Strambapapà Reclaims Italian Title After Thrilling Melges Reunion Finale

It could hardly have been closer. After eight races at the Melges Reunion, Michele Paoletti’s Strambapapà and Croatia’s Razjaren, helmed by Karlo Kuret, finished the regatta tied on 21 points. Only the tie-break rule separated the two crews, crowning Strambapapà the winner of the 2026 Italian Melges 24 National Championship, the second event of the Trofeo Gaudì, and the seventh event of the 2026 Melges 24 European Sailing Series.

Hosted by Fraglia Vela Riva in cooperation with the Italian Melges 24 Class and the International Melges 24 Class Association, the Melges Reunion once again delivered everything sailors have come to expect from Lake Garda: sunshine, spectacular Ora breeze, close one-design racing and a championship that remained undecided until the very last finish.

A Championship Decided on the Final Leg

Sunday’s finale brought another classic Garda afternoon. The famous Ora breeze filled in from the south at 8–12 knots, shifting the racecourse towards the eastern shore of the lake and providing ideal tactical conditions for the final two races.

With only two races remaining, several teams still had realistic podium ambitions, but all eyes were focused on the duel between overnight leader Strambapapà and Razjaren. Paoletti’s Italian crew strengthened its position by finishing second in the penultimate race, while Razjaren crossed fourth. Everything, therefore, came down to the final race.

Razjaren delivered exactly what was needed, winning the race in convincing fashion. Behind them, however, Strambapapà did exactly enough. A sixth-place finish secured a tie on overall points, and thanks to one additional second-place finish accumulated during the regatta, the Italian team claimed victory on countback. It was a fitting finale between two Olympians, with Italy’s Michele Paoletti and Croatia’s four-time Olympian Karlo Kuret taking the title fight all the way to the final finish.

For Strambapapà, the victory marks a second Italian Championship title after first lifting the trophy in 2023. The same crew also claimed the Melges 24 European Championship title in Genoa in 2022, further strengthening its position among the class’s most successful teams of recent years. The winning crew consisted of Michele Paoletti, Giovanna Micol, Davide Bivi, Giulia Pignolo and Pietro Perelli.

“It wasn’t over until the very end”

Relieved after one of the closest finishes of the season, Michele Paoletti admitted the final race had been anything but comfortable. “We’re really happy,” he said. “Now we can finally relax. The first race today gave us a little more margin over our opponents, but the last race was really stressful. We had a good start and managed to control the small advantage we had, but only right until the finish. It definitely wasn’t over until the very end.”

Although one of the world’s leading professional sailors, Paoletti once again underlined what makes the Melges 24 special for him. “Most professional sailors became professionals because they simply love sailing. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to race with my family and friends, and that’s one of the things I enjoy most about this class.”

Interview with Michele Paoletti

Croatian Challenge Pushes Champions All the Way

Razjaren’s runner-up finish was one of the stories of the regatta. Helmed by Croatia’s Karlo Kuret for owner Łukasz Podniesiński, the team steadily climbed through the standings over the weekend before pushing the eventual champions all the way to the final finish. 

Andrea Racchelli’s Altea completed the overall podium after closing the championship with another strong performance, including victory in Race 7.

Just behind the podium, class newcomer Fremito d’Aria, helmed by Dario Levi, impressed throughout the weekend to finish fourth overall despite carrying an earlier disqualification. Michael Goldfarb’s War Canoe, racing in memory of longtime team manager Bill “Billy” Goldsberry and coached by Richard Clarke, completed the overall top five after another consistently competitive regatta.

Melgina Leads the Corinthian Celebration

While the overall title fight went right down to the final finish, the Corinthian division produced its own compelling storyline. Paolo Brescia’s Melgina successfully defended its position at the top of the amateur standings, finishing seventh overall and claiming both the Corinthian title at the Melges Reunion and the 2026 Italian Melges 24 Corinthian Championship. This year was different for him, as in 2025, exactly here, Brescia’s team celebrated the Melges 24 Overall Italian Championship title. 

For Brescia, however, the result was only part of the satisfaction. Racing for the first time with reigning 2025 Melges 24 U25 World Champions Lorenzo and Leonardo Centuori, together with Filippo Vulcanile and Giancarlo Borghero, the Italian skipper was especially proud of watching a new generation immediately become part of the Melges 24 family.

