November 18, 2021 - Split will host the first Melges 24 class Croatian Sailing Championship this weekend, with 16 star-studded Olympian sailing crews. 

From Friday to Sunday, the first Croatian Championship in the Melges 24 class will be held in Split, with 16 crews. JK Mornar organizes the regatta and is excited to announce that the best Croatian sailors of all generations will compete in front of Split. Thus, for the first time, spectators will have the opportunity to see the showdown of Croatian Olympic medalists Tonči Stipanović and Šime Fantela, and several other great sailors, including Melges 24 class Olympians Tomislav Bašić, Karlo Kuret, Ivan Kljaković Gašpić, Luka Radelić, and Toni Bulaja, reports Dalmacija Danas.

The regatta lasts for three days, and the first races are scheduled for Friday. If the weather conditions allow, the regatta course will be placed just below Sustipan so that the competition can be followed until the end. The regatta is led by Olympian Marko Mišura and the primary judge will be the experienced Alen Kustić.

The flourishing Melges 24 class in Croatia is one of the most beautiful stories of Croatian sailing. Namely, Croatia's best sailors have always looked for a way to compete on an equal footing, but in the past 30 years in Croatia, a class of identical ships has never been successfully formed that would make this possible. However, things started to change a year ago when at the initiative of sailor Filip Jurišić, and several of Croatia's top sailors decided to buy the world's most popular one-design Melges 24 sailboat. As a result, at the end of last year, the Croatian Melges fleet counted seven ships. As things kicked off, many of Croatia's prominent sailors, from Dubrovnik to Istria, decided to use these faster and smaller sailboats, so the Croatian fleet today has 15 ships, with a tendency to grow further. 

One of the unique features of the Melges 24 class is that it brings together celebrated sailors and successful business people for whom sailing is a passion. Luka Šangulin, Miroslav Reljanović, and Matija Longin, among others, regularly take part in the Croatian Melges 24 regattas. All of them will also be sailing at the first Melges 24 Croatian Championship this weekend in Split.

There are 16 crews on the starting list, 15 of which are under the Croatian flag. The international touch to the regatta is brought by the Italian crew, led by Michele Paoletti, a sailor from Trieste who competed at the 2000 Olympic Games in the Soling class. Miroslav Reljanović's crew will include another international star - Norwegian Peer Moberg, who also sailed at the Sydney Olympics in the Laser class.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

February 16, 2020 - After five days of sailing, Croatian sailor and JK Mornar member Tonci Stipanovic won the bronze medal at the Laser World Championships in Melbourne, Australia.

Dalmatinski Portal writes that Stipanovic gave his best on the last day, which resulted in third place and the bronze medal. Tonci finished the first regatta in fourth place to achieve a much lower result, but in the last sail, he turned everything around to reach the much-desired place on the podium.

“It was a very difficult day today and the wind was blowing from the shore, which changed direction quite a bit. The first regatta saw great sailing, but the second was not good because I did not appreciate the movement of the clouds, which had a significant effect on the wind. I entered the last regatta with nine points behind the Frenchman Bernaz who held that bronze medal, but I did not lose hope, I fought to the finish line and I think that's why I was awarded a medal. I am very happy that this Olympic year has begun and I look forward to the challenges ahead,” said Tonci Stipanovic.

His younger colleague Filip Jurisic finished in tenth place, which is an outstanding result and an indication that Filip will see medals in the future.

“In the end, I have to be satisfied with how I sailed this championship; it was a good fight, but it was also the goal, to go to the maximum. The week was extremely demanding, very windy, and although it could have been better, I am satisfied with the tenth place and now I have a whole season ahead of me. I wish Tonci good luck at the Olympic Games, he has my full support,” said Filip Jurisic.

The world's best laser and gold medalist is German Philipp Buhl, and second is Matthew Wearn of Austria. A total of 42 sailors sailed in the Golden Group, and securing the third and tenth place for JK Mornar from Split is proof that a bright future awaits.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

February 11, 2020 - The Laser Sailing World Cup begins in Melbourne and runs through February 16. Two Croatian representatives, Tonci Stipanovic and Filip Jurisic, are representing JK Mornar in the race.

Gol.hr reports that Tonci Stipanovic of Split and Filip Jurisic of Hvar are representing JK Mornar at the Laser Sailing World Cup in Melbourne, which is also an opportunity for one of them to secure a spot at the Tokyo Olympics.

"We have had excellent conditions so far and I am pleased with how we are progressing. Since we arrived in Melbourne, everything has gone to plan; there has been wind, so the training has been done under ideal conditions and we cannot wait to start the regatta. As for the fight for a spot at the Tokyo Olympics, everything is currently focused on the upcoming regatta, and after that, we will see how things are going,” said Tonci Stipanovic.

Hvar's Filip Jurisic is one of the young and promising JK Mornar lasers, and this is an ideal opportunity to show his strengths amongst fierce competition.

"I am very motivated, the preparations in Split and Malta have been great and I think we have made the most of the conditions. The weather in Melbourne is quite variable and temperatures fluctuate, but there is wind, and according to forecasts, there will be wind on the first days of the regatta,” said Filip Jurisic.

Sailing.org reported that Stipanovic is already off to a great start, and described his success as ‘one small step’. 

Stipanovic noted that the conditions continue to impress.

“In the second race, I managed to pass two boats on the downwind, then picked up another place when Irishman Finn Lynch overstood the top mark."

The Laser World Championship lasts for six days, with 130 sailors from around the world participating. The first three days are qualifying, followed by three final days, after which we will uncover the best lasers in the world.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

On Saturday 2^nd September 2017, Filip Jurišić won the Mornar Grand Prix over fellow sailors and Olympians.

Split will host one of the most prestigious championships in the world of sailing - 2017 Laser World Championship, from 12th - 30th September 2017.

Filip Jurišić recently placed 10^th in the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) World Ranking for Men’s Laser Class, so Total Croatia Sailing caught up with him to chat.