Please select your home edition
Edition
X-Yachts X4.0

New look Endeavour Trophy 2025 - Melges 15 to take centre stage

by Sue Pelling 20 Feb 00:17 AEDT 3-5 October 2025
New look Endeavour Trophy 2025 will use Melges 15 class © Melges Performance Sailboats

This year's Endeavour Trophy champion of champions event will be sailed in the award-winning Melges 15 replacing the event's RS200, which has been used successfully for the last nine years.

The Reichel/Pugh-designed two-person Melges 15 one-design, which won the accolade of USA's Sailing World magazine's Boat of the Year in 2022, and will be launched in the UK at this weekend's RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, promises to provide the opportunity to create a level playing field for all competitors at the Endeavour Trophy.

Historically, this event has always been sailed in established classes, and those who'd sailed the chosen class previously had an advantage. However, because the Melges 15 is new to the market in the UK and therefore untried, this is the closest the event has ever got to achieving its original aim of creating level competition.

Melges Performance Sailboat's new partnership with the Endeavour Trophy, which is to provide an entire package of 30 brand-new, fully equipped Melges 15s, complete with Quantum Dacron mainsail and jib, and asymmetric spinnaker, will elevate the event to a new level.

Edwin Buckley (event director and race officer) commented: "I am absolutely delighted that we have identified a successful company like Melges Performance Sailboat that totally understands the ethos of the event and wants to help give it the recognition it deserves. We have a three-year contract with Melges, so we are looking forward to being able to provide our 30-strong teams of invited champions this year, and going forward, with top-spec racing boats that promise to offer spectacular racing."

The success of the Melges 15 in the USA has been unprecedented, with events like the recent winter series in Florida attracting 110 boats. According to Isaac Marsh UK Melges 15 agent and class coordinator, it was an immediate hit not least because of its versatility offering fast, exciting racing, and stable enough to attract a wide range of ages and abilities. "Since its launch, demand has been off the scale in the USA not only from those from other classes, but also newcomers to racing. It has been particularly popular with couples and youngsters."

Commenting on its performance and its suitability for the Endeavour Trophy, Marsh continued: "In some ways it is not a huge step away from the RS200, in fact, I would say it bridges the gap between the RS200 and RS400. It is beamy and has a flat aft section to promote quick planning, has a smaller main than the 200 but a larger kite (14sq m v 8.29sq m), and offers what I believe to be an optimum overall crew weight range of 125-150kg."

An interesting alignment of circumstances between Melges and the Endeavour's America's Cup connection, is the fact that Harry 'Buddy' Melges won the America's Cup in 1992 with Bill Koch aboard America3 - one of the last successful defences of the Cup by an American team.

Harry Melges III (CEO Melges Performance Sailboats) commenting on the Melges-Endeavour partnership said: "Melges is thrilled to be involved with the prestigious Royal Corinthian Yacht Club Endeavour Trophy. This event has a rich history of showcasing some of the best in sailing talent, and we are honoured to contribute to its legacy."

Finally, in an effort to ensure the Endeavour Trophy continues to deliver top class race management, and to stay abreast of the latest race management technology, Buckley is delighted to welcome to this year's event Vakaros - Race Sense Technology. This means all boats taking part in the racing will be fitted with an Atlas 2 sophisticated compass that partners with a multi-featured committee boat device which, among other things, detects OCSs.

Buckley concluded: "By nature of the event, the Endeavour Trophy always serves up top class racing, which is why we always strive to be as sharp and professional as possible."

Event website: royalcorinthian.co.uk/endeavour

Related Articles

Sled looking to avoid 2024's late season slide
As the 52 Super Series starts next week in Saint-Tropez Fourth overall last season, 2024 and fourth also on 2022's final standings, fifth in 2023 Takashi Okura's USA flagged Sled team start 2025 looking to find the small percentage gains here and there. Posted today at 5:28 pm
Smarter at the Dock, Safer at Sea
How Upgrades Are Changing Cruising The service being offered by yacht manufacturers leaps forward every year - responding to a market which demands the highest quality in every aspect. Posted today at 3:00 pm
Transatlantic Race 2025 Preview
A North Atlantic adventure like no other The Transatlantic Race 2025 from the East Coast of the United States to the shores of the United Kingdom stands as one of sailing's most time-honored and demanding challenges. Posted today at 1:52 pm
A+T Instruments 10th Anniversary Celebrations
"We set out to make the World's Best Yacht Instruments" Globally recognised yacht instruments company A+T Instruments is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year after a decade of successful growth by pushing the boundaries of quality and customer service. Posted today at 11:00 am
Inaugural Anzac Day Cup
Defence Forces and Olympians battle it out on Sydney Harbour Sydney Harbour turned it on this ANZAC Day Eve, as four teams of Australia's finest battled it out for bragging rights in the inaugural Anzac Day Cup Regatta. Posted today at 7:12 am
Is the Côte d'Azure set to deal a dose of déjà vu?
All set for the 52 SUPER SERIES 2025 season opener next week Teams from the 52 SUPER SERIES, the world's leading grand prix monohull circuit, have been hard at work through the winter and spring preparing for the 2025 season, technical updates giving way recently to on the water training. Posted today at 5:26 am
Ficker Cup sets stage for Congressional Cup
Eight international match racing teams prepare to do battle Eight international match racing teams will prepare to do battle at the Ficker Cup this weekend, 25-27 April, an official qualifying event of the World Match Racing Tour, hosted by the Long Beach Yacht Club. Posted today at 5:09 am
Melbourne Osaka Cup Update
A Thrilling Finish for Quest and Lord Jiminy After more than 5,500 nautical miles of ocean racing, just 44 seconds separated Quest and Lord Jiminy in one of the closest finishes of the Melbourne to Osaka Yacht Race so far. Posted on 24 Apr
56th Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères day 4
Kiteboarders and windsurfers go for Friday gold as shifts play havoc with process On a day in which fortunes shifted as much as the winds, French Olympic Week will have its first Medal Races on Friday as the top 8 men and women kitesurfers and windsurfers battle it out for the podium. Posted on 24 Apr
Transat Paprec Day 5
Galley & Bloch: "We couldn't have dreamed of much better!" Laure Galley - Kévin Bloch (DMG MORI Academy): "We couldn't have dreamed of much better!" Posted on 24 Apr
X-Yachts X4.3Vetus-Maxwell 2021 v2 FOOTERSelden 2020 - FOOTER