Melges 24 ESS & CRO M24 Cup: 18 Teams Open the Seventh CRO M24 Cup Season in Pula
24 September 2026 - Pula, Croatia - From Friday to Sunday, Pula will host the final event of this year’s Melges 24 European Sailing Series and, at the same time, the opening regatta of the seventh season of the CRO M24 Cup.
The event is particularly significant as it will be the first Melges 24 regatta ever held in Pula, on the same racecourse that will host the Melges 24 World Championship next May.
The entry list features 18 teams from Croatia, Italy and Hungary, including no fewer than 10 Corinthian crews. Competition in Pula is expected to be particularly strong, with the most intriguing battle likely to be between two of Europe’s leading teams: the Croatian Razjaren, led by Ante Ćesić, and the Italian Melgina team, led by Paolo Brescia.
The two teams finished first and second respectively at the recently concluded European Championship in Norway, where Razjaren claimed the European title. Their battle in Pula will also decide the winner of this year’s Melges 24 European Sailing Series.
“We are pleased with the number of entries, and the forecast for the weekend looks very promising. Pula is one of the best sailing venues on the Adriatic and we are expecting good conditions. Racing is scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with a total of nine races planned, three each day. On Friday we should have bora, with some bora likely to continue into Saturday. After that, the thermal breeze should develop. Pula is something new both for the sailors and for us on the Race Committee, as no Melges 24 regattas have been held there before,” said Marko Mišura, manager of the Croatian M24 Class.
Due to professional commitments, Little A., currently leading the Corinthian division, will not compete in Pula, opening the door for other teams to challenge for the title. The Melges 24 Skitnica will also make its racing debut in Pula. The young team from Marina Kaštela includes several highly talented sailors. Five U25 teams will also compete.
The Melges 24 fleet will also welcome back Tonči Stipanović, a two-time Olympic silver medallist in the Laser class, who will helm Yikes. Stipanović plans to compete at next year’s World Championship in Pula and intends to race the Melges 24 whenever his commitments in his Olympic class allow.
The atmosphere ahead of the new CRO M24 Cup season is positive. The season promises to be particularly interesting as it will culminate in the World Championship in Pula in May 2027. It will be the most significant Melges 24 event held in Croatia since organised racing in the class began. The Melges 24 European Championship was previously held in Split in 2024.
The fleet in Pula will be based at the new Marina Polesana, part of the Marina 21 group. Located on the northern side of Pula Bay, close to the Brijuni Islands, the marina offers 400 berths in the water and 40 dry berths, along with modern facilities and professional boat services.
“Marina Polesana is a partner of the CRO M24 Cup. It is in an excellent location, it is modern and very well equipped, and I believe it will provide us with first-class hospitality,” said Marko Mišura.
Following the Pula event, the CRO M24 Cup will visit Trogir from 6 to 8 November, which will be the final event of this year’s series. The official calendar for next year has not yet been published, but the organisers are planning an event in Zadar in March, followed by regattas in Opatija and Pula. In mid-May, two weeks before the World Championship, Pula will also host the Croatian National Championship. The event will serve as a final dress rehearsal for both the Croatian and international teams preparing for the World Championship.
The CRO Melges 24 Cup is held in partnership with Luki Baustoffe, Angelina Yacht Charter, Sailing Point Croatia, North Sails, One Sails, Akvarij digital studio, Raiser digital agency, ProMarine, Dustom Sails and Smartmotion.
PulaCRO Melges 24 Cup 2026/2027 1st event website
Melges 24 European Sailing Series website and current rankings
