“We Got This”: A Corinthian World Championship for Looper
2026 Melges 24 Corinthian World Champions, Looper
(From left to right: James Golden, Duane Yoslov, Shane Tillson, Ellise Smolenyak and Ian Mathiesen)
Some victories take a moment to fully sink in.
When Duane Yoslov and his San Francisco, California-based Looper team—tactician James Golden, Ellise Smolenyak, Shane Tillson and Ian Mathiesen—crossed the finish line in Harbor Springs as the 2026 Melges 24 Corinthian World Champions, there was no mistaking the immediate celebration. The smiles were enormous. The emotion overflowed. Years of racing, building a team, investing in the sport Yoslov loves and continuing to come back to the Melges 24 had culminated in the achievement his team had been chasing: a World Championship.
Perhaps what made this one especially meaningful, though, was everything behind it. It wasn't simply the title. It was the crew sailing with him, the years of change and progress that had brought them there, and the realization that this time, he and his exceptionally young team of sailors had done it together.
Minutes after the finish, the USM24CA media team had the unique opportunity to step aboard Looper, where the magnitude of what had just happened was still very much on fire and only beginning to settle in. There were smiles, there were tears, and there was an almost palpable exhale from a team beginning to understand that they had actually won the all-amateur division of the Melges 24 Worlds.
After the racing was over and Harbor Springs had grown quiet again, we caught up with Duane for a second conversation. This time, we went beyond the finish line—to the history of Looper, the people and experiences that shaped the team, the long road that ultimately led to a World Championship, what this victory means to him and his crew, and what comes next.
USM24CA: Duane, you’ve been part of the Melges 24 Class for a very long time. What does it mean to finally be able to say that you and your team are Corinthian World Champions?
DY: Competitive sailing is something that I started relatively late in life. I think my first major regatta was J24 Nationals in 1998 in San Francisco, I was 32 at the time. I was the trimmer for a friend of mine who had also just discovered competitive sailing. We were terrible, finishing in the bottom five nearly every race but I loved it and relished the challenge of learning the sport and always seeking the knowledge and skill to get better. By the mid 2000's that team fizzled out and one of my fellow teammates had bought a Melges 24. We worked out a deal that I would let him use my dry dock spot at the yacht club in exchange for letting me sail the boat in the Friday night beer can races. The boat was intimidating but exhilarating at the same time. The local fleet began to recruit me for regional events and soon I was hooked. It was about this time that my son Caleb was starting his own sailing career and crushing it in the opti fleet. Through the years he became an amazing sailor and began crewing and teaching me how to sail. He pushed me and our team to get better all the time. We always went out on the water with the intent of winning but we were always realistic about our skill level and results. Over the last 8-10 years, we've had some modest success, culminating in a podium finish at the 2024 Worlds and top American Corinthian team. Winning and being able to say we are World Champions now is bittersweet in that Caleb was not able to be part of the team this year. He is in the first year out of college and now "adulting" and could not make the time commitment needed to make this run. Alas, sailing is a lifelong sport and I hope that we will once again be able to campaign the 24.
USM24CA: This Championship win didn’t happen in six days in Harbor Springs. You’ve been developing this team and sailing with some of your crew for quite some time. What has that journey looked like, what does each member of the team bring to the program, and what finally came together at this Worlds that positioned you to win?
DY: Looking back, I realize just how a "casual racer" like me was perhaps too competitive for some of the our past crew members, (lol). I can remember more than one instance of a team member finishing an event and saying that perhaps I would be better off with someone more physically or competitively attuned to the demands of the boat and our program. Bringing on Caleb and some of his friends from the sailing world changed all that and soon I was the weak link. I needed to learn how to properly execute even the most basic of skills like tacking that is second nature to a dinghy sailor.
For this year's team, I'll start with Ellise who has been sailing on Looper for the last 11 years. We met at the Rolex Big Boat Series and she was sailing for another Melges 24 team that was not having a great event. She had great experience and was eager to sail with a team that had greater potential. She has definitely seen the ups and downs of our program but has remained committed throughout for which I am very grateful. Ellise was our primary kite trimmer for many years and has transitioned to bow and rig responsibilities. She grew up in Northern Michigan and was very excited about the opportunity to compete there. Aside from her skills on the boat she helped organize logistics for the team and most importantly managed all of our nutrition throughout the event. I cannot overstate the importance of this with three twenty-something men on the crew with voracious appetites!
