Melges 24 Europeans 2026: Razjaren and Storm Capital win in Tønsberg

The Melges 24 family gathered at Tønsberg Seilforening on Friday afternoon to celebrate the conclusion of the 2026 Melges 24 European Championship and honour its new Overall and Corinthian champions. Razjaren (CRO 867), helmed by Ante Cesic and owned by Lukasz Podniesinski, successfully defended the Overall European title it won on home waters in Split in 2024. Storm Capital (NOR 751), helmed by Peder Jahre, secured its second Corinthian European title, 17 years after its first victory in 2009. Both teams returned to the top of the European podium after a championship that tested the fleet in everything from light and medium winds to extreme conditions, high waves and demanding racing.

No Racing on the Final Day

One race remained on Friday to complete the scheduled ten-race series. The Competitors’ Briefing began at 09:00, with the first warning signal scheduled for 11:00. The sunshine of the previous days was replaced by grey skies, light winds and uncertainty over whether the breeze would strengthen enough for racing.

At the morning briefing, Principal Race Officer David Bartol and Race Officer Eirik Brekke explained that the Race Committee would continue trying until the final possible opportunity to start the race.

The fleet waited on the racecourse under AP while the Race Committee monitored conditions and investigated possibilities in another racing area. However, the wind never increased beyond approximately four knots. At 14:05, AP over A was displayed, officially ending racing for the day and completing the championship with nine races sailed and one discard. With no racing on Friday, the results remained unchanged from Day 4.

Razjaren Defends the Overall European Title

Razjaren had already secured the championship with one race to spare after winning Races 7 and 8 on Thursday. The Croatian team began the event with a ninth place before winning Race 2. It stood third overall after the opening day, climbed to second after the demanding four-race heavy-weather day and then moved into an unbeatable lead with scores of 1-1-5 on Day 4.

“We fought for every place and every metre, and that is exactly what we did from the beginning,” said Ante Cesic. “The conditions here in the north are very different from what we are used to in the Mediterranean. There are much bigger waves, and we were impressed by how strong the Norwegian fleet was. Winning this championship was not easy.

“We are very happy to become European Champions for the second time.”

Razjaren finished with 22 points, 14 points ahead of ITA 854 Melgina. The winning crew was Ante Cesic, Lukasz Podniesinski, Tonci Knezovic, Ljubo Jercic and Antonio Milisic.

Paolo Brescia’s Melgina secured the silver medal with 36 points. The Italian crew included Paolo Brescia, Filippo Vulcanile, Simone Ferrarese, Federico Zampiccoli, and Jas Farneti.

Nika (MON 860), helmed by Vladimir Prosikhin, completed the Overall podium with 44 points. The crew was Vladimir Prosikhin, Alessandro Franci, Niccolò Bianchi, Karlo Hmeljak, Filippo Amonti and coach Tomaz Copi.

Storm Capital Returns to the Top

Norwegian Storm Capital secured the Corinthian European title after finishing fourth overall with 48 points, only four points outside the Overall podium. The Norwegian team was the Corinthian Boat of the Day during Wednesday’s heavy-weather racing, scoring 1-2-1-2 in the division and winning Race 5 overall.

“We are extremely happy to be back on the podium and this time at the top,” said Peder Jahre. “It has been a tough week, with everything from light winds to very strong conditions. We performed particularly well in the heavy-air races, and winning the Corinthian European title is a fantastic result for us.”

Storm Capital is one of the most successful Corinthian campaigns in Melges 24 history. In addition to its European titles from 2009 and 2026, the team’s record includes Corinthian World Championship victories in 2008, 2010 and 2012, further World Championship podiums and numerous Norwegian titles.

“Storm Capital was founded by Marius Falch Orvin in 2005, and he has been an important part of the team ever since,” Jahre continued. “Sivert Denneche joined us in 2008, while Pål Tønnesson and Lillan Agerup have sailed with us for the past few years. “The core of the team has been together for almost 20 years, and I believe that stability is one of our greatest strengths.”

The championship also marked an emotional transition for Storm Capital, with Falch Orvin stepping away from the team after two decades. “Today is both a happy and emotional day for us because Marius is leaving the team,” said Jahre. “We have known for a couple of years that this moment would come, but it is still sad now that it is here. We will continue, with Ole Christian Bårdal joining us.”

Hear comments from Peder Jahre

The championship-winning crew was Peder Jahre, Pål Tønnesson, Lillan Agerup, Marius Falch Orvin and Sivert Denneche.

TAKI 5 (ITA 878) earned the Corinthian silver medal with 51 points. The crew included Niccolò Bertola, Marco Zammarchi, Giacomo Fossati, Giovanni Bannetta, Pietro Seghezza and coach Francesco Bertone.

Local Helly Hansen II Lisa (NOR 697) took Corinthian bronze with 57 points after finishing Day 4 with second place and an Overall race victory. The crew was Kristoffer Spone, Christen Horn Johannessen, Borre Hekk Paulsen and Sigurd Paulsen.

