After three exciting races in wind and rain on the fianl day, Drew Freides’ team Pacific Yankee from the USA, extended their lead to win the 2023 Melges 24 World Championship.
In the Pacific Yankee team, Freides has a professional crew with Nic Asher, Charlie Smythe, Alec Anderson, and Mark Ivey.
Pacific Yankee team started the final day of the event as a leader and with a fourth, a fifth and a third place in strong winds, finished with a margin of nine points over last year’s world champion Peter Duncan and his Raza Mixta team from the USA.
Also finishing on the podium was the first placed Croatian Corinthian team Mataran 24, with Ante Botica at the helm and a little girl on the bow of the boat . . . And that little girl is not just anyone.
The 12-year-old crew member, Bruna Princivali, is Croatian Optimist Dinghy Champion – and now also World Championship bronze winner and World Corinthian Champion in the Melges 24 Class.
The Corinthian team White Room of Michael/Luis Tarabochia from Germany, with 1, 14, 9 Saturdy secured second best Corinthian team, finishing the World Championship in sixth place overall.
The Corinthian podium was completed by the Norwegian team Helly Hansen Lisa II of Børre Hekk Paulsen being in eleventh overall.
Britain’s Gill Race Team of Miles Quinton, finished 18th overall.
2023 Melges 24 World Championship – Leaders after 12 races (47 entries)
1st USA865 PACIFIC YANKEE – Drew Freides – 52 pts
2nd USA829 RAZA MIXTA – Peter Duncan – 61 pts
3rd CRO649 MATARAN 24 – Ante Botica (Corinthian) – 79 pts
4th USA851 MONSOON – Bruce Ayres – 82 pts
5th USA864 DARK ENERGY – Laura Grondin – 85 pts
6th GER677 WHITE ROOM – Michael/Luis Tarabochia (Corinthian) – 86 pts
7th ITA722 ALTEA – Andrea Racchelli – 94 pts
8th USA841 WAR CANOE – Chris Rast – 99 pts
9th CRO739 PANJIC – Luka Šangulin – 108 pts
10th NOR679 HELLY HANSEN LISA II – Børre Hekk Paulsen – 111 pts
The next Melges 24 title event will be the North American Championship, hosted by the National YC in Toronto, Canada between September 14-17, 2023.
The next Melges 24 World Championship will be held in San Francisco, California, USA from August 17 to 24, 2024.
