2025 Melges 24 European Sailing Series - Event 3 Preview
by International Melges 24 Class Association 21 May 2025 14:31 BST
May 23–25, 2025
Are you ready for some Melges 24 action? A total of 27 boats, representing top teams from across Europe and the United States, are heading to Riva del Garda for the third event of the 2025 Melges 24 European Sailing Series. Also valid as the 2025 Melges 24 Italian Open Championship, the regatta will be held on May 23-25 and hosted by the prestigious Fraglia Vela Riva, a favorite among sailors in the International Melges 24 Class Association.
A venue that needs no introduction, Riva del Garda will also mark the first scoring event of the 2025 Trofeo Gaudi, the Italian Melges 24 circuit. Beginning this year, the circuit is dedicated to the memory of Gaudenzio Bonini, former Melges 24 World Champion with Altea, who tragically passed away in January following a mountain accident. His longtime teammate and friend, Andrea Racchelli, owner and helmsman of Altea, shared:
"Altea is ready to enjoy its twenty-fifth Melges 24 season, but the Altea family was active long before. It will be the first one without Enzo (Gaudenzio Bonini), and it will be really hard for me: I can't remember a single sailing race without him onboard - we've been teammates since 1992. We will miss everything about him, but he will always be with us, with a joke or phrase that reminds us of him, or a boat setting done his own way. We will definitely sail for him, with the aim to win the Gaudí Trophy. We are proud that the main trophy of the Italian Circuit is now dedicated to him - a great way to remember a special sailor and a unique man. More generally, twenty-seven boats in Riva is a great achievement for the class: I can't wait for the Worlds in Trieste!"
The Gaudí Trophy will now be awarded annually in Enzo's honor - a powerful symbol of the legacy he leaves behind in the Melges 24 class.
The regatta also marks an important milestone on the road to the 2025 Melges 24 World Championship, to be held this September in Trieste, hosted by Yacht Club Adriaco. With the Worlds drawing closer, the energy and competition on Lake Garda are set to be intense, following already highly competitive performances at the first two events of the Series in Croatia.
Among the 27 entries, three teams will be travelling from the United States: Dark Horse, skippered by Cuyler Morris; Dark Energy, helmed by IM24CA Class Chair Laura Grondin; and Long Shot, led by John Poulson. They will be joined by some of the biggest names in the Melges 24 class from across Europe.
These include the reigning European Champion Razjaren (CRO), helmed by Ante Cesic; overall Series leader Panjic (CRO), skippered by Luka Šangulin; and former World Champion Altea (ITA), with Andrea Racchelli at the helm. Also racing will be Taki 4 (ITA), the four-time Corinthian World Champion led by Niccolò Bertola; Nefeli (GER), recent winner of the 2025 Bacardi Cup with Peter Karrié at the helm; and Melgina (ITA), a former European Series winner campaigned by Paolo Brescia.
Strong international competition will also come from Chinook (HUN), a consistent Corinthian contender led by Ákos Csoltó; White Room (GER), sailed by a family team of Michael Tarabochia; and Zhik Race Team (GBR), with Miles Quinton and Geoff Carveth aboard.
With a top-tier fleet, the iconic Lake Garda breeze, and a stunning mountain backdrop, this regatta is expected to deliver classic one-design racing at the highest level.
Fans and followers are invited to stay tuned to the International and Italian Melges 24 Class Association's social media channels throughout the weekend for real-time updates, results, and highlights. Racing will conclude on Sunday, May 25, with the official awards ceremony on the terrace of Fraglia Vela Riva.
More details of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series available at: www.melges24.com/europeansailingseries