Zenda Express USA868 helmed by Eddie Cox - 2023 Melges 24 U.S. National Championship - Lake Geneva Yacht Club, Wisconsin, USA © Morgan Kinney / Melges Performance Sailboats | | |
HERE'S TO A SPECTACULAR 2024 WITH MELGES 24!
See You on the Waves of the New Year!
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Dear Melges 24 sailors,
In 2023, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Melges 24! Sadly, we also said goodbye to sailing legend and the visionary for the Melges 24, Buddy Melges.
2023 also marked an improved year in the number of boats on the racecourse and, therefore, the number of sailors on the water. These numbers are our most important measure of success. The Melges 24 European Sailing Series saw a record of 100 boats listed, while the U.S. National Ranking Series ranked 68 boats.
We hosted a well-attended World Championship in Middelfart, Denmark, with 47 boats and crowned a new World Champion, Drew Freides of Pacific Yankee (US). We also had a new North American Champion, Richard Reid of Zingara (CAN).
We have fantastic events on tap for 2024, with the World Championship to be held in August in San Francisco, California, USA – a venue that is well known for strong winds and wavy conditions. The San Francisco Yacht Club team has waited several years (since before Covid) for their turn to host us. The U.S. Melges 24 Class and the West Coast sailors are working diligently to find charter boats for those interested.
The Europeans 2024 will be held at the beginning of October in Split, Croatia – a country that has seen significant growth in the number of Melges 24s. The Sailing Club Split has been showing its generous hospitality already when organizing the event of the European Sailing Series this October.
The Melges 24 European Sailing Series and the North American Sailing Series have been planned for 2024, and the schedules are available online.
Regarding the boats and the class rules, we are delighted to report that Melges Performance Sailboats has begun building boats and masts in Europe - in the Yacht Services Limit in Szczecin, Poland. The availability of those major components, as well as spare parts, is improving dramatically.
Lastly, the most significant decision made at the World Council’s Annual General Meeting was eliminating the weight rule. PLEASE UNDERSTAND that this new rule is only official once World Sailing approves it. We expect this approval by early spring and will notify everyone promptly.
Thank you for a great 2023, and Happy New Year!
Laura Grondin,
IM24CA Chair
| | HONORING 2023 MELGES 24 CHAMPIONS WORLDWIDE | | | | |
DREW FREIDES & PACIFIC YANKEE (USA)
Melges 24 World Champion 2023
ANTE BOTICA & MATARAN 24 (CRO)
Melges 24 Corinthian World Champion 2023
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The 2023 Melges 24 World Championship was held from June 24 to July 1, 2023, in Middelfart, Denmark, hosted by the GoSail:
Top 3:
1. Pacific Yankee USA865 - Drew Freides, Nic Asher, Charlie Smythe, Alec Anderson, and Mark Ivey.
2. Raza Mixta USA829 - Peter Duncan, Victor Diaz de Leon, Erik Shampain, Patrick Wilson and Morgan Trubovich
3. Mataran 24 CRO649 (COR) - Ante Botica, Ivo Matic, Mario Škrlj, Damir Civadelić and Bruna Princivali.
Top Corinthian:
Mataran 24 CRO649 - Ante Botica, Ivo Matic, Mario Škrlj, Damir Civadelić and Bruna Princivali.
Read more | Results | Photo gallery | Videos | Hall of Fame
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RICHARD REID & ZINGARA (CAN)
Melges 24 North American Champion 2023
DAN BEREZIN & SURPRISE (CAN)
Melges 24 Corinthian North American Champion 2023
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The 2023 Melges 24 North American Championship was held on September 15-17, 2023, at the National Yacht Club in Toronto, Canada.
Top 3:
1. Zingara CAN853 - Richard Reid, Brian Kamilar, Ian Sloan, Bill Gooderham and Serena Vilage.
2. Surprise CAN629 (COR) - Dan Berezin, Rachel Harris, Denys Kalchenko, Alex Kapustin, Misha Mayevskyy
3. Decorum USA805 (COR) - Megan Ratliff, Nicholas Diephouse, Miro Kaffka, Steve Liebel, Hunter Ratliff
Top Corinthian:
Surprise CAN629 - Dan Berezin, Rachel Harris, Denys Kalchenko, Alex Kapustin, Misha Mayevskyy
Read more | Results | Photo galleries | Hall of Fame
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CHINOOK HUN850 (HUN)
Melges 24 European Sailing Series Champion and Corinthian Champion 2023
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The 2023 Melges 24 European Sailing Series was a ranking-based series, including the World Championship, various North and South European regattas, and national championships.
Top 3:
1. Chinook HUN850 (COR) - Ákos Csoltó, Balázs Tomai, Mihaly Kasa, Botond Weores, Balmazs Litkey
2. Panjic CRO739 - Luka Šangulin, Tomislav Basic, Duje Frzop, Helena Puric, Tonko Rameša and Sime Markic
3. Mataran 24 CRO649 (COR) - Ante Botica, Ivo Matic, Mario Škrlj, Damir Civadelić and Bruna Princivali.
Top Corinthian:
Chinook HUN850 - Ákos Csoltó, Balázs Tomai, Mihaly Kasa, Botond Weores, Balmazs Litkey
Read more | Results | Photo galleries | Hall of Fame
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CHRIS LINKS & BANTA
Melges 24 Australian Champion 2023
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The 2023 Melges 24 Australian Championship was held on January 26-29 at Royal Geelong Yacht Club as part of the Festival of Sails.
