Please select your home edition
Edition
A+T Instruments 2024 Leaderboard

Melges 24 World Championship Middelfart 2023 - Overall

by International Melges 24 Class Association 2 Jul 2023 15:25 AEST 27 June - 1 July 2023

The Melges Performance Sailboats Trophy for the Melges 24 Worlds title goes back to the USA after three exciting races in wind and rain today. Croatians win the Challenge Henri Samuel Corinthian Trophy in non-professional class and take bronze overall.

The 24th Melges 24 World Championship, powered by Bunker One and organized by GoSail along with Fredericia Sailing Club and International Melges 24 Class Association in partnership with Danish Melges 24 Class, which has been sailed over the past week in Middelfart, Denmark, has come to an end. The favorite for the gold, Drew Freides' team Pacific Yankee from the USA, started the final day of the event as a leader and with a fourth, a fifth and a third place in strong winds, extended their lead and win the World Championship with a margin of nine points to last year's world champion Peter Duncan from the USA.

"The last day was exactly as we had feared: tough and close sailing, and we had to fight all day to secure the world championship - and we were lucky that we ended up winning," says a happy Drew Freides, who won his first world championship in the Melges 24 Class.

"In the fall, we put together a team that we thought had the ability to win the World Championship. And a very special person joined the team - our coach, Vince Brun, who in 1998 and 1999 became the first Melges 24 world champion. So, it was very special to win the championship with him here in Middelfart," explains Drew Freides, who normally lives in Los Angeles.

"Next year, the world championship is in San Francisco, and we hope to defend the title on home soil!"

In the team of Pacific Yankee, Drew Freides has a professional crew with Nic Asher, Charlie Smythe, Alec Anderson, and Mark Ivey.

The other places on the podium were occupied by last year's world champion, Peter Duncan (USA) and his team Raza Mixta, and the Croatian Corinthian team Mataran 24 with Ante Botica at the helm and a little girl on the bow of the boat.

And that little girl is not just anyone.

The 12-year-old crew member, Bruna Princivali, is Croatian Optimist Dinghy Champion - and now also World Championship bronze winner and World Corinthian Champion in the Melges 24 Class. In addition to Ante and Bruna, the other crew members are Ivo Matic, Mario Škrlj and Damir Civadelic. After winning the Melges 24 Corinthian European title in Genova, Italy last year, Mataran 24 team has now also the highest Corinthian prize in the world level.

On top of that, Croatian team was also awarded with the Zarco Draganic perpetual trophy, donated to the class by Chris Larson, which since 2015 belongs to the top rookie owner at the Worlds. Zarko Draganic (1966-2014) was a passionate Corinthian Melges 24 sailor from San Francisco in California, who competed in several Melges 24 World Championships, also with Chris Larson. His unique, kind demeanor made him a pleasure to be around, sail with and against. It's iconic, that the trophy, which was awarded for the very first time here in Middelfart, goes eight years later from Middelfart to Croatia, where Zarko Draganic was from.

What comes to today's races, then first race of the day was won by Corinthian team White Room of Michael/Luis Tarabochia from Germany, who scored 1,14,9 today, securing his strong position as the second best Corinthian team and finishing the World Championship strong on sixth position in overall ranking.

Races 11 and 12 today went to another team sailing under German flag with mixed German-Italian crew - Nefeli of Peter Karrie, whom we can call "Bullet-team" after this championship, being the only team in the fleet posting more than one win, in fact, they posted four in last two days of the regatta! Unfortunately, some mistakes made in other races made did not give them higher position than the twelfth in overall ranking.

Corinthian podium was completed by the Norwegian team Helly Hansen Lisa II of Børre Hekk Paulsen being in eleventh overall.

Emotional prize-giving ceremony was held in the Middelfart Marina late in the afternoon. Besides honouring the winners, the organizers chaired by Soren Laugesen, also the sponsors and supporters of this World Championship were acknowledged and thanked for their great support and amazing hospitality.

Laura Grondin, IM24CA Chair and Soren Blume Svendsen, Chair of the Danish Melges 24 Class, were thanking GoSail and its team for their great efforts in organizing this Melges 24 World Championship to remember. As a nice remembrance of the event, a blue backstay flag on celebrating 30 years of Melges 24 racing, will be decorate GoSail office from now.

This is a special year since we are celebrating 30 years of racing Melges 24! With that said, the Melges 24 class is especially happy, that new Melges 24 boats and masts are now available in the USA and Europe. "We're also excited to be once again supplying new, European built boats and masts to help the class flourish for the next 30 years and beyond. Cheers to all from Zenda, USA!" sent his best wishes to the Melges 24 family in Middelfart Harry Melges III from Zenda.

