CRO M24 Cup Zadar: Ćesić and Paoletti Decide the Winner in a Match Race Duel
16 March 2026 - Zadar, Croatia - As many as 19 crews gathered for the second regatta of this year’s CRO Melges 24 Cup in Zadar. Racing took place in ideal conditions, and in the end, victory went to the Split-based crew on the Melges 24 Razjaren.
After no racing was held at the opening event of this year’s CRO Melges 24 Cup in Biograd, everything fell into place last weekend at the regatta in Zadar. The entry list once again featured 19 boats, a pleasant surprise for the organisers. Conditions were perfect this time, with a steady southeasterly (jugo) breeze of 15 to 20 knots blowing on both days. In these ideal conditions, all six scheduled races were completed.
The racing was intense and closely contested. The level of competition was high, as expected, with top Italian crews competing on Melgina and Strambapapa. Among the international teams, an Italian crew on Daito Nano and a Norwegian crew on Party Girl also raced in Zadar.
The winner of the Zadar regatta was decided in the final race, where the crews led by Ante Ćesić (Razjaren) and Michele Paoletti (Strambapapa) went head-to-head. In that decisive race, Paoletti and Ćesić entered into a match-race style duel. Ćesić eventually managed to break clear from the situation and cross the finish line in fourth place, which proved just enough to secure overall victory. The two teams finished the regatta with the same number of points, but the crew of Razjaren had two race wins and was therefore declared the overall winner in Zadar. Third place went to the crew helmed by Paolo Brescia on Melgina.
In the Corinthian category, the best result was achieved by the crew of Little A., sailing under the burgee of the Hvar-based club Zvir and led by Stjepan Ćesić. They finished the regatta in 8th place overall.
It is also worth noting that three junior (U25) crews competed off Zadar. The best performance among them came from the crew of Cro-a-sail, helmed by Miroslav Reljanović. This young team was strengthened by two highly experienced sailors – Stjepan Vitaljić and Zvonko Jelačić. Jelačić is a four-time world champion and the most successful sailor of all time in the IOM class.
The regatta also marked the debut appearance of the U25 crew sailing Otavić, helmed by Edo Fike. Although they were racing on by far the oldest boat in the fleet, hull number 166, the young crew from the sailing club Galeb in Kostrena performed solidly throughout all six races. They showed they could compete with Croatia’s top sailors, remaining within reach of the fleet and eventually finishing the regatta in 16th place.
The Zadar regatta also saw the first use of the Vakaros RaceSense system for detecting premature starts. The system proved its value: across six races, there was only one individual recall and no general recalls. The RaceSense system will be used at all future CRO Melges 24 Cup events. Smartmark “smart buoys” were also deployed in Zadar, further contributing to smooth race management on the water.
The next regatta of the CRO Melges 24 Cup will take place in Opatija from April 9 to 12. This event will also mark the opening regatta of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series, and a large number of international crews are expected. Italian teams sailing Strambapapa and Melgina have already confirmed their participation, while the organisers hope additional crews will arrive from nearby Trieste, the largest base of the Italian Melges 24 fleet. Several Slovenian, Austrian and other Central and Northern European crews are also expected.
Another factor likely to attract international teams is that the Melges 24 World Championship will be held in Pula in May 2027, making this season’s regattas an excellent opportunity for preparation.
Top 5 of the CRO Melges 24 Cup Zadar
CRO 867 – Razjaren – Ante Ćesić – 11 pts
ITA 689 – Strambapapa – Michele Paoletti – 11 pts
ITA 854 – Melgina – Paolo Brescia – 14 pts
CRO 649 – Mataran 24 – Ante Botica – 24 pts
ITA 748 – Daito Nano – Dino Orioli – 26 pts
The CRO Melges 24 Cup is organised in partnership with the companies: Luki Baustoffe, Angelina Yacht Charter, Sailing Point Hrvatska, North Sails, One Sails, digital studio Akvarij, Raiser digital agency, ProMarine, Dustom Sails and Smartmotion.
Razjaren CRO867 by Ante Cesic
Strambapapa ITA689 by Michele Paoletti
Melgina ITA854 and Daito Nano ITA748
Melgina ITA854 by Paolo Brescia and Strambapapa ITA689 Michele Paoletti
Panjic JR CRO739 by Lucijan Jakovljev
Strambapapa ITA689 by Michele Paoletti
Team Strambapapa ITA689 by Michele Paoletti and Giovanna Micol
Melgina ITA854 team by Paolo Brescia
CRO Melges 24 Cup Zadar 2026
CRO Melges 24 Cup Zadar 2026
CRO Melges 24 Cup Zadar 2026
