Split, Croatia to host 2024 Melges 24 Europeans and Hyeres the 2025 Melges 24 Worlds
by International Melges 24 Class Association 15 Apr 2023 04:26 AEST
Marinepool Melges 24 European Championship 2016 in Hyeres, France © Pierrick Contin
The World Council of the International Melges 24 Class Association (IM24CA) at its Extraordinary General Meeting held on April 12, voted to hold the 2024 Melges 24 European Championship in Split, Croatia in early October and to hold the 2025 Melges 24 World Championship in Hyeres, France in mid-September.
The Melges 24 Class had a "good problem" to solve when having several great venue options to choose from for the 2024 and 2025 title championships. Five bids were submitted for two upcoming events. Both Split, Croatia and Hyeres, France earned an overwhelming win over their competing bids when fifteen Melges 24 National Class representatives and IM24CA Executive Committee members voted in favour of them.
"I am grateful for the effort and willingness of the many clubs and national classes that bid on hosting our next two major events in Europe. With many windy, entertaining and capable venues to choose from, we are pleased to announce the results of the World Council's voting," said Laura Grondin, Chairman of IM24CA.
Being a new venue to the Melges 24 international fleet, Split is the sailing capital of Croatia which is an excellent venue and will support a fast-growing and high-standard Melges 24 fleet in Croatia. By the end of 2020, the Croatian Melges 24 fleet counted seven boats, but the fleet started to develop very quickly and many of the prominent sailors decided to get these worldwide very popular fast-performance one-design boats. Croatian Melges 24 Class Association has been established on February 8, 2021, with 12 boat owners. It's been growing fast up to 22 boats to date with a tendency for further growth.
"Hosting the European Championship is at the same time a great compliment to the work of the Melges 24 class in Croatia, which has experienced a real renaissance in the Adriatic in the last three years, and a great obligation in view of the trust we have received from the members of the IM24CA World Council. I am sure that we will have a wonderful event with many Croatian and foreign crews enjoying Split," said Luka Šangulin, passionate owner of Melges 24 Panjic and Chairman of the Croatian Melges 24 Class Association.
The Sailing Club Split (JK Split) annually organizes up to 10 regattas, including national championships and international regattas, making it a suitable venue for the event.
"I would like to thank the people from the Croatian Melges 24 Class Association, who helped us a lot in preparing the bid for the European Championship, and the people from the IM24CA World Council, who put their trust in us with their vote. Organising such a regatta is a great honour for our club, and as hosts, we will certainly do our best to make sure that sailors remember Split as a great destination for regattas," said Luka Jercic, Director of Sailing at JK Split.
See the bid of the Sailing Club Split
As host of the 2006 Melges 24 Worlds, 2009 and 2016 European Championships, Hyeres has been already a very popular regatta venue for the Melges 24 fleet. The stunning Cote d'Azur location, exceptional sailing conditions, excellent logistical links, outstanding facilities along with great hospitality make it a natural choice for major events and the International Melges 24 Class is delighted to once again be working with the COYCH (Cercle d'Organisation du Yachting de Compétition Hyérios) and the French Melges 24 Class Association. The Class is looking forward to encouraging the beginnings of a revival of the Class in France which was once its greatest fleet in terms of numbers.
"Our Club, COYCH, is very pleased to welcome Melges 24 in our bay again. For many years, Hyeres was a great place for the Melges 24 events like French Nationals, the Worlds with more than 120 boats and the European Championships. We are going to work with the French Melges 24 Class Association to organize a great event. Sun, wind, great sailing conditions on French Riviera, local beers and rosé will be present! Hope to see you in September 2025 - see you there," said Jacques Espuna, the President of COYCH.
Alain Lepreux, President of the French Melges 24 Class can't be happier. "We are passionately hoping to enjoy a renaissance of the Melges 24 class in France with an effort now under way to source the long and forgotten boats and bring them back to the water with the current, but also new owners. Being grateful for the support of the IM24CA World Council to grant France with Melges 24 title event again gives us the confidence to believe in that revival."
See the bid of COYCH, Hyeres
The International Melges 24 Class is grateful to Yacht Club Marina Portoroz in Slovenia, Yacht Club Isole di Toscana in Scarlino, Italy and Balatonfüred Yacht Club on Lake Balafon in Hungary for offering great competition with their bids and setting the bar of standards to such a high level.