Surge clinches M32 World Champs

The 2025 M32 World Championship in Miami, Florida, was held November 17-22. Nationalities in attendance included Argentina, Australia, Austria, China, Ireland, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK, USA, and US Virgin Islands. After five years in the class, Ryan McKillen’s Surge has climbed to the top of the M32 world. With a string of consistent results, the team secured their first World Championship title with a race to spare.

“It feels good, really good,” said McKillen moments after crossing the line. “Five years in the class and a lot of hard work.” From a picket-fence performance in January and four back-to-back wins in 2026, Surge arrived in Miami with a target on their backs and delivered under pressure.

“We were on a heater at the start of the year, then reset over the summer. Newport knocked us off the pedestal a bit. It was a good gut check,” McKillen said. “It showed us how to refocus for this event. This year we peaked late instead of early; that’s kind of our MO. We’ve always finished strong.”

“There’s a temptation to chase quick results and make changes early, but I believe in investing time in the guys and getting better together. That’s been my approach—and we just showed it works.”

McKillen isn’t a typical world champion, “I didn’t step on a sailboat until my 30s,” he said. “Now we’re all in. We split time between Miami and Newport. I met my wife through sailing. It’s a full family affair.” With Surge firing on all cylinders this week, led by tactician Taylor Canfield, crew members Sam Loughborough, Stewart Dodson, Luke Payne, the team ended the 19-race series with a race to spare, a rare occurrence in the M32 fleet.

Canfield, who began sailing M32s over a decade ago, called the win a full-circle moment. “These boats launched my high-performance career,” he said. “After 13 years in the class, to now win a world championship with this team, it’s incredibly rewarding.” He praised the team’s work ethic and McKillen’s long-term commitment. “Ryan stuck with it. He gave us the opportunity, and now, a world title. He believed in the process, and that belief paid off.”

Surge wasn’t alone in pushing hard. TUUCI, helmed by Cy Thompson, remained a threat through the very end. Phil Robertson’s ChinaOne.Ningbo rounded out the podium in third overall, while Bobby Julien’s Dingbat takes home third Corinthian. Canfield tipped his hat to the fleet, “TUUCI pushed us all year and raised the bar here in Miami with an amazing event village. That kind of competition makes the whole class stronger.”

This championship also marked the first M32 Worlds for two new faces: Charlie Julien’s Rated X and Jon Desmond’s Final Final, signaling the continued growth of the class with family involvement, ambition, and fun at the core of their campaigns.

While the racing was fierce, the onshore scene was pure Miami. Each night, sailors gathered at TUUCI Village, where BACARDÍ cocktails, a hand-rolled cigar bar, and dominoes tables brought the class together.

The M32 fleet now shifts focus to 2026, beginning with a four-stop Miami Winter Series, hosted monthly out of Shake-A-Leg in Coconut Grove: Jan 9-11, Feb 6-8, March 13-15, and April 17-19. Demo boats are available for those interested in testing the M32 and joining the fleet.

The season then heads north to Newport, RI for summer racing, capped by the 2026 M32 World Championship:
June 12-14 – NYYC Annual Regatta
July 17-19 – US Nationals
August 14-16 – North Americans
Sept 28-Oct 3 – M32 World Championship

Whether you’re a seasoned racer, brand new to sailing, or simply curious about high-performance multihulls, there’s never been a better time to get involved. Come race with us.

2025 M32 World Championship Entry List
ChinaOne.Ningbo: Phil Robertson, Garth Ellingham, Rob Bunce, Jake Liddell, Rob Scrivenor
Convexity: Don Wilson, Ava Wilson, Adam Minoprio, Kinley Fowler, Ted Hackney
Dingbat: Bobby Julien, Tom Burton, Ed Powys, Will Tiller, Lewis Brake
Final Final: Jon Desmond, Tom Loughborough, Severin Gramm, Joey Mello, David “Freddie” Carr
Pursuit: Bill Ruh, Morgan Larson, Mac Agnese, Ricky McGarvie, Max Salminen
Rated X: Charlie Julien, Keith Swinton, Rhys Mara, Jeff McCooey, Julius Hallström
Surge: Ryan McKillen, Taylor Canfield, Sam Loughborough, Stewart Dodson, Luke Payne
TUUCI Racing: Cy Thompson, Lucas Calabrese, John Wallace, C.T. Olander, Charlie McHugh
YoungBlood: Miles Julien, Carlos Robles, Bernardo Freitas, Dan Morris, Moritz Spitzauer
Cape Crow Vikings: Håkan Svensson, Jakob Wilson, Rasmus Alnebäck, Axel Munkby, Tony Lundberg

Event details – Facebook – Results

Source: M32 media