Melges 24 World Championship 2026 - Three races, three winners as the breeze turns up in Harbor Springs

The coolest morning of the week greeted the 49 Melges 24 teams in Harbor Springs on Tuesday, but any chill disappeared quickly once the fleet hit the water for the opening day of the 2026 Melges 24 World Championship.

After one final overview at the morning competitors’ briefing, the sailors headed out knowing they had a full day ahead. To make the most of the week’s best breeze, the race committee, led by Mark Foster, delivered three races in an easterly that generally ranged from 12 to 17 knots, with gusts reaching around 20.

The Vakaros RaceSense system helped keep the starts moving smoothly, while the race committee found a steadier wind direction than the forecast might have suggested. The course remained set at 085 degrees throughout the day, but that did not mean the racing was straightforward.

“We expected a lot of wind shifts today, but in the end, the race committee never had to change the course,” said Carol Ewing, IM24CA Championship Coordinator, Americas. “It remained at 085 degrees throughout the day, and the courses were set so that it was up to the sailors to read and respond to the shifts. Everything worked well, and we saw good sailing from all the teams.”

Out on the course, the breeze served up plenty of tactical questions. The wind was stronger near the starting area and became softer farther up the track, while the chop and frequent shifts rewarded teams that could protect a clear lane and stay in phase.

Sin Duda! Strikes First

Lindsey Duda and her crew aboard Sin Duda! opened the championship in style, taking the first win of the series after a close fight to the finish.

“We didn’t realize at first that we had won,” Duda said. “It was very close coming into the finish between us, Anthony Kotoun and another boat. We were delighted with how it turned out, especially because this is only the beginning of a very long series.”

With many more races still ahead, Duda was already looking at the bigger picture. “It’s a marathon, so we were trying to sail conservatively, make good decisions and keep it clean. Winning the first race was a great way to start.”

Duda described the Harbor Springs conditions as gusty, shifty and ideal for the Melges 24. “It was a little breezier than we expected in the morning, but the conditions were quite similar to yesterday, so we had some good practice for it,” she said. “It was really fun to sail fast downwind and be out there racing.”

The early victory was followed by a 15th and a 14th, leaving Sin Duda! eighth overall on 30 points. The team is competing in the Open division.

Consistency Puts Gamecock On Top

While three teams shared the race victories, consistency decided the first overnight leader.

Peter McClennen’s Gamecock posted a 3-5-2 scoreline to finish the day on 10 points. That gives the team a one-point lead over Anthony Kotoun’s Wahgwan with Stu McNay onboard, which recorded 2-3-6, and Geoff Fargo’s Sentinel, with finishes of 5-2-4. Wahgwan holds second place on the tie-break.

Full Throttle and Peter Duncan’s Shiitake are also tied with 15 points, in fourth and fifth, respectively. Race 3 winner Dark Horse is just one point behind them in sixth.

Norwegian Team Leads the Corinthians

The battle among the Corinthian teams began just as closely. Norway’s Team Bagdad Prospects Helly Hansen and Troublemaker/Gill Race Team both finished the day on 36 points, with the Norwegian team taking the lead on the tie-break.

Alexander Klippenberg and the Norwegian crew had their best result in Race 2, finishing fourth overall and first Corinthian. Their 15-4-17 scoreline also puts them 11th in the overall standings.

“We had a pretty windy day, with gusts reaching around 20 knots,” Klippenberg said. “In the first race, we struggled a little with the shifts and finding a clear lane. We came back strongly in the second race, taking fourth overall and winning the Corinthian division, which felt fantastic.”

The team finished third among the Corinthians in the final race, completing a strong opening day.

With three races already on the board, the championship has begun at full speed. The breeze may have held its direction for the race committee, but across the racecourse, every shift brought gains and losses.

The race committee has scheduled three more races for Wednesday’s second day of competition, with the first warning signal set for 11:30 a.m. Racing can be followed through Vakaros Live Tracking.

Top 10 Overall after three races

Gamecock, Peter McClennen, USA 871; 3-5-2; 10 points
Wahgwan, Anthony Kotoun, USA 865; 2-3-6; 11 points
Sentinel, Geoff Fargo, USA 856; 5-2-4; 11 points
Full Throttle, Brian Porter, USA 849; 7-1-7; 15 points
Shiitake, Peter Duncan, USA 864; 4-8-3; 15 points
Dark Horse, Cuyler Morris, USA 870; 9-6-1; 16 points
Mavi, Bora Gulari, USA 874; 6-18-5; 29 points
Sin Duda!, Lindsey Duda Coe, USA 820; 1-15-14; 30 points
The 300, Steven Boho, USA 839; 14-7-13; 34 points
Mustang, Dick Kalow, USA 853; 8-12-15; 35 points

Top 5 Corinthian after three races

Team Bagdad Prospects Helly Hansen, Tomas Mathisen, NOR 866; 15-4-17; 36 points
Troublemaker/Gill Race Team, Edward Gary, USA 811; 10-14-12; 36 points
Team Barbarians, Stuart Simpson, GBR 691; 12-17-22; 51 points
Looper, Duane Yoslov, USA 855; 13-19-19; 51 points
PCH, Philip Harland, CAN 498; 19-21-20; 60 points