Melges 24 World Championship 2025 at Yacht Club Adriaco – Overview
by International Melges 24 Class Association 28 Sep 03:29 PDT
20-27 September 2025
After four days of unpredictable weather, resulting in only three initial races, the 2025 Melges 24 World Championship, organized by the Yacht Club Adriaco in collaboration with the International Melges 24 Class Association and supported by the Italian Melges 24 Class, reached its thrilling conclusion on the final day.
Under the influence of powerful Bora winds, four dramatic races were completed, totaling seven (with one discard) and finalizing the overall standings.
Nefeli’s crew emerged victorious, steadily advancing through the rankings thanks to a series of impressive results and a legendary final race characterized by tactical brilliance and masterful boat handling. Helm Peter Karrie’s team, seasoned in the class for over a decade and consistent in their core crew since 2019, executed their strategy flawlessly. They maintained composure, seizing advantages when competitors faltered.
Dark Energy, helmed by International Melges 24 Class Association Chair Laura Grondin and tactician Taylor Canfield, secured second place, just three points shy of the top. Former European champions Strambapapà, with Italian Olympian Michele Paoletti at the helm, clinched third, six points off the leaders and narrowly ahead of Paolo Brescia’s Melgina, who had won the penultimate race, and reigning European champions Razjaren, helmed by Ante Cesic.
The new World Champion, Peter Karrie, who sailed alongside Alessandro Franci, Niccolò Bianchi, Saverio Cigliano, and Karlo Hmeljak, with coaching support from Simon Sivitz Kosuta, marked a historic milestone as the first German team to be inducted into the International Melges 24 Class Association Hall of Fame, earning their names engraved on the prestigious Melges Performance Sailboats Trophy. “Winning the Melges 24 World Championship is a dream come true,” commented Karrie. “It’s a challenging endeavor with no guaranteed recipe for success. This victory is the result of careful planning over time. I owe everything to my crew, who have made me a better sailor and helmsman.”
Laura Grondin expressed her satisfaction, noting the resilience of her team: “This edition of the Melges 24 World Championship ended with the incredible satisfaction of a second-place finish, which was unexpected after an early collision with Razjaren and two DNFs. The support from Yacht Club Adriaco during those moments was crucial. Step by step, we made our way back to the podium. Congratulations to Peter Karrie; his success is a significant milestone for our extraordinary class.”
In the Corinthian division, marked by intense competition, the title was claimed by the 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, helmed by Leonardo Centuori, who placed eleventh overall, only two points ahead of Ante Botica’s Mataran 24, who claimed the Corinthian World Champion title in the last two editions.
Holding the Challenge Henri Samuel Corinthian World Championship Perpetual Trophy, Miles Quinton joyfully shared, “It has been an unbelievable conclusion, with four boats separated by just a few points. We had tense races with different boats leading each time. This is a great achievement for our team. Geoff and I have been sailing together for years, and winning the European Corinthian title recently was a fantastic start. To now be at the very top of the world in such a competitive class is pure joy. Now it’s time to celebrate!”
FoxyDry, recognized as the best Under-25 team, also received the new Zerogradinord Next Gen Trophy, donated by long-time IM24CA Event Press Officer Mauro Melandri to honor his 15 years of service to the class.
Other notable awards included recognition for Bruna Princavili and Bela Jelaca as the youngest sailors in the championship. Additionally, Vladimir Prosikhin (Team Nika – 7th overall) received the Zarko Draganic Perpetual Trophy for being the Top Rookie owner at the Worlds, achieving the highest result while participating for the first time.
This World Championship also marked the culmination of the 2025 Melges 24 European Sailing Series, concluding after ten events. In the Corinthian standings, Miles Quinton’s Zhik Race Team claimed the top position, followed by Akos Csolto’s Chinook and Ante Botica’s Mataran 24. In the overall rankings, Croatia’s Razjaren, helmed by Ante Cesic, took home the series title, ahead of Michele Paoletti’s Strambapapà and Luka Sangulin’s Panjic.
During the awards ceremony, attended by Italian Sailing Federation President Francesco Ettorre, Yacht Club Adriaco President Nicolò de Manzini emphasized the event’s significance:
“Congratulations to the winners and a heartfelt 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.”
Upcoming Melges 24 championship events to mark on your calendars include the 2026 Melges 24 World Championship set to take place at the Little Traverse Yacht Club in Michigan, USA, from September 19-26, and the 2026 Melges 24 European Championship hosted by Tønsberg Seilforening in Norway, from August 28 to September 4.
The 2025 Melges 24 World Championship was made possible through the generous support of various organizations, including 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