James Golden was our tactician for the event and was part of our 2024 Worlds team. He and my son Caleb came up together in the Laser fleet and both were part of the Olympic Development Program at one point. Our team only came together in May of this year and James was a big part of making that happen, recruiting Ian Mathiesen (Spin trimmer) and Shane Tillson (jib/mast) to sail with us. James brings all the piss and vinegar enthusiasm that you would expect of a 24 year old. Having sailed with him over the past 3 years, what has impressed me most about James is how he has matured as an adult and turned all of that enthusiasm into leadership and focus. We all have our moments but keeping emotions in check and focusing not only on the moment but 5 steps ahead is key.
Shane Tillson...just typing the name makes me smile as he is one of the funniest people I've met. I swear if sailing does not work out for him, I'm convinced he should pursue a career in comedy and improv. Shane is a weapon on the boat at 125 lbs and the skill to manage any position needed. He brings a wealth of knowledge from his passionate pursuits within the Snipe fleet and a lifetime of sailing. At just 20 years old, I can only hope to learn half of what he knows about sailing. His light hearted but energetic approach to sailing was key to crew morale and spirit. He was the instigator of the Looper cheer for every race.
Finally, there is Ian Mathiesen, sailor, boatwright, rigger and viking. He grew up on the water as well and a childhood friend of James from Annapolis, Maryland. We first met last summer at an event in Cascade Locks, Oregon at the Columbia Gorge One Design regatta. With a last minute cancellation from James at the event, my younger son Colby filled in and Ian bravely came on out to sail with us having never even met us. He was great! Ian had such a calm and even keeled presence on the boat and skill beyond his years. He fit perfectly on the Looper program. Ian is forever looking to improve the rigging and processes on the boat and has helped keep it in tip top shape since joining the team.
One thing is for sure, we all enjoyed sailing together and look forward to doing it again. I'll note that we did not have a particularly good event at Nationals just a month prior to Worlds. It was our first event together as a team however, that did not impact our enthusiasm or optimism for Worlds. Doing all three events including the pre-worlds was an important factor. There were only 16 boats at pre-worlds but the level of competition was incredible and we learned a tremendous amount. It was a very low pressure event and the coaches and pro teams were very open in helping us during this event.
USM24CA: One of the most fascinating things about the Corinthian fleet is watching teams develop over time into genuinely exceptional competitors. From your perspective, how has the level of Corinthian competition changed during your years in the Class? And, as that competition has grown stronger, what has your own team had to learn, refine or do differently, better, to keep progressing with it?
DY: I don't think the level of competition has changed all that much, there have been stand out Corinthian teams every year we have participated. I purchased 855 from Don Jesberg, winner of the 2013 Corinthian World Championship title in San Francisco. I remember thinking, how can we ever sail that well? Those guys are next level. As he signed over the title, he told me 855 was a special boat and I agree...the boat is FAST and a 2-Time World Champ now!
What I find fascinating is the transition from a regional competitor to a National or International competitor. One of my favorite Corinthian teams is Average out of Santa Barbara owned by Kent Pierce. We were both regionally competitive and at or near the top of our regional competition. When we first met at an event, we were both like whoa, who's that guy. We became fast friends and often did post event debriefs on how we were making the boat go fast (or not). It has helped drive the level of Corinthian competition overall. I also see frustration in the teams that can't make that leap to the next level but their desire to win is there. I think it is key to try and share information and try to raise other teams up, the competition is what make this fun. This is not an inexpensive class to compete in and in some cases that becomes the limiting factor but I do think that you can do well on a modest budget and we are living proof!
USM24CA: What does it take for a Corinthian team—sailors who have jobs, families and lives away from professional sailing—to develop a program capable of competing for a World Championship at this level
DY: First of all, it takes a strong support network at home. Competing for a World Championship required weeks on the road away from home and lots of vacation time. I am so grateful for the love and support of my partner Catherine for holding down the fort and always supporting my sailing pursuits.
It also takes commitment to excellence and giving what you can to be competitive at an international level. The time commitment beyond the events themselves in planning, preparation, practice and coaching can be overwhelming so you do what you can even if you think you need to do more. Finding balance between family, work and sailing is always at the center of a Corinthian program and I am no exception. At the same time, sailing competitively has become a release of sorts for me from those same responsibilities. On the water is one of the few places where my over-stimulated brain can calm down and focus on a singular goal...make the boat go fast and win.
