allowed us to pass them as they were way out on the right side. We rounded the final top mark in first place.
The Argentine team gained a lot on the final downwind—they're super fast downwind—but we only needed to finish in the top three to win. I knew they would pass us, but we managed to finish 3rd and ahead of Will and Daniel, which secured the championship by 1 point!
John Bertrand:
Winning the Star Worlds—where does this rank among all the regattas you’ve won?
John Kostecki:
You're not the first to ask! The trophy is incredible. I don’t know the exact year it dates back to—maybe the 1920s—but the names on it are legendary: Lowell North, Malin Burnham, Dennis Conner, Tom Blackaller, and many more. I’ve been lucky to have had a successful career, and I’ve honestly lost count of how many world championships I’ve won. But I’d say this one ranks right up there as one of the best.
It’s hard to compare it to something like the Olympics or the Volvo Ocean Race or the America’s Cup—they're all so different—but this one is definitely up there. It’s a huge win.
John Bertrand:
What advice would you give to young sailors who aspire to achieve the level of success that you've had across multiple sailing disciplines?
John Kostecki:
My advice would be to just keep at it and try to enjoy it as much as you can. Follow your passion and your heart. That's what I did when I was young—I went where I had the most fun and what inspired me. When you're having fun, you tend to do better. Don't get too focused on the results all the time. Just focus on improving, enjoying the process, and being present in the moment. If you're having fun, success will come.
John Bertrand:
At 60 years old, you're still competing at the highest level. What's your secret to maintaining that competitive edge, and what's been the key to your longevity?
John Kostecki:
I think it's really about loving the sport and the competition. I've been fortunate to compete in all different areas of the sport—small boats, big boats, from dinghies to Maxis, the America's Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race, and the Olympics. I've just always wanted to keep going and enjoy it as long as I can.
John Bertrand:
Any last thoughts?
John Kostecki:
The Star class is such a cool fleet, and Austin gave me the opportunity to jump back into the class for this campaign. It was an easy decision for me because I love the people, the competition, and the camaraderie. Even if you don't win, you're still having a great time on the water. That's what has kept me going all these years—the love for the sport and the great people I've sailed with and against.
John Bertrand:
Will you defend the world title next year in Split, Croatia?
John Kostecki:
I hope so! Austin seems keen to do it. We haven’t had direct conversations about it yet, but that’s certainly the goal—to try and defend the title next year.
John Bertrand:
Well, John, it’s been fantastic catching up with you. It’s been a long time, and I’ve really enjoyed hearing about your experience and insights. Congratulations again on winning the Star Worlds, and I look forward to seeing what you do next!
John Kostecki:
Thanks, John. It’s been great talking to you, and I appreciate the opportunity to share the story!
JK (as John is universally referred to) is an inspiration to a wide range of sailors. He’s a role model for youth sailors, a guide for emerging pros, and his athleticism throughout his career has allowed him to stay physically and mentally at the top of his game. In addition to his regular routine of riding for hours on his mountain and road bikes five days a week when he’s home, both he and Austin viewed fitness as a key aspect of winning in the physically demanding Star boat. I can’t help but wonder what mountains he’ll be climbing when he’s 70.
Photographs provided by Matias Capizzano
Excellent conversation with John. Very insightful!!
Great interview John!