MIAMI, Fla. — The 2025 M32 World Championship is officially underway in Coconut Grove, but the racing itself is still just over the horizon. With November 17 and 18 dedicated to measurement and inspection, and November 19 set as the official practice day, the fleet is now settling into Shake-A-Leg Miami ahead of Thursday’s first scored races on Biscayne Bay.
This year’s Worlds, held November 17–22, marks a return to one of the class’s most iconic venues. Miami has long delivered reliable winter breeze and a natural amphitheater for stadium-style catamaran racing — conditions that allow race committees to fire off fast, aggressive 15–17 minute heats with barely a pause between them.
Although boats have been spotted foiling around the bay tuning and sparring, no official races are scheduled or expected before November 20, and the results sheet remains blank, as planned.
A Loaded Lineup Returns
The entry list reads like the who’s-who of modern M32 sailing — and importantly, almost the entire 2024 World Championship top ten has returned for another shot at the title.
The Defending Champions: Rated X
The team everyone is watching is Rated X, led by Jake & Charlie Julien, the dominant force of the past two seasons. Rated X captured the 2023 and 2024 World Championships, the latter on Lake Garda in commanding fashion, sealing the title before the final race.
They arrive in Miami after a year of winning nearly everything in sight: Miami Winter Series podiums, consistent top finishes in Newport, and a near-perfect level of tactical sharpness across both light and heavy air. If they secure a third straight world title, it will mark one of the most impressive runs in class history.
Returning Podium Threats
YoungBlood (Miles Julien) — 2024 Worlds runner-up and arguably the quickest downwind boat in the fleet.
Surge (Ryan McKillen) — On a serious upward trajectory with multiple Miami Winter Series wins and one of the most refined boat-handling programs in the fleet.
Dingbat (Bobby Julien) — A consistent top-five boat with a knack for mid-regatta comebacks.
Cape Crow Vikings (Håkan Svensson) — The top European finisher at last year’s Worlds, demonstrating strong pace in big breeze.
Convexity (Don & Ava Wilson) — Class veterans with decades of experience and the ability to spoil anyone’s regatta.
ChinaOne.Ningbo (Phil Robertson) — One of the most seasoned match racers in the world now commanding a boat that can win races outright when the breeze pipes up.
The New Climber: TUUCI Racing
One of the most compelling storylines this year is TUUCI Racing, who rose from mid-fleet regulars to 2025 M32 North American Champions. Their Newport victory was emotional and emphatic — a statement that they are no longer dark horses but a legitimate contender.
Why This Year Feels Different
1. A Deeper, More Balanced Fleet
Nearly every boat on the line has won a major M32 regatta in the past two seasons. Rated X, YoungBlood, Surge, Convexity, Dingbat, and TUUCI have all taken event wins between Miami and Newport.
2. Miami Familiarity Favors the North Americans
Unlike last year’s Worlds on Lake Garda, this regatta is being sailed on home waters for most of the fleet. Teams like Surge, YoungBlood, and Dingbat — who train here year-round — have thousands of collective hours reading Biscayne Bay’s notorious metro-thermal shifts.
3. A Scoring Format That Rewards Consistency
The M32 class rarely allows massive discards. With short races and a high race count, even a single poor lane choice or botched reach-mark rounding can knock a favorite into the mid-fleet. This format is a proven equalizer — one reason the Worlds are so often decided within the final three races.
What to Expect When Racing Begins Thursday
Thursday’s opening day of official racing should deliver 10–16 knots of easterly gradient breeze, a typical November pattern that produces near-perfect M32 conditions: flat water, tactical upwind gates, and blistering 20-knot downwinds.
Racing will follow the class’s signature format:
- Reaching starts
- Windward/leeward gates
- Short target times (16–17 minutes)
- Four to six races per day if the breeze cooperates
With the entire fleet now fully measured and cleared, Wednesday’s practice day will be the first real chance to size up cross-fleet speed differences — especially in marginal trapezing upwind conditions.
Storylines to Watch
Can Rated X Complete the Dynasty?
A three-peat would place the Juliens in elite company. They’ve looked sharp in every tune-up session so far.
Is Surge the Team Best Positioned to Unseat Them?
McKillen’s crew has dominated multiple Miami series events this season and historically starts well in fresher wind.
Will TUUCI’s Momentum Carry Into the Worlds?
Their confidence is higher than ever. If they come out of Day 1 in the top three, their belief becomes dangerous.
How Will the Europeans Handle Miami’s Tricky Pressure Lines?
Cape Crow Vikings have the speed; the question is whether they can read the Bay’s streaky mid-afternoon shifts as well as the U.S.-based teams.
Check out racing highlights from the 2024 M32 World Championship
