ESS 2026 & CRO M24 Cup: Convincing Victory for Razjaren in Pula
The opening regatta of the seventh season of the CRO M24 Cup was held in Pula on September 25-27, and also marked the final event of this year’s European Sailing Series.
Eighteen crews had entered the event, but Joyrunner and the Italian Melgina did not make it to Pula, leaving a fleet of 16 teams on the starting line.
Ante Ćesić and his crew aboard Razjaren once again demonstrated their quality in Pula. After finishing third in the opening race, they went on to win the next six races. Razjaren was therefore declared the winner of the CRO M24 Cup regatta in Pula, as well as the overall winner of this year’s Melges 24 European Sailing Series.
Panjić, led by Luka Šangulin, finished second in Pula, while Cezibordo, helmed by Enia Ninčević Dujmović, took third. Tonči Stipanović took fourth place, returning to the Melges 24 class at the helm of Yikes.
In the Corinthian division, the best-performing crew was the Italian team aboard Akua, led by Sergio Caramel.
On the first day of racing, the fleet sailed in a morning bora reaching 22 knots, completing two races. Another race was held in the afternoon in a maestral breeze. On Saturday, the fleet went out on the water at 10 a.m., but the expected bora failed to materialise, and conditions were not suitable for fair racing, so the Race Committee sent the sailors back ashore. Two races were subsequently held in the afternoon in a maestral breeze.
On Sunday, the final day of the regatta, the first race started as early as 8:30 a.m. Two more races were completed in a 7–8 knot bora. The wind then dropped, bringing the regatta to a close after seven of the scheduled nine races.
Top 10: Pula CRO M24 Cup
- Razjaren (CRO 867), Ante Cesic, 6 points
- Panjic (CRO 803), Luka Sangulin, 22 points
- Cezibordo (CRO 517), Enia Nincevic Dujmovic, 25 points
- Yikes (CRO 516), Tonci Stipanovic, 26 points
- Daito Nano (ITA 748), Dino Orioli, 34 points
- Akua (ITA 767), Sergio Caramel, 36 points, 1st Corinthian
- BlueLabel (CRO 827), Hrvoje Petrovic, 37 points, 2nd Corinthian
- Panjic Jr (CRO 739), Lucijan Jakovljev, 45 points, 3rd Corinthian and U25
- Mataran 24 (CRO 649), Ante Botica, 47 points
- Raffica (ITA 821), Davide Rapotez, 56 points, 4th Corinthian
This was the first CRO M24 Cup regatta to be sailed in Pula, and the same racecourse will host the Melges 24 World Championship next May. Between 70 and 80 of the world’s top crews are expected to compete. Pula was selected as the host venue because of its location and the excellent infrastructure offered by the new Marina Polesana.
“Marina Polesana is a completely new marina. Construction is still underway on some of the facilities, but I believe it will be in full splendour by the time of the World Championship. The sailors are pleased with the infrastructure, as there is plenty of space both on the water and ashore, and it is also a great advantage that the new Monumenti Heritage Hotel & Resort is located nearby. The racecourse is 3.5 nautical miles from the marina, but that is nothing unusual for Melges 24 events,” said Marko Mišura, manager of the Croatian M24 Class.
The CRO Melges 24 Cup is held in partnership with Luki Baustoffe, Angelina Yacht Charter, Sailing Point Croatia, North Sails, One Sails, digital studio Akvarij, Raiser digital agency, ProMarine, Dustom Sails and Smartmotion.
