The ChinaOne.Ningbo sailing team returned to the M32 World Championship podium on Nov 22 in Miami, securing a well-deserved third place after four days and 19 races against the most competitive field the class has seen in years.

This year's fleet gathered the sport's top teams, including North American champion Tuuci, two-time defending world champion Rated X, and three-time title holder Convexity, as well as emerging contenders like Surge. Their combined talent elevated the regatta to a new level of competition.

For ChinaOne.Ningbo, a two-time world champion, the event marked both a return to the global stage and a renewed challenge. The team's CEO Craig Monk noted that the M32 class has undergone a comprehensive upgrade in recent seasons, with teams across the board stepping up in boat handling, tuning, and tactical execution. He emphasized that the fleet has become significantly more professional since ChinaOne.Ningbo's 2018 title run.

The team's helmsman Phil Robertson highlighted the strength of the competition, noting that nearly every team now competes at a level capable of winning.

The squad arrived in Miami determined to reassert its competitiveness, and its performance matched that goal: the crew consistently delivered strong results throughout the week, including a standout race where they finished 56 seconds ahead of the fleet — an exceptional margin in M32 racing. 

Team founder Philip Pao Sohmen (Bao Wenjun) described the podium finish as a significant milestone for both the program and the city of Ningbo, which the team represents internationally.

General Manager Liu Jiao added that the team plans to retire its current M32 and dedicate it to youth development. The boat will initially support outreach programs in Hong Kong before returning to Ningbo's Xiangshan Sailing Center in Ningbo to support the training of emerging Chinese sailors.