08 June 2026 – Attersee, Austria – The Melges 24 Austrian Championship once again delivered tactical racing, shifting lake breezes and the renowned hospitality of Segelclub Kammersee, as Germany’s White Room successfully defended its title as International Champion of Austria while Austria’s Angry Dragon secured the 2026 Austrian National Championship crown.
Held from June 5-7 on picturesque Lake Attersee, the third event of the 2026 Melges 24 European Sailing Series attracted teams from Austria, Germany and Switzerland for three days of racing under predominantly light to moderate conditions. Eight races were completed, providing a full championship series and another valuable chapter in this year’s European Sailing Series.
White Room Dominates the Fleet
Germany’s White Room (GER 677), owned by Michael Tarabochia and helmed by his son Luis Tarabochia, successfully defended its title as International Champion of Austria with a near-perfect scoreline. The German team won seven of the eight races sailed and finished the regatta with only seven points after discarding an opening second place.
The winning crew consisted of Luis Tarabochia, Sebastian Bühler, Marco Tarabochia, Michael Tarabochia and Thomas Mathy.
Despite the dominant scoreline, the racing itself was anything but straightforward.
“I would say it is always a nice weekend at Attersee,” said Luis Tarabochia. “The wind was quite good for this lake, especially during Saturday’s northerly breeze when we had four races in very stable conditions. The other races were more typical lake sailing, with shifts and changing pressure. You need to read the lake well, and sometimes things can look a little unfair when the wind disappears somewhere and appears somewhere else. But that’s part of the fun.”
Tarabochia praised both the venue and the racing, comparing the conditions to the tactical challenges he experienced during his sailing league years.
“It felt a little like going back in time. We used to sail during the Sailing League on smaller lakes with many wind shifts and tactical situations, and this weekend brought back some of those memories. The infrastructure here is excellent, the water is crystal clear, and every year we seem to get plenty of racing. It is always worth coming back.”
Owner Michael Tarabochia echoed the positive sentiment after the event.
“In the soft conditions at the end, we were lucky to win. It was also a very exciting weekend with tough races. Everybody was happy, and we definitely want to come back next year.”
Austrian Championship Medals Decided Among Fully Austrian Crews
While White Room dominated the overall standings and successfully defended its title as International Champion of Austria, the battle for the Austrian National Championship followed a separate storyline.
According to the championship regulations, the title of Austrian Champion and the Sport Austria medals are awarded only to crews whose entire team holds Austrian citizenship. This opened the door for a close contest among several home teams throughout the weekend.
In the end, Norbert Voith and his Angry Dragon (AUT 752) crew of Matteo Feichtenschlager, Marla Feichtenschlager, Tim Voith and Tobias Michael Grasmann secured the title of Austrian Champion 2026 in the Melges 24 Class and the gold medals after finishing third overall.
The silver medals went to Michael Luschan and his crew of Anna Luschan, Lukas Eigenstuhler, Alice Lang and Philip Lang aboard AUT 502, while Josef Hackl’s Kookaburra (AUT 251), sailed together with Claus Hackl, Gottfried Irsigler and Stefan Knoll, completed the national podium with the bronze medals.
“For many years, the Austrian Championship has been one of the highlights of our regatta calendar and has been hosted by Segelclub Kammersee from the very beginning,” said Michael Schineis, President of the Austrian Melges 24 Class Association. “This year we enjoyed eight fantastic and highly competitive races in fair and challenging conditions under the leadership of Bernhard Strauch and his race management team. As Class President, I am particularly excited about the diversity of teams and sailors we saw on the starting line. Competitors from three nations, ranging from newcomers to world-class athletes, together with a remarkable number of young and enthusiastic participants, once again demonstrated the strength and appeal of the Melges 24 class.”
Valuable Points for the European Sailing Series
As the third event of the 2026 Melges 24 European Sailing Series, the Austrian Championship brought important points into the overall season ranking.
White Room’s victory significantly strengthens its position near the top of the series standings, while several Austrian teams collected valuable points ahead of the upcoming Melges 24 Italian Championship on Lake Garda in July, Nordic events and the season’s climax at the Melges 24 European Championship in Tønsberg, Norway, later this summer.
A huge thank you to Segelclub Kammersee for another memorable championship featuring challenging lake conditions, close racing, warm hospitality, and the unique Melges 24 spirit both on and off the water. The championship once again demonstrated why Lake Attersee remains a popular venue on the European calendar.
