New look Endeavour Trophy 2025 - Melges 15 to take centre stage
by Sue Pelling 20 Feb 02:17 NZDT
3-5 October 2025
New look Endeavour Trophy 2025 will use Melges 15 class © Melges Performance Sailboats
This year's Endeavour Trophy champion of champions event will be sailed in the award-winning Melges 15 replacing the event's RS200, which has been used successfully for the last nine years.
The Reichel/Pugh-designed two-person Melges 15 one-design, which won the accolade of USA's Sailing World magazine's Boat of the Year in 2022, and will be launched in the UK at this weekend's RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, promises to provide the opportunity to create a level playing field for all competitors at the Endeavour Trophy.
Historically, this event has always been sailed in established classes, and those who'd sailed the chosen class previously had an advantage. However, because the Melges 15 is new to the market in the UK and therefore untried, this is the closest the event has ever got to achieving its original aim of creating level competition.
Melges Performance Sailboat's new partnership with the Endeavour Trophy, which is to provide an entire package of 30 brand-new, fully equipped Melges 15s, complete with Quantum Dacron mainsail and jib, and asymmetric spinnaker, will elevate the event to a new level.
Edwin Buckley (event director and race officer) commented: "I am absolutely delighted that we have identified a successful company like Melges Performance Sailboat that totally understands the ethos of the event and wants to help give it the recognition it deserves. We have a three-year contract with Melges, so we are looking forward to being able to provide our 30-strong teams of invited champions this year, and going forward, with top-spec racing boats that promise to offer spectacular racing."
The success of the Melges 15 in the USA has been unprecedented, with events like the recent winter series in Florida attracting 110 boats. According to Isaac Marsh UK Melges 15 agent and class coordinator, it was an immediate hit not least because of its versatility offering fast, exciting racing, and stable enough to attract a wide range of ages and abilities. "Since its launch, demand has been off the scale in the USA not only from those from other classes, but also newcomers to racing. It has been particularly popular with couples and youngsters."
Commenting on its performance and its suitability for the Endeavour Trophy, Marsh continued: "In some ways it is not a huge step away from the RS200, in fact, I would say it bridges the gap between the RS200 and RS400. It is beamy and has a flat aft section to promote quick planning, has a smaller main than the 200 but a larger kite (14sq m v 8.29sq m), and offers what I believe to be an optimum overall crew weight range of 125-150kg."
An interesting alignment of circumstances between Melges and the Endeavour's America's Cup connection, is the fact that Harry 'Buddy' Melges won the America's Cup in 1992 with Bill Koch aboard America3 - one of the last successful defences of the Cup by an American team.
Harry Melges III (CEO Melges Performance Sailboats) commenting on the Melges-Endeavour partnership said: "Melges is thrilled to be involved with the prestigious Royal Corinthian Yacht Club Endeavour Trophy. This event has a rich history of showcasing some of the best in sailing talent, and we are honoured to contribute to its legacy."
Finally, in an effort to ensure the Endeavour Trophy continues to deliver top class race management, and to stay abreast of the latest race management technology, Buckley is delighted to welcome to this year's event Vakaros - Race Sense Technology. This means all boats taking part in the racing will be fitted with an Atlas 2 sophisticated compass that partners with a multi-featured committee boat device which, among other things, detects OCSs.
Buckley concluded: "By nature of the event, the Endeavour Trophy always serves up top class racing, which is why we always strive to be as sharp and professional as possible."
Event website: royalcorinthian.co.uk/endeavour