Having said goodbye to Middelfart, the next Melges 24 title event will be the North American Championship, hosted by the National Yacht Club in Toronto, Canada between September 14-17, 2023. The next Melges 24 World Championship will be held in San Francisco, California, USA from August 17 to 24, 2024, the San Francisco Yacht Club as an organizer. In Europe, the next Melges 24 continental title event will be sailed in the new destination Croatia, hosted by the Sailing Club Split in Split between September 27 and October 4, 2024.

Overall Results: (top ten, 12 races, 1 discard)

1. USA865 PACIFIC YANKEE - Drew Freides - 52pts
2. USA829 RAZA MIXTA - Peter Duncan - 61pts
3. CRO649 MATARAN 24 - Ante Botica (Corinthian) - 79pts
4. USA851 MONSOON - Bruce Ayres - 82pts
5. USA864 DARK ENERGY - Laura Grondin - 85pts
6. GER677 WHITE ROOM - Michael/Luis Tarabochia (Corinthian) - 86pts
7. ITA722 ALTEA - Andrea Racchelli - 94pts
8. USA841 WAR CANOE - Chris Rast - 99pts
9. CRO739 PANJIC - Luka Šangulin - 108pts
10. NOR679 HELLY HANSEN LISA II - Børre Hekk Paulsen - 111pts

Quick Links:

Related Articles

Melges 24 European Series in Monfalcone overall
Birthday win for Paolo Brescia: Melgina tops the podium in Monfalcone Patience was rewarded on the final day in Monfalcone, where the Race Committee made the most of a light southwesterly breeze that filled in just when it seemed unlikely. Posted on 7 Jul
Melges 24 European Series in Monfalcone day 2
The Melges 24 fleet flies on early morning Bora as Nefeli retains the lead The Bora wind made its mark on the second day of the seventh event of the 2025 Melges 24 European Sailing Series, also serving as the second stage of the 2025 Trofeo Gaudi, hosted by Yacht Club Monfalcone. Posted on 5 Jul
Melges 24 European Series in Monfalcone day 1
Nefeli sets the pace after three races The seventh leg of the 2025 Melges 24 European Sailing Series, hosted by Yacht Club Monfalcone, kicked off in promising conditions with a steady 10-knot breeze from 220 degrees. Posted on 4 Jul
Melges24 European Series in Monfalcone Preview
The venue is a top-tier sailing hub in the Adriatic region With just under three months to go until the highlight of the Melges 24 season - the World Championship in Trieste - the class continues to build momentum with the next stop of the 2025 Melges 24 European Sailing Series, held in Monfalcone, Italy. Posted on 3 Jul
Melges24 European Sailing Series mid-season update
Southern teams dominate as Northern events heat up With five ranking events completed in the 2025 Melges 24 European Sailing Series, the standings showcase fierce competition, particularly driven by the Central and Southern European fleets. Posted on 3 Jul
Multiple 2025 Melges 24 ranking circuits heat up
Collectively more than 100 team entries have hit the starting line in pursuit of glory With summer in full swing, the 2025 Melges 24 racing season has hit its stride across North America, and the momentum is building. Posted on 23 Jun
Melges 24 US Nationals open for entries
Online Registration is officially open for Pensacola event in November The U.S. Melges 24 Class is thrilled to announce that Online Registration is officially open for the 2025 U.S. National Championship, hosted by Pensacola Yacht Club (PYC) on November 14-16, 2025. Posted on 18 Jun
Melges 24 European Sailing Series rankings update
48 teams from 11 nations have already contributed to a dynamic and diverse leaderboard The 2025 Melges 24 European Sailing Series is well under way, with three competitive events completed and the season heating up ahead of the World Championship in Trieste. Posted on 10 Jun
Melges 24 European Sailing Series event 3 overall
Dark Energy takes the win in Riva as Melgina claims the Italian title The final day of a thrilling regatta in Riva del Garda delivered everything the Melges 24 Class is known for: tight racing, changing leads, and a nail-biting finish. Posted on 25 May
Melges 24 European Sailing Series event 3 day 2
With the Ora fading, Dark Energy steps on the gas in Riva Even with the famed Ora breeze softening slightly, Day 2 of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series third event at Fraglia Vela Riva kept the momentum going. Posted on 24 May
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 350Selden 2020 - FOOTERMaritimo M600