Top 3:
1. Banta AUS679 - Chris Links
2. ACCRU AUS814 - Kevin Nixon
3. Amigos AUS816 - Peter Kendall
Read more | Results | Photo gallery
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ANNA LUSCHAN & AUT502
Melges 24 Austrian Champion 2023
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JOHN MARENTETTE & SPITFIRE
Melges 24 Canadian Champion 2023
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The 2023 Melges 24 Canadian Championship was held on July 1-2, 2023, at Sarnia Yacht Club in Point Edward, Ontario.
Top 3:
1. Spitfire CAN99 - John Marentette
2. Surprise CAN629 - Dan Berezin
3. Huzzah CAN491 - Greg Chamberlain
Read more | Results | Photos
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ANTE CESIC & RAZJAREN
Melges 24 Croatian Champion 2023
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On November 17-19, 2023, the Melges 24 Croatian National Championship was held in Trogir, organized by the JK Trogir.
Top 3:
1. Razjaren CRO867 - Ante Cesic
2. Universitas Nova CRO760 - Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic
3. Panjic CRO739 - Luka Šangulin
Read more | Results | Photo gallery | Video
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PABLO GALLYAS & MAGIC MARINE
Melges 24 Chilean Champion 2023
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On January 6-8, 2023, the Melges 24 Chilean National Championship was held on Lake Rapel in Chile.
Top 3:
1. Magic Marine CHI833 - Pablo Gallyas
2. Centurion CHI740 - Juan Ramon Moral
3. Scorpius CHI831 - Jose Gonzalez
Read more | Results
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MARC WAIN PEDERSEN & FUSION
Melges 24 Danish Champion 2023
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2023 Melges 24 Danish National Championship was held in Brejning on September 15-17, 2023.
Top 3:
1. Fusion DEN828 - Marc Wain Pedersen
2. Randalin DEN409 - Kim Haugaard
3. Rattle and hum DEN205 - Kasper Grønbæk
Full results
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JÖRG TILLMANNS & SEVEN SEAS
Melges 24 German Champion 2023
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2023 Melges 24 German Open Championship was held on September 23-24, 2023, hosted by the Bayerischer Yacht Club in Starnberg.
Top 3:
1. Seven Seas GER688 - Jörg Tillmanns
2. GER652 - Christoph Hartmann
3. R2-D2 GER653 - Benjamin Off
Results
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ÁKOS CSOLTÓ & CHINOOK
Melges 24 Hungarian Champion 2023
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2023 Melges 24 Hungarian National Championship was held on August 10-13, 2023, hosted by Balatonfüredi Yacht Club on lake Balaton, Hungary.
Top 3:
1. Chinook HUN850 - Ákos Csoltó
2. Strange Brew HUN794 - Ian Ainslie
3. Hód HUN589 - Attila Bujáky
Full results
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MICHELE PAOLETTI & STRAMBAPAPÁ
Melges 24 Italian Champion 2023
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2023 Melges 24 Italian National Championship was held on July 21-23, 2023, hosted by the Fraglia Vela Riva in Riva del Garda.
Top 3:
1. Strambapapá ITA689 - Michele Paoletti
2. White Room GER677 - Luis Tarabochia
3. Chinook HUN850 - Akos Csolto
Read more | Results | Photo gallery | Video
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ØYVIND PEDER JAHRE & STORM CAPITAL
Melges 24 Norwegian Champion 2023
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2023 Melges 24 Norwegian National Championship was hosted and organised by Christiansands Seilforening on September 25-27, 2023.
Peder Jahre claimed his 10th Norwegian Melges 24 title!
Top 3:
1. Storm Capital NOR751 - Peder Jahre
2. Kaboom NOR706 - Gisle Bjørsrud Bø
3. Helly Hansen II Lisa NOR697 - Børre Hekk Paulsen
Results
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BRIAN PORTER & FULL THROTTLE
Melges 24 U.S. Champion 2023
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The 2023 U.S. Melges 24 National Championship was held on October 6-8 and was hosted by the Lake Geneva Yacht Club (LGYC) in Fontana, Wisconsin — the birthplace of the Melges 24, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2023.
Brian Porter captured an unprecedented 10th Melges 24 U.S. National Championship.
Top 3:
1. Full Throttle, USA849 - Brian Porter
2. Knocky Knocky USA820 - Bora Gulari
3. Zenda Express USA868 - Eddie Cox
Top Corinthian:
Surprise CAN629 - Dan Berezin
Read more | Results | Photo gallery
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In celebration of the Melges 24’s 30th Anniversary, the U.S. Melges 24 Class is proud to present the Melges 24 as it raced its 30th U.S. National Championship at the Lake Geneva Yacht Club on Geneva Lake, Wisconsin — the birthplace of the Melges 24. It's the boat that started it all!
The Melges 24 is timeless. To this very day, it symbolizes a forever modern, fun approach to sportboat racing and all the people, past and present, that have made it the ultimate ‘it’ boat.
Video by Up Top Media x Hannah Lee Noll
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The Melges 24 is designed by Reichel Pugh Yacht Design and manufactured by Melges Performance Sailboats in Zenda, Wisconsin USA. International Melges 24 Class Association was adopted as an International class of World Sailing in 1997.
©2023 International Melges 24 Class Association
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