BUFFALO, N.Y. — Western New Yorkers may have put their boats in the water over the Memorial Day weekend, or they plan to soon with summer just around the corner. But for one couple from Snyder, boating is more than just a hobby. They sail for sport, and they just brought home the title of world champions.
David and Jody Starck of Snyder first met through sailing at the Buffalo Canoe Club in Fort Erie, Ontario, and for their nearly 17 years of marriage it's been their shared passion. They've sailed with each other and competed against each other, too.
Earlier in May they competed on separate boats in the Lightning Class World Championships in at the Carolina Yacht Club in North Carolina. In a fleet of about 50 boats from countries all over the world including US, Chile, Argentina, Columbia, Brazil, Italy, and Canada, Jody Starck's three-person boat came in first place in the Lightning Masters division. In that division, the skipper has to be 55 or older and the boat must have a combined crew age of 130.
David Starck and his three-person team won the overall Lightning World Championships. They did it on his boat called Pat Strong, named in honor of his nephew Pat Waldron who died of cancer eight years ago.
"So I fly the Pat Strong flag to memorialize him, to keep him front and center in our lives. So he's always with us," said Dave Starck.
Many would think living in a cold climate would be a competitive disadvantage for sailing, but David and Jody Starck have proven it's just the opposite.
"Folks in other warm climate places say, 'why go sailing today when we can go tomorrow?' Every day is a nice day. Where we find a day like today and there a nice breeze and it's sunny and we just want to go sailing. We're excited about it. We have that drive," said Dave Starck.
Jody Starck said the water that surrounds Western New York is often underestimated.
"Quite frankly, this is the nicest possible place you can sail in the whole world, right here in Buffalo," Jody Starck said.
In the sailing community, David and Jody Starck are world-renowned and have dozens of titles under both their belts. Their two teenage daughters, Sabrina and Jamie, also have a love for sailing, and Sabrina competed in the junior division in the world championships as well.
As they continue to race, they'll consider participating in the qualifying trials for the 2023 Pan-American games in Santiago, Chile. Jody Starck has previously earned the silver medal in the Pan-Am games.