Melges 15 Class Takes Center Stage at Long Beach Race Week
The 2024 Melges 15 West Coast Championship is preparing to get underway at Long Beach Race Week co-hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club and Alamitos Bay Yacht Club in California June 21-23.
The 2024 Melges 15 West Coast Championship is preparing to get underway at Long Beach Race Week co-hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club and Alamitos Bay Yacht Club in California June 21-23. With 17 boats registered, the Melges 15 represents the largest one-design fleet racing at the event.
“LBRW is definitely the highlight of the SoCal racing season, so it’s awesome to have the West Coast Championship held in conjunction with it!” said local owner, Brad Thomspon. “I think it will help encourage more people to join the M15 class - especially since we have the most boats competing in only our 2nd year at LBRW.”
The Melges 15s also represented the largest class at Cal Race Week earlier this month hosted in Marina del Rey, CA. The fleet’s increasing presence at West Coast events is a testament to how well-suited the design is to the region.
“It’s great to see a good mix of local competitors and teams traveling from further away for our events,” said Tim Clarke, owner of Vela-LA and M15 sailor. “The competition was strong at CRW and it has been great to build on the success of that regatta. That event generated more interest in the class and we were happy to welcome some new owners to our local Melges 15 fleet.”
Racing is scheduled for Friday-Sunday with the awards on Sunday afternoon. Follow the action on lbrw.org.
Midwest Sailors Triumph at East Coast Championship in Annapolis
The iconic sailing town of Annapolis, MD hosted the second annual East Coast Championship at Severn Sailing Association. Twenty-nine teams, mostly from the region, competed, but a Midwest boat topped the leaderboard.
Toby Sullivan and Graham Ness from Minnesota won the event in a 24-point tie-breaker with New Jersey’s Emily and John Haig, followed by Annapolis locals, Sara Morgan Watters and Anna Flynn.
The three-day event featured consistent winds and flat water on the Chesapeake Bay. Nine races were sailed to engage a throwout, which shook up the rankings.
This was Sullivan’s first Championship win since joining the Class in 2021. “The win still hasn’t sunk in yet, but it means a lot to finally bring home a championship win after competing against the top guys for a few years,” remarked Sullivan.
After the first seven races, the sailors left their boats behind and headed to Camp Steele for live music, dinner, and tasty beverages. A special thanks to Ron and Bonnie Steele for hosting the party!
The regatta was a culmination of three events, the Triple Crown Series, hosted by the Annapolis clubs. The Sailing World Regatta Series, Spring Series, and East Coast Championship dates all coincided with the Triple Crown horse racing event introducing a new competition for the SSA, Eastport Yacht Club, and Annapolis Yacht Club.
“The Triple Crown was really neat because it encouraged everyone to register for each event and we had all three clubs represented,” said Watters, a member of Eastport Yacht Clubf. “There’s a lot of ex-college sailors that live in the area and are looking for the next boat to sail. This boat is really taking off here, and it’s fun to see the momentum.”
Annapolis Yacht Club member, Madeleine Schroeher, added “The fleet here is super competitive and a great group of people. It’s awesome being able to have great racing in your own backyard.”
The Championship Series continues with the following events:
West Coast Championship • June 21-23 • Long Beach, CA
Great Lakes Championship • July 12-14 • Rochester, NY
Inland Championship • August 2-4 • Pewaukee, WI
National Championship • August 23-25 • Traverse City, MI
2024 East Coast Championship to Set Sail in Annapolis
The stage is set for the Second Annual Melges 15 East Coast Championship, June 7-9, 2024 in Annapolis, Maryland.
The stage is set for the Second Annual Melges 15 East Coast Championship, June 7-9, 2024 in Annapolis, Maryland. The highly anticipated event has attracted 28 teams from across the East Coast, including sailors from New York, New Jersey, and South Carolina.
As part of the Championship Series introduced in 2023, these class-sanctioned regattas aim to elevate competition, promote regional fleets, and foster a sense of camaraderie among racers.
Annapolis, renowned for its rich maritime history and vibrant sailing community, boasts burgeoning Melges 15 fleets at several clubs, including the Severn Sailing Association, Eastport Yacht Club, and Annapolis Yacht Club.
The event marks a significant milestone for the host club, Severn Sailing Association. The Melges 15 fleet’s compliance with strict membership and regatta participation requirements led to its new class sanction at SSA, enabling the fleet to organize annual events, club racing, and offer boat storage at the club.