USM24CA: You’ve consistently sailed with younger sailors and have been a strong proponent of bringing the next generation into the Melges 24 Class. Why has that been so important to you, and what do you think younger sailors gain from being part of a Melges 24 program?
DY: Since I've started competitively sailing, I've seen the slow decline of sailing in general with lower and lower participation. Bringing youth to the game is important to me and to the sport. The ADD culture created by Tik Tok videos and digital devices has rendered the attention span required to take on a weekend event too much for many folks. They would rather get the quick hit of a 2 hour ride on the wing foil or a quick rip on the mountain bike. Being an "Opti-Dad" I saw how quickly most burned out on the sport and simply never came back to it. Looper is obviously a very young crew and I love the excitement they bring to every event. They are the future of our sport and what could be more important than that?
On a positive note, I do believe the sport is making a strong comeback. We are seeing improved numbers and participation regionally. Out spring regatta at The San Francisco Yacht Club saw 9 Melges 24s on the line!
USM24CA: After so many years in this fleet, what is it about the Melges 24—and the people who sail it—that has kept you coming back?
DY: There simply is not a better one design fleet out there. After the 2013 Worlds in San Francisco, the local fleet rapidly dissipated. J70's were on the rise and flirted with the idea of changing over given how popular the fleet was becoming. I went so far as to test sail a J70 in a Friday night beer can. The boat went upwind just fine although a little anemic. Then the big moment, we rounded the top mark in 18 kts true and turned downwind. I waited for that exhilarating whoosh of getting up on the step...instead the boat struggled to get onto a plane and plowed through the water. That's all it took to know I was a Melges 24 sailor for life!
The people are a big part as well. Guys like Brian Porter are my hero, putting together a family program that consistently is at the top of the scoreline. He is sincerely one of the nicest, most grounded people I've met and always willing to offer advice or help out in a pinch. Team Sentinel owned by Geoff Fargo helped us immensely this summer and I'm grateful for the encouragement from Geoff and his rockstar team. The list goes on and on here...you know who you are ;-). At the end of the day, these heroes of sailing are here for the same thing as us!
USM24CA: And finally, you’re the reigning Corinthian Melges 24 World Champion now. Has that sunk in yet
DY: I can honestly say yes, it definitely has sunk in that our team is the reigning Melges 24 World Champions! At first, I think I had a sense of imposter syndrome, do I really deserve to be here? I'm not really good enough...I haven't done this my whole life... That thought process nearly defeated us.
On day 3 of the regatta we moved into a healthy lead in the Corinthian fleet. The calls and texts started to come in and it was all overwhelming I have to say. I slept horribly that night and woke up lost in my own thoughts and the pressure of hanging onto a lead instead of owning how we got there and having confidence in our ability to close it out. On day 4 that came through in our performance and we gave our entire lead away, just barely staying in the hunt. That night I thought about something that was my son Caleb's favorite sayings, "whether you think you can or you think you can't, you are right!" by Henry Ford. Something shifted as I worked it out in my head and I thought too of my first conversation with 2-time Olympic Gold medalist Malcolm Page. He was meeting a young Caleb for the first time and he held out a small black velvet pouch to him and invited him to open it. Caleb did and poured the 2 gold medals out into his hand. Malcolm went on to explain what it takes to earn a medal, not only in skill but mental toughness, diving into sports psychology and its importance. That is what I was thinking about going into the final day and I awoke with a renewed outlook on making it happen. I brought the team together over breakfast and said, "we got this". I asked James to focus on nothing but finding us a good spot on the start line and starting front row, with speed knowing that if we did that, our boat speed and handling would do the rest.
We then moved on to the competitor's briefing where you Joy, gave us even more motivation as you walked past our table over to the Troublemaker team who was leading the event, coordinating on their victory interview. That put some fire in our belly. James did what I asked and we pulled out a strong performance in race 1. Shane turned to me in the prestart of race 2 and asked if was anxious and I replied "F--- no, we got this". I knew it in my heart that we did.
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Across five days and 12 races in Harbor Springs, the Corinthian championship had been a moving target, with the battle among the all-amateur teams shifting repeatedly as the series unfolded. In the end, Duane Yoslov, James Golden, Ellise Smolenyak, Shane Tillson and Ian Mathiesen had fairly and fiercely earned the title—and completed a journey that began long before they ever arrived in Harbor Springs.
Congratulations again to Looper, the 2026 Melges 24 Corinthian World Champions!