Team Scorpio led by Olympic Champion Šime Fantela wins 22nd Jabuka Regatta
by JK Tijat Vodice 10 Nov 2025 08:39 PST
7-9 November 2025
The 22nd edition of the Jabuka Regatta, the largest sailing event on the Adriatic, once again solidified its reputation as the "Queen of Adriatic Offshore Races."
Organized by Sailing Club Tijat, this grueling challenge is famous for its night start from Vodice, and it attracted a substantial fleet of 116 sailboats and more than 1,000 sailors, setting the stage for an unforgettable competition.
This year's race featured extremely tense racing, which climaxed in a spectacular match race between the two leading yachts, Scorpio and Molo Longo, on the route toward the legendary Jabuka island. After an intense night of tactical maneuvering, Šime Fantela, the Olympic gold medalist from Rio 2016, and the Scorpio crew ended their intense night at sea by crossing the finish line in Vodice at 7:46 AM on Saturday morning. They completed the challenging, roughly 110-nautical-mile Vodice-Jabuka-Vodice course in an impressive 10 hours and 46 minutes.
The second spot was claimed by Fantela's long standing sailing rival, Ante Cesic, the European champion in the Melges 24 class, who secured his title in Split, and the crew of the Molo Longo.
Fantela immediately praised his competitors after the finish: "It was a superb experience! Congratulations to the entire Scorpio crew for a job well done. We had brilliant rivals in Molo Longo; we sailed a match race all the way to Jabuka, rounding the island literally meter for meter around half past 1 AM."
Filip Babic, the skipper of Scorpio and a member of Sailing Club Tijat, spoke about sailing alongside the Olympic champion. "We have sailed with Šime in shorter regattas before, but spending over 10 hours in such a demanding offshore challenge, where every decision carries significant weight, was an unforgettable experience for the whole crew," Babic said. He noted the tangible advantage: "Sailing with Šime as tactician and navigator is simply a higher level. With a sailor like him, you know every decision is optimal and that you are always a step ahead of the other crews."
The drama of the race was echoed by Vladimir Mocan, celebrated former water polo player and a Molo Longo crew member, who is one of the few sailors to have participated in all 22 editions of this Adriatic classic. "This was one of the best regattas I have ever sailed, and definitely the best Jabuka," emphasized Mocan. "From the spectacular night start illuminated by the moonlight to the fierce battle at sea and rounding Jabuka literally by the meter with Scorpio—the 22nd Jabuka was a true sailing 'classic' for me."
Stanko Skocic, President of Sailing Club Tijat, expressed his immense satisfaction with the successful organization of the regatta, which reliably concludes the sailing season in Vodice.
"When you have an Olympic gold medalist in first place and an European champion in second, you can be satisfied that Jabuka has once again confirmed its status as one of the most prestigious and highest quality Adriatic sailing events," Skocic highlighted. "The quality is further affirmed by the presence of numerous foreign crews, including a participant from Australia who has twice finished the prestigious Sydney Hobart Regatta, and, of course, our Croatian sporting legend, Ivica Kostelic. However, given the sheer difficulty of this offshore race, every single crew that manages to complete the route is truly a winner."
Skocic concluded by stressing the unique atmosphere the club works to foster: "The regatta is always defined by its people, and all of us at Sailing Club Tijat, along with the support of the city and our partners, strive every year to ensure the sailors feel that special, positive energy that prevails in Vodice, that they experience the regatta in the best atmosphere, and that they go home with an exceptional sporting experience and the desire to return next season."