Christina Sakellaris makes her mark and earns the W in the M32 Midtown Cup
by M32 World 28 Jul 12:22 PDT
July 25-27, 2025
With ten races down and just two points separating four teams at the top of the leaderboard, it all came down to Sunday. Christina Sakellaris and the Rated X team held their nerve and delivered the goods, clinching the Midtown Cup title in fine form.
Third time's the charm: In only her third M32 regatta at the helm, Sakellaris made it count. With a composed, confident performance and a "well-oiled machine" of teammates, Rated X won the weekend; Sakellaris teamed up with world champions Keith Swinton, Rhys Mara, Julius Hallstrom, and Jeff McCooey.
It wasn't just a win for Rated X. After 15 races, it was a full J Racing podium sweep. With plenty of race wins to their credit this weekend, TUUCI Racing was in contention for the podium until the final race. Across the weekend, three boats under the Julien family J Racing banner battled it out for the top of the scoreboard, with Bobby Julien's Dingbat and Miles Julien's Youngblood swapping spots until the final race.
"We improved every single day," said Sakellaris. When asked about the fear factor when upgrading from a Laser to a high-speed catamaran: "I don't feel a ton of fear in these boats, especially this week. I really trusted the team to keep the boat under control. There are close calls, sure, but I just try to take a breath before each start, stay calm, and let my instincts take over."
Rated X's consistent trigger pulls, smooth maneuvers, and sharp decision-making pushed them to the front of a closely packed fleet.
Rated X obliterated Surge's 2025 undefeated streak. Will this be a preview of a face-off we can expect at the M32 World Championship in Miami this fall?
"The level of the fleet is really high," said Sakellaris. "It's much faster than anything else I sail, and that makes it exciting. There are definitely heart-stopping moments. But that's what makes it fun."
The weekend wasn't all racing. Friday night brought a fleet barbecue and live band along the water at the Midtown Race Club. On Saturday afternoon, the teams rafted up together off Fort Adams for Newport Folk Fest. Sails were down, music was up, and team tenders tied up side-by-side for a floating front-row seat.
"There's real camaraderie here," Sakellaris added. "I'm friends with a lot of people across different teams. That's a big part of what makes this fleet so special."
The Midtown Cup was the second event in the M32 Newport Summer Series. In addition to Thursday night Pro-Am M32 beercan racing at the Midtown Race Club, M32 Summer Series racing resumes next month with Event No.3. See the full calendar here.