Chris Rast's EFG and Tõnu Tõniste's Lenny are the new Melges 24 World Champions

The Melges 24 World Championship finished with twelve races results and one discard following a final day without wind, rewarding Chris Rast as the new holder of the Melges Performance Sailboats Challenge Trophy and Tõnu Tõniste the Henri Samuel Trophy.

“It was an amazing week here in Middelfart with such a great fleet in a relaxing place. I’m obviously really happy about our title: we had some good start and I sailed with a really solid crew, emerging around the half of the series. I want to thank all the opponents that challenged us with a great sportsmanship. Melges 24 class is really the place where is nice to stay,” Rast said after the prize giving inside the Middelfart Marina. “I also want to thank Franco Rossini’s Blu Moon that brought me in to this incredible class ten years ago. I felt in love with this boat which has a design that is still competitive and modern after twenty one years. And to be here celebrating the Worlds’ victory, sounds unforgettable.”

Rast sailed well, and starting from the second day of the event he built his victory thanks to the three consecutive bullets on the same day. Sailing with Chris Rast was Patrick Zaugg, Udo Moser, Pavel Johannes Tolen and Reneé Schenk.
Andrea Rachelli and Bora Gulari surrendered to the powerful Swiss entry that closed the event in Middelfart with more than a fifty point margin ahead of the rest of the fleet. Riccardo Simoneschi and Miles Quinton, with Geoff Carveth in helm, completed the top five.

Alongside the Swiss flag is the Estonian flag thanks to Tõnu Tõniste who took the victory in the Corinthian division with a nineteen points’ margin over Kicker Schäfer in second and Øyvind Jahre completing the podium in third.

Tõniste said, “We had a really high level competition here in Middelfart in the very tricky conditions over the week. We would have liked to have one strong winds’ day here, but it did not happen. The battle for the title of the Corinthian division was really interesting until the end as the top podium places were swopped every day. We managed to win two races and I’m really happy about my crew who made it happen with me. And I also would like to congratulate Chris Rast, my good fellow from the 470-times, for his great performance and well deserved title here.” Sailing with Tõnu Tõniste was his brother Toomas Tõniste, Tammo Otsasoo, Andres Rohtla and Maiki Saaring.

1. Christopher Rast, EFG SUI684, 57 points
2. Andrea Racchelli, Altea ITA735, 110 points
3. Bora Gulari, Air Force One USA820, 138 points
4. Riccardo Simoneschi, Audi tron ITA840, 150 points
5. Geoff Carveth, Gill Race Team GBR694, 170 points
6. Tõnu Tõniste, Lenny EST790, 188 points – Corinthian
7. Kristian Nergaard, Baghdad NOR600, 188 points
8. Michael Hestbæk, Itsi-Bitsi DEN701, 190 points
9. Kristoffer Spone, Baghdad 2 NOR400, 207 points
10. Carlo Fracassoli, Maidollis ITA822, 214 points

Top 5 in Corinthian division:

1. Tõnu Tõniste, Lenny EST790, 89 points
2. Kicker Schäfer, Musto Racing GER803, 118 points
3. Øyvind Jahre, Storm Capital Sail Racing NOR751, 120 points
4. Kris Houmann, Melges.dk DEN612, 134 points
5. Ronald Veraar, Team Kesbeke/Sika/Gill NED827, 151 points

Full Results