Missed the Melges 24 Tips and Tuning webinar? Watch the recording and learn from the experts
by International Melges 24 Class Association 28 Mar 08:07 PDT
24 March 2026
Peter Karrie's NEFELI GER673 - Melges 24 World Champion 2025 © YCA / Giovanni Tesei
The International Melges 24 Class Association (IM24CA) hosted a highly engaging Melges 24 Webinar on March 24, bringing together sailors from across the global fleet for an in-depth discussion on performance, technique, and race-winning details.
With more than 200 sailors registered within just a few days, the strong response highlighted the continued appetite within the class for shared knowledge and practical insights. The session featured an outstanding panel of top sailors and coaches, including Dave Hughes, Giovanna Micol, Nigel Young, Mike Marshall, Chris Larson, and Allan Terhune Jr., who collectively represent decades of experience at the highest level of the sport. Read more about the panelists.
Moderated by Mike Marshall, the webinar focused on the key elements that define performance in the Melges 24 today - from rig tuning and sail selection to crew coordination, communication, and handling across a wide range of conditions. A central theme throughout the discussion was the importance of fundamentals, with particular emphasis on maintaining a consistent heel angle, precise crew movement, and the ability to adapt dynamically to changing conditions.
The panel shared practical insights into both upwind and downwind performance, highlighting how small adjustments in weight placement, sail trim, and rig settings can translate into significant gains on the racecourse. Particular attention was given to helping Corinthian teams better understand the key building blocks of speed and how to close the gap to the front of the fleet.
The interactive format encouraged strong engagement from participants, with numerous questions submitted during the session. These have now been compiled into a dedicated Q&A section, providing an additional resource for sailors looking to further refine their performance.
For those who were unable to attend live or who wish to revisit the discussion, the full webinar recording is now available online, together with the published Q&A.
The Melges 24 Webinar is part of the class's ongoing effort to support its global community by sharing knowledge, encouraging development, and strengthening connections across fleets worldwide. Further webinars are already in preparation.
Sailors are invited to watch the recording and explore the Q&A on the IM24CA website
As the 2026 season gets underway, the Melges 24 class looks forward to building on this momentum both on and off the water, with upcoming events across the North American Sailing Series, European Sailing Series, the European Championship in Tønsberg, Norway, and the World Championship in Harbor Springs, USA.
With strong momentum across the class, teams are encouraged to act now ahead of the Early Bird Entry Fee deadline for the Melges 24 World Championship 2026 on March 29, 2026. Register here