Final Showdown of the Melges 15 Winter Series
The 2024-25 Melges 15 Winter Series celebrates a record-breaking season after welcoming 184 teams to four events. The series concludes with 92 teams competing for the Midwinter Championship at the Melges Watersports Center on March 21-23.
Teams traveled from 27 states while New Yorkers flocked in droves to the Series, bringing a host of 18 teams from across the state. The crew of Jeff Sullivan, Billy Farmer, and Travis Odenbach (NY) send their boats south in a custom-built box trailer for the season.
“We only have to move the boats twice a year. Melges has made it really easy to store and transport everything so we can fly down from the frigid north to enjoy a weekend on the water,” explained Sullivan. “When the trailer is loaded in November, we are going south not only to race but for our family vacation, so we can’t forget the most important items: beach toys, scooters, pool floaties, kids' lifejackets, and backup car seats.”
One of the largest divisions has been the family division, making up 20% of the teams competing. David Poquette (IL) has been racing with his 14-year-old, Evan, and this marks their third Winter Series event.
“Getting on the water with my son, who was initially afraid of competitive sailing—what an entry point! Evan has only sailed in four regattas, with two of them here at the Melges Watersports Center,” explained Poquette. “It’s been an amazing experience, with a great family vibe and all levels of experience on the water—super competitive, but in the right way! This is some of the best sailing I have ever been part of, and sharing it with my son is incredible.”
Twenty-nine teams are in contention for the overall series championship after competing in all four events. This series edition marked a notable change for the scoring, where a team drops its worst score every six races.
Two-time Overall Series winner Emily Haig (NJ) has been part of the Melges 15 Class since 2020, initially racing with her father, John. Now, she competes against her sister, Dana, and they alternate sailing with their father as part of a two-boat family program.
Each regatta has been preceded by a clinic led by the Melges Team and special guest coaches, including Olympian Paris Henken and Harry Melges IV, Ripley Shelley, Kyle Navin, and Louisa Nordstrom from American Magic. However, coaching doesn’t end at the start of the regatta. The Melges 15 Class allows for on-the-water coaching as long as it is available to all competitors. Many sailors have approached the coach boat between races for tips on technique, tuning, and tactics.
Melges Coach Eddie Cox stated, “The Melges 15 Class is committed to offering all competitors access to world-class coaching and instruction. It has been wonderful to see so many teams take advantage of the clinics and learning opportunities here at the Melges Watersports Center.”
The Midwinter Championship features three action-packed days of racing Friday-Sunday, with results, photos, and videos shared on melges15.com. For more information about the Melges Watersports Center and its offerings, visit melgeswatersports.com.