A Championship of Challenges

The championship delivered nine races across three racing days, with two days lost because of insufficient wind. The sailors faced a remarkable range of conditions. The opening races brought sunshine and large swell, Wednesday delivered winds reaching the upper limits of the class with high waves and fast downwind planing, and Thursday tested the fleet in lighter, more tactical conditions.

“This brings another extraordinary championship to an end,” said Bartol. “It was a challenging week. We experienced strong winds, medium conditions and light winds, all packed into just three days of racing.

“Overall, I am very pleased with what we delivered together with the Race Committee. A big thank you goes to the local team. By the end of the week, I believe we had become good friends, and most importantly, we delivered proper, high-quality racing.” Bartol also thanked the IM24CA team, the measurement team, and the International Jury,

The event was the first major Melges 24 championship in Europe to use Vakaros RaceSense technology. “The system worked almost perfectly throughout the championship,” said Bartol. “We will certainly continue using it. It saves a great deal of time, not only for the Race Committee but, most importantly, for the competitors.”

Champions Honoured in Tønsberg

Bartol and Brekke brought the same confidence to the most anticipated moment of the week - the championship prize-giving - that they had shown while managing the racing. The successful event was marked by messages of thanks to the sailors, volunteers, officials, organisers, the club, Norwegian Melges 24 Class and event partners.

Erik Fusdahl, Event Chair and Club Manager at Tønsberg Seilforening, expressed his appreciation to everyone who contributed to the championship. “Tønsberg Seilforening is grateful to all the competitors, Melges 24 Class officials, race management team, technical personnel, International Jury, volunteers and everyone else who helped make this a successful European Championship for such an exciting class.

“Hosting this major event has been an important experience for our club. It tested our capabilities, skills, knowledge and cooperation, as well as our clubhouse, harbour and shore facilities. We hope that we have proven ourselves as a worthy host, and we look forward to welcoming more major sailing events to Tønsberg in the future.

“We wish the Melges 24 Class and all the participating teams the very best of luck at the upcoming World Championship.”

The podium crews received IM24CA championship medals, while Tønsberg Seilforening presented locally made glassware to the leading teams.

Razjaren will add its name once again to the Giorgio Zuccoli Trophy, the perpetual trophy of the Overall Melges 24 European Championship. Storm Capital will be recorded for the second time on the Menno Meyer Corinthian European Trophy, continuing the long legacy of the Corinthian championship.

Thirty Years of European Championship History

The championship in Tønsberg also marked 30 years since the first Melges 24 European Championship was held in Barcelona in 1996, where Italy’s Giorgio Zuccoli claimed the inaugural title.

Norway has played an important role in the class’s history. Kristian Nergaard became the first Melges 24 Corinthian World Champion in 1998. Three decades after the first Europeans, Nergaard was still competing in Tønsberg, this time alongside his sons in the championship fleet.

From the pioneers of the class to today’s established champions and emerging young teams, the generations racing together in Tønsberg demonstrated how the Melges 24 legacy continues to be carried forward.

Next Stop: Harbor Springs - 50 Strong for the Melges 24 World Championship

As the 2026 Melges 24 European Championship comes to a close in Norway, attention now turns across the Atlantic to the next major championship on the International Melges 24 Class calendar. In just two weeks, the fleet will reconvene in Harbor Springs, Michigan, USA, for the 2026 Melges 24 World Championship, hosted by Little Traverse Yacht Club, September 19-26.

With entries officially closed as of September 1, the World Championship fleet has hit the big five-‘O' – 50 Melges 24s are headed to Harbor Springs. Teams representing Canada, Great Britain and the United States will converge on northern Michigan, with the U.S. contingent stretching from California and Washington to Florida, New England and throughout the Midwest – a longtime hotbed of passionate and highly competitive Melges 24 racing. With one major championship drawing to a close, another is just around the corner, as the international Melges 24 spotlight shifts from Norway to Harbor Springs and the countdown to Worlds begins.

The Season Continues

The European Championship in Tønsberg was also the eighth event of the 2026 Melges 24 European Sailing Series. Two events remain before the season concludes. Melges 24 Regatta 2026 will be sailed in Sønderborg, Denmark, on September 19-20, before the European series reaches its finale at the Pula CRO Melges 24 Cup 2026/27, organised by Sailing Club Trogir in Pula, Croatia, from September 25-27.

Looking further ahead, the World Championship will return to Europe in 2027. Sailing Club Trogir will host the event at Marina Polesana in Pula, Croatia, from May 29 to June 5.

The Melges 24 family leaves Tønsberg with new champions celebrated, new names added to the class’s history and another memorable European Championship complete. Attention now turns to the closing events of the European Sailing Series, the upcoming World Championship in Harbor Springs and another season of international Melges 24 racing.