Photographs by Zerogradinord / IM24CA and Joy Dunigan / USM24CA
Chelsea Simms and her Straightarrow crew had sailed together for only three days before the 2026 Melges 24 World Championship began. On Friday, racing on their home waters of Little Traverse Bay, they led the fleet around the first windward mark and stayed in front until the last downwind leg.
Peter Duncan’s Shiitake caught them there and won Race 10, the only race of the fourth day in Harbor Springs, Michigan. Straightarrow finished second, and championship leader Wah Gwan, skippered by Anthony Kotoun, crossed the line third.
“We were neck and neck with Peter Duncan’s Shiitake, but we couldn’t quite hold them off and finished second,” Simms said. “We’re very happy with that.”
The championship is hosted by Little Traverse Yacht Club in conjunction with the International Melges 24 Class Association and the US Melges 24 Class Association.
A Long Wait for One Good Race
The race almost did not happen. The fleet stayed ashore under postponement until 2 p.m., then waited on the water for another three hours as the wind moved back and forth and the race committee worked to set a fair course.
“We postponed four starting sequences before we finally got Race 10 underway on the fifth attempt,” said Principal Race Officer Mark Foster.
Once the race began, the breeze held at 7 to 9 knots for most of the course.
“We adjusted the course after a shift on the first downwind leg, but the wind moved again during the second beat,” Foster said. “There was plenty of passing and a lot of position changes throughout the fleet. It was definitely a challenging race for both the competitors and the race committee.”
Straightarrow Leads at Home
Simms sailed with George Peet, Chris Steele, Paris Porter and Charlie Vink, and her team read the start well.
“We started between the middle and the pin end, expecting the new breeze to arrive from the left while still leaving ourselves the option to use the lift on the right,” Simms said. “It worked in our favor, and we rounded the first windward mark in the lead.”
Straightarrow held off the fleet until the final downwind leg, when Shiitake found a way past. For Simms, the class itself is part of the reward.
“There are so many reasons to love the Melges 24,” Simms said. “It takes off downwind, handles like a big dinghy and performs across such a wide range of conditions. This class gives me the chance to race alongside incredible world champions, push myself and learn from the very best.”
Shiitake Bounces Back
For Duncan’s team, the win was a quick recovery. Shiitake had been disqualified from Race 9 after a protest hearing on Thursday, a penalty that dropped them to fourth. Friday’s victory put them back in second overall on 46 points.
Wah Gwan Stays in Control
Kotoun, sailing with Grant Janov, Jordan Janov, Franny Schulte and Stu McNay, added a third place to lead the championship on 22 points.
Behind them, the fight for the podium is close. Nick Rogers’ WarCanoe is third on 49, three points behind Shiitake. Peter McClennen’s Gamecock is fourth on 52 and Bora Gulari’s Mavi fifth on 57, with 11 points covering second through fifth.
Hero or Zero for Troublemaker
The Corinthian division changed hands again. Eddie Gary’s Troublemaker / Gill Race Team, sailing with Steve Liebel, John Goller, Curtis Woodworth and Kathryn Booker, started the day 17 points behind the leader. The team finished fifth overall, won the Corinthian race and moved into first on 131 points.
“We went out with nothing to lose,” Gary said. “It was going to be hero or zero, and luckily everything fell our way.”
The start made the difference. “The pin was heavily favored, and although it’s never easy to win it, we managed to get away clean,” Gary said. “We couldn’t be happier with the result.”
Troublemaker now leads Duane Yoslov’s Looper by four points, with Stuart Simpson’s Team Barbarians another six back. The top three Corinthian teams are separated by 10 points.
“The Corinthian division is very close, with several boats still in play,” Gary said. “Tomorrow we’ll take it one start at a time, stay in the moment and see what happens.”
One Final Day
The championship ends on Saturday, and the forecast is uncertain. The Quantum Sails weather briefing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m., and the race committee will update the fleet with the day’s plan at 9:30 a.m. The last possible start is at 3 p.m.
Friday showed how quickly the day can turn. The overall podium remains open behind Wah Gwan, and only a few points separate the leading Corinthian teams.
Racing can be followed through Vakaros Live Tracking.
The Melges 24 World Championship is supported by the Great Lakes Sports Commission, Gill Marine, Arntson Marine, Running Water, Quantum Sails, Irish Boat Shop, the City of Harbor Springs, Nub’s Nob, Lulu’s Cottage, Graceful Pathway, Fabiano Brothers, the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau, the Little Traverse Yacht Club Corinthian Foundation and Melges Performance Sailboats.
Standings After 10 Races (One Discard)
- Wah Gwan, USA 865, Anthony Kotoun, 22 points
- Shiitake, USA 864, Peter Duncan, 46 points
- WarCanoe, USA 876, Nick Rogers, 49 points
- Gamecock, USA 871, Peter McClennen, 52 points
- Mavi, USA 874, Bora Gulari, 57 points
- Dark Horse, USA 870, Cuyler Morris, 67 points
- Sentinel, USA 856, Geoff Fargo, 75 points
- The 300, USA 839, Steven Boho, 85 points
- Mustang, USA 853, Dick Kalow, 95 points
- Flying Jenny, USA 869, Sandy Askew, 100 points
Corinthian Standings After 10 Races
Troublemaker / Gill Race Team, USA 811, Eddie Gary, 131 points
Looper, USA 855, Duane Yoslov, 135 points
Team Barbarians, GBR 691, Stuart Simpson, 141 points
Team Bagdad Prospects Helly Hansen, NOR 866, Tomas Mathisen, 151 points
Zhik Race Team, GBR 777, Geoff Carveth, 155 points
