Please select your home edition
Edition
RS Sailing 2021 - LEADERBOARD

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

by Sue Pelling 19 Feb 05:17 PST 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

31st Block Island Race Week Day 4
Round The Island Race on Mount Gay Rum Race Day Mount Gay Rum Race Day featured everyone's favorite race of Block Island Race Week: the Regatta Craft Mixers Round The Island Race. The breaking of the recent heatwave made for a fast and furious counter-clockwise lap. Posted on 26 Jun
SailGP's return to Auckland for Season 6 confirmed
ITM is the NZ's Grand Prix's Title Partner, marking a fourth year supporting Black Foils. After a record breaking debut, the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix Auckland has been confirmed to be returning in 2026 and is set to be bigger than ever. Posted on 26 Jun
Rolex SailGP Championship 2026 dates confirmed
Including a return to fan-favorite destination, Auckland SailGP has released further details of forthcoming 2026 Season, including the return of fan-favorite locations, multi-year hosting agreements secured across all regions, and an evolved regional structure to raise the stakes for athletes and fans alike. Posted on 26 Jun
44Cup Marstrand 2025 day 2
Aleph Racing takes the lead after glorious four race day The 44Cup is nothing but surprises. Day two of competition for the one-design owner-driver RC44s at the 44Cup Marstrand was forecast to be light but in fact provided further magnificent conditions, with sunshine and flatter seas than yesterday. Posted on 26 Jun
Pip Hare Announced as Patron of WORLDSTAR 2026
A meaningful return to her roots with the Royal Western Yacht Club of England The Royal Western Yacht Club (RWYC) is absolutely delighted to welcome solo ocean racing legend Pip Hare as the Patron of WORLDSTAR 2026—our flagship round-the-world sailing event. This is more than a title; it's a homecoming. Posted on 26 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 7
British mixed dominance in dinghy and catamaran After the second day of the Sailing Grand Slam in the Olympic mixed classes, Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris are leading the 470 class even more dominantly than John Gimson and Anna Burnet in the Nacra 17 on Thursday (June 26). Posted on 26 Jun
29th Superyacht Cup Palma day 1
Cervo and Open Season take opening day honours The Superyacht Cup Palma 2025 swung into action today, with captains and crews across the varied and inspiring fleet seizing the opportunity to take the measure of the competition out on the racecourse. Posted on 26 Jun
J/70 Mixed-Plus Worlds at Lake Garda Day 1
Yupi leads after a perfect opening day in Torbole Lake Garda delivered its finest conditions for the opening day of the first-ever J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship: three races completed in a steady, warm Ora breeze peaking at 20 knots. Posted on 26 Jun
Tschüss 2 - Transatlantic Titans
Line Honours for Christian Zugel's Volvo 70 in the Transatlantic Race 2025 Volvo 70 Tschüss 2 (USA), owned by Christian Zugel and co-skippered by Johnny Mordaunt, has taken Line Honours in the West to East Transatlantic Race 2025 in an elapsed time of 07 Day 15 Hrs 29 Mins and 10 Secs. Posted on 26 Jun
Craig Wood Makes History
The first triple amputee to sail solo non-stop and unsupported across the Pacific Craig is the first triple amputee to sail solo non-stop and unsupported across the Pacific, completing the 7506nm journey from Mexico to Japan in 90 days. Posted on 26 Jun
North Sails Loft 57 PodcastZhik 2024 DecemberSea Sure 2025