Kinsale Yacht Club sailor Sam Hunt and fellow Irish crew members Bernard Fitzpatrick and Mark Hassett remain in contention for Corinthian honours at the Melges 24 World Championship in Harbor Springs, Michigan, after a tightly fought Day Four.
The three Irish sailors are racing aboard Stuart Simpson’s Team Barbarians (GBR 691) alongside Fred Kemp, with the British-flagged team now third in the Corinthian division heading into the final day.
As reported by Afloat, Team Barbarians had moved into second place after the opening nine races, but Friday’s single race saw the Corinthian standings reshuffled.
Eddie Gary’s Troublemaker/Gill Race Team moved to the top of the Corinthian leaderboard after finishing fifth overall in Race 10, while Duane Yoslov’s Looper is second. Team Barbarians are third on 141 points, only 10 points separating the leading trio.
The final day promises a close finish, with all three teams still in contention for the Corinthian title.
Waiting game on Little Traverse Bay
Friday’s racing was delayed for several hours as the fleet waited for a reliable breeze. After four abandoned starting sequences, Race 10 finally got underway late in the afternoon in seven to nine knots.
Peter Duncan’s Shiitake claimed the race win, with local team Straightarrow second and championship leader Anthony Kotoun’s Wah Gwan third.
The result moved Shiitake back to second overall, while Wah Gwan retained a strong lead at the top of the 49-boat fleet.
Championship battle remains open
Wah Gwan leads the World Championship on 22 points, with Shiitake second on 46 and Nick Rogers’ WarCanoe third on 49.
While the overall leader has a clear advantage, the remaining podium positions remain undecided, with only 11 points separating second through fifth.
The final race of the 2026 Melges 24 World Championship is scheduled for Saturday, with the Corinthian title still very much open.
