Melges 24 World Championship 2025 at Yacht Club Adriaco - Overall
by International Melges 24 Class Association 28 Sep 2025 03:29 PDT
20-27 September 2025
After four days of uncertain weather, resulting in only three races, the 2025 Melges 24 World Championship, organized by the Yacht Club Adriaco in collaboration with the International Melges 24 Class Association and with the support of the Italian Melges 24 Class, delivered its verdict on the final day.
Under strong Bora winds, four spectacular races were completed, bringing the total to seven (with one discard) and finally defining the overall rankings.
Nefeli's crew emerged victorious, climbing steadily through the standings thanks to a string of strong results and a legendary final race in terms of tactics and boat handling. Peter Karrie's team, active in the class for over a decade and competing with the same core crew since 2019, executed their mission to perfection-sailing consistently and capitalising when others faltered. They ultimately prevailed over Dark Energy, led by International Melges 24 Class Association Chair Laura Grondin with Taylor Canfield as tactician, finishing second by just three points. Former European champions Strambapapà, helmed by Italian Olympian Michele Paoletti, claimed third, six points off the top, narrowly ahead of Paolo Brescia's Melgina, winner of the penultimate race, and two points clear of reigning European champions Razjaren, helmed by Ante Cesic.
The new World Champion, Peter Karrie, who sailed with Alessandro Franci, Niccolò Bianchi, Saverio Cigliano, and Karlo Hmeljak, supported by coach Simon Sivitz Kosuta, also marked a historic milestone: for the first time ever, a German team joined the International Melges 24 Class Association Hall of Fame and will get their names engraved on the most coveted Melges Performance Sailboats Trophy. "Winning the Melges 24 World Championship is a dream come true," commented Peter Karrie. "No matter how well prepared or competitive you are, it's still a huge challenge, with no guaranteed recipe for success. This victory has been built over time, thanks to a carefully crafted project. I owe everything to my crew, who have made me a better sailor and helmsman."
Laura Grondin also expressed her satisfaction with Dark Energy's comeback: "It was a great edition of the Melges 24 World Championship, and for us it ends with the incredible satisfaction of a second-place finish that no one would have predicted after the collision with Razjaren and two DNFs early in the week. I was amazed by the resilience of my crew and grateful for the support of Yacht Club Adriaco in that moment. Step by step, we made it back to the podium. My warmest congratulations go to Peter Karrie, whose success marks a milestone in the history of our extraordinary class."
In the Corinthian division, where the top four teams entered the final race separated by just a handful of points, the title went to Zhik Race Team, owned by Miles Quinton and crewed by Geoff Carveth, Oliver Wells, Giacomo Conti, and Sara Zuppin. They finished tenth overall, six points ahead of the young FoxyDry team, led by Leonardo Centuori, who placed eleventh overall and just two points ahead of Ante Botica's Mataran 24, Corinthian World Champions at the last two editions.
Holding the Challenge Henri Samuel Corinthian World Championship Perpetual Trophy, Miles Quinton was happy to share his joy: "It has been an unbelievable conclusion, with four boats separated by just a few points. We had four tense races, each time with a different boat out front. It was incredibly close racing," said Miles Quinton. "This is a great achievement for our team. Geoff and I have been sailing together for years, campaigning this boat and winning the European Corinthian title not long ago. To be now at the very top of the world in such a competitive and iconic class is pure joy. Now it's time to celebrate," said Miles Quinton.
FoxyDry, the best Under-25 team, also claimed the brand-new Zerogradinord Next Gen Trophy, donated by long-time IM24CA Event Press Officer Mauro Melandri to mark his 15 years of service to the class.
Other special awards included prizes for Bruna Princavili and Bela Jelaca, the youngest sailors in the championship, while Vladimir Prosikhin (Team Nika - 7th overall) received the Zarko Draganic Perpetual Trophy, awarded for the Top Rookie owner at the Worlds - participating for the first time with the highest result.
The World Championship also served as the final event of the 2025 Melges 24 European Sailing Series, which concluded after ten events. In the Corinthians, Miles Quinton's Zhik Race Team topped the standings, ahead of Akos Csolto's Chinook and Ante Botica's Mataran 24. In the overall ranking, Croatia's Razjaren, helmed by Ante Cesic, claimed the series title, ahead of Michele Paoletti's Strambapapà and Luka Sangulin's Panjic.
At the awards ceremony, attended by Italian Sailing Federation President Francesco Ettorre, Yacht Club Adriaco President Nicolò de Manzini highlighted the importance of the event:
"Congratulations to the winners, and thank you to everyone who made this world-class event possible, especially our volunteers and partners. This World Championship ranks among the proudest moments in the 100-year history of the Yacht Club Adriaco and has truly put our city on the map of international sailing."
The future Melges 24 title championships to save to the calendars: the 2026 Melges 24 World Championship will be hosted by the Little Traverse Yacht Club in Michigan, USA, from September 19-26, while the 2026 Melges 24 European Championship will be hosted by Tønsberg Seilforening, Norway, from August 28 to September 4.
The 2025 Melges 24 World Championship, organized by Yacht Club Adriaco in collaboration with the International Melges 24 Class Association and with the support of the Italian Melges 24 Class, is made possible thanks to the support of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Municipality of Trieste, Zaccanti, Richardson, Urban Hotel Design, Sirio Outfitting, Ocean Marine, Eataly, Gill, Cantina Produttori Cormons, Saiph, Impact Sportbusiness, and RAI.
Overall Results: (top ten, 7 races, 1 discard)
1. GER 673 NEFELI Peter David Karrié - 6-4-(37)-6-1-4-4 = 25 pts
2. USA 868 DARK ENERGY Laura Grondin - RDG-4-RDG-6-(14)-2-10-5-1 = 28 pts
3. ITA 689 STRAMBAPAPÀ Michele Paoletti - 5-5-5-3-(13)-6-7 = 31 pts
4. ITA 854 MELGINA Paolo Brescia - 9-(11)-2-4-6-1-10 = 32 pts
5. CRO 867 RAZJAREN Ante Cesic - RET-(69)-1-8-1-9-8 = 33 pts
6. USA 870 DARK HORSE Cuyler Morris - 3-3-10-13-2-3-(15) = 34 pts
7. MON 860 NIKA Vladimir Prosikhin - 2-2-(15)-5-12-2-12 = 35 pts
8. USA 856 SENTINEL Geoff Fargo - 1-10-4-DSQ-(69)-5-7 = 38 pts
9. USA 841 GAMECOCK Peter McClennen - 8-8-1-9-8-9-(21) = 43 pts
10. GBR 694 ZHIK RACE TEAM Miles Quinton (Corinthian) - 7-13-6-14-(17)-11-9 = 60 pts
Corinthian Results: (top five, 7 races, 1 discard)
1. GBR 694 ZHIK RACE TEAM Miles Quinton - 7-13-6-14-(17)-11-9 = 60 pts
2. ITA 636 FOXYDRY Leonardo Centuori - DNC-(69)-19-9-15-11-10 = 66 pts
3. CRO 649 MATARAN 24 Ante Botica - 4-6-13-7-18-(32)-20 = 68 pts
4. ITA 730 VERTIGO Antonio Masoli - (19)-17-19-11-3-13-16 = 79 pts
5. HUN 850 CHINOOK Ákos Csoltó - 17-14-(32)-12-25-17-22 = 107 pts