“It was a fantastic experience,” Brescia said after racing. “I’m incredibly proud of these young sailors. Lorenzo and Leonardo joined our boat for the first time this weekend, and it was amazing to see how quickly they adapted. They brought great energy to the team, and it was a pleasure to race with them.”

The Melges Reunion has become one of the highlights of Brescia’s season, and returning to Lake Garda remains something he particularly looks forward to. “Every year when we come to Fraglia Vela Riva, it feels like coming home. The venue is spectacular, the racing is always challenging, and the atmosphere ashore is something very special. It’s one of those events everyone enjoys coming back to.”

For Brescia, that atmosphere is exactly what makes the Melges 24 unique. “Every time I step aboard a Melges 24, I’m reminded why I love this class. You never get older in the Melges 24. It’s incredibly competitive, but at the same time it has a real family atmosphere and a genuine sense of belonging. That’s something you don’t find everywhere.”

Looking ahead, Brescia’s focus now turns to the biggest regatta of the European season. “We’ll be back here in August for training before heading straight to the European Championship in Tønsberg. It’s difficult to make predictions, but we’re optimistic and looking forward to racing against the best teams in Europe.”

Interview with Paolo Brescia

Behind Melgina, Hungary’s Chinook, helmed by Ákos Csoltó, finished second in the Corinthian standings after an excellent final day, including a runner-up finish in the last race. Germany’s White Room, helmed by Luis Tarabochia, completed the Corinthian podium after another remarkably consistent championship.

Overall Top 10

STRAMBAPAPÀ (ITA 689) – Michele Paoletti – 21 pts
RAZJAREN (CRO 867) – Karlo Kuret – 21 pts
ALTEA (ITA 722) – Andrea Racchelli – 35 pts
FREMITO D’ARIA (ITA 673) – Dario Levi – 41 pts
WAR CANOE (USA 841) – Michael Goldfarb – 43 pts
PANJIĆ (CRO 803) – Luka Sangulin – 46 pts
MELGINA (ITA 854, Corinthian) – Paolo Brescia – 46 pts
CHINOOK (HUN 850, Corinthian) – Ákos Csoltó – 47 pts
WHITE ROOM (GER 677, Corinthian) – Michael Tarabochia – 51 pts
WHATEVER (ITA 731, Corinthian) – Michele Ferrari – 59 pts

Corinthian Top 3

MELGINA (ITA 854) – Paolo Brescia – 46 pts
CHINOOK (HUN 850) – Ákos Csoltó – 47 pts
WHITE ROOM (GER 677) – Michael Tarabochia – 51 pts

Italian Championship Podiums

Although the Melges Reunion welcomed an international fleet of 30 boats from across Europe and North America, the 2026 Italian Melges 24 National Championship titles were awarded exclusively to crews meeting the Italian nationality requirements. For the second time, Strambapapà claimed the Italian National Championship title, repeating its 2023 success. Remarkably, the very same crew also captured the Melges 24 European Championship title in Genoa in 2022.

2026 Italian Melges 24 National Championship

STRAMBAPAPÀ – Michele Paoletti
FREMITO D’ARIA – Dario Levi
MELGINA – Paolo Brescia

2026 Italian Melges 24 Corinthian Championship

MELGINA – Paolo Brescia
WHATEVER – Michele Ferrari
AKUA – Sergio Caramel 

As racing concluded on Sunday afternoon, competitors and organisers gathered once more at Spiaggia degli Olivi to celebrate another memorable edition of the Melges Reunion. Together with Fraglia Vela Riva, the Italian Melges 24 Class and the International Melges 24 Class Association, the event once again combined world-class racing with the welcoming atmosphere that has made Lake Garda one of the favourite destinations on the Melges 24 calendar. The successful European debut of the Melges 15 added another exciting chapter to the Melges family and further enriched the Reunion spirit.

With the Italian Championship now decided, attention turns to the highlight of the European season–the 2026 Melges 24 European Championship in Tønsberg, Norway, from 29 August to 4 September. The championship promises to bring together the strongest teams from across the continent, setting the stage for an exciting showdown between the powerful Nordic fleet, which has dominated the northern events of the European Sailing Series, and the leading teams from Southern and Central Europe, who once again demonstrated their strength on Lake Garda.

Before the Series concludes in Pula, Croatia–host venue of the 2027 Melges 24 World Championship–the fleet will reunite once more in Denmark for the penultimate event of the 2026 Melges 24 European Sailing Series.