Impressive 30-Boat Lineup for Second Winter Series Event

SARASOTA, FLORIDA (February 26, 2021): Thirty Melges 15s are preparing for the second event of the Winter Series in Sarasota, FL taking place February 27-28. The 2021 series consists of three events culminating in the Midwinter Championship March 26-28.
 
The impressive turnout is a combination of owners, young talent, and new charters from 15 states. After placing top three in the first two class events, Emily Haig (New Jersey) and her father, John, are a duo to be reckoned with. The Haigs hail from Fleet 1 at Little Egg Harbor Yacht Club, where more than a dozen boats call home. 

“This is the largest fleet I’ve sailed against since before college,” said Emily who’s in her fourth year at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “It’s cool to see different age groups sailing. With thirty boats on the line, though, the tactics are completely different, which will make things more interesting.”
 
New owner John O’Donnell (Montana) will be sailing his first class event this weekend. O’Donnell plans to race summers in Grand Lake, CO where the class is building momentum as the nation’s second largest fleet. “Everyone in Grand Lake is excited to be part of a new class that’s growing instead of trying to revive something old,” explained O’Donnell. “There’s a big convenience factor – it’s easy to rig, easy to launch, and a blast to sail.”
 
Charterer Mike Schroff (Illinois) is traveling from Chicago for the weekend to race the Melges 15 for the first time. “Every time I sail the M15, it gets more fun,” said Schroff. “Once you have a good sense of the boat handling, it gets easier and you’re more competitive.”
 
Racing kicks off Saturday, February 27 out of the Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Follow the action from the two-day event on the Melges Facebook and Instagram accounts. Results will be posted to Regatta Network. Learn more about the Melges 15 Class at melges15.com.