Talent-stacked Podium at Winter Series Opener
SARASOTA, FLORIDA (January 11, 2021): A cold front couldn’t quell the excitement of having 25 boats racing in the first event of the Melges 15 Winter Series January 9-10 hosted by the Sarasota Sailing Squadron. J.J. Smith and Will Murray outperformed the fleet finishing top 2 in all six races. Flanking the podium were parent/child teams Finn and Andy Burdick and Emily and John Haig.
Big breeze kicked things off for Friday’s clinic hosted by Melges Performance Sailboats. A number of teams were sailing the Melges 15 for the first time and the boat’s spritely, stable platform provided a smooth introduction even in 25 knot gusts.
Racing kicked off on Saturday with chilly winds blowing up to 20 knots across Sarasota Bay. Smith/Murray were able to hold their own in the big breeze and started the day winning race one then following fellow regatta leaders Emily and John Haig and Finn and Andy Burdick.
Day Two featured a chill in the air and diminished winds. Conquering the light air on the first upwind leg was Sarasota-local and Squadron Commodore Ted Wiehe and Joe Gradbowski. The Mega-Master led the fleet around the course, but once again Smith/Murray were able to work the pressure downwind to take their second bullet of the event. Dwindling winds and an absent seabreeze shut down the final race after only three boats crossed the finish line before the time limit expired.
The Melges 15 Class looks forward to another sell-out event February 27-28 in Sarasota. A limited number of charters are still available for the February and March events. Contact eddie@melges.com to reserve a boat today!