SSA Fleet Captain Bryan Stout expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming championship. “It's a wonderful chance to really establish our fleet's presence in the Chesapeake Bay,” remarked Stout. “I'm happy to see all of the hard work we have been doing over the last couple of months come to fruition. Thanks in no small part to the volunteer efforts of SSA, the Annapolis M15 Fleet members, our wonderful sponsors, and of course Ron Steele, who is hosting a big party Saturday night.”
Eight races are scheduled for the three-day event. The Melges Team will be onsite coaching and providing daily coverage of the event on the Melges 15 Facebook and Instagram channels. Results will be available on melges15.com/results. For a full schedule of events featured in the Championship Series visit melges15.com/championship-series.
Open Season on Geneva Lake
The Geneva Lake Sailing School kicked off the regatta season in SE Wisconsin by hosting their Melges 15 clinic at LGYC.
By Maru Urban, LGYC
The Geneva Lake Sailing School kicked off the regatta season in SE Wisconsin by hosting their Melges 15 clinic at LGYC May 4-5. Saturday started with breakfast, followed by a skippers meeting, racing, and wrapped up with a debrief. The RC got 4 races in with S/SW breeze of 5-10. Unfortunately, there was no wind on Sunday, so that was all of the racing that the 18 competitors got to experience.
Home lake standouts Oliver Gray & Adler Johnston tied Finn Burdick & Colton Hibbard for first place with 10 points each. Oliver and Adler took the tie-breaker with two victories in the four races. Congrats to all, way to start the season off!
Melges Mayhem Regatta Report
Eighteen Melges 15 teams gathered at the Carolina Yacht Club in Wrightsville Beach, NC for the first annual Melges Mayhem Regatta on May 4-5.
By Pierce Barden, M15 Cape Fear Fleet Captain
Eighteen Melges 15 teams gathered at the Carolina Yacht Club in Wrightsville Beach, NC for the first annual Melges Mayhem Regatta on May 4-5. Sailors from across the Southeast participated and included teams from NC, SC, GA, and FL.
The Carolina Yacht Club, situated on the Atlantic Ocean, provided a great venue and hospitality. The club has a history of hosting major championships such as the Lightning Worlds, Lightning Pan Am Trials, Sunfish Worlds, Lightning NAs, Laser Nationals, Lightning ACCs, and Laser ACCs.
Saturday’s racing was in light 5-6mph breeze and PRO Billy Mebane and RC volunteers ran 4 races. Michael and Griffin Stapleton led the way with 4 firsts. Tied for 2nd were Austin Ando/Jack Sutton and Liam Walz/Anna Flynn. Pierce and Kiki Barden were 4th, followed by Gavin and James Crowell in 5th.
Sunday produced a little stronger 6-8mph wind allowing crews to sit on the high side. Three races were completed and awards were presented to the top 3 teams. Michael and Griffin Stapleton representing Hobcaw Yacht Club captured the overall win in dominating fashion with a total of 8 points. In 2nd place was Austin Ando/Jack Sutton also from Hobcaw Yacht Club with 13 points. Liam Walz/Anna Flynn representing Crescent Sail Yacht Club finished 3rd with 14 points. Jon Betts/Violet Derry from Carolina Yacht Club leapfrogged into 4th overall with 30 points. Locals Andrew Simpson/Sam Woodley from UNC-W finished 5th overall with 37 points.
Thank you to everyone who made this regatta successful by volunteering their time and efforts. Please check the Melges 15 Facebook Group in the coming months for next year’s regatta dates.
Melges 15 Offers Action-Packed Summer Calendar
Join the action! The Melges 15 has a full event calendar for anyone interested in getting involved in the fastest-growing one-design classes in the world.
Join the action! The Melges 15 has a full event calendar for anyone interested in joining one of the fastest-growing one-design classes in the world.
Since its launch in 2020, more than 800 Melges 15s have been sold worldwide attracting a diverse range of sailors—from seasoned veterans looking for competitive racing to new sailors seeking a thrilling and approachable platform. The design offers a fun sailing experience so you can enjoy time on the water with friends and family.
As the summer sailing season gets underway, there are Melges 15 events from coast to coast in the U.S. No matter where you live, there is a Melges 15 fleet near you! Charters are available for several regattas this season, providing an affordable way to participate in Class events.
New boats are available for Spring delivery. Request a quote or email sales@melges.com to order a new Melges 15.
Feature Events:
East Coast Championship • June 7-9, 2024 • Annapolis, MD
West Coast Championship • June 21-23, 2024 • Long Beach, CA
Great Lakes Championship • July 12-14, 2024 • Rochester, NY
40th Anniversary Newport Regatta • July 13-14, 2024 • Newport, RI
Inland Championship • August 2-4, 2024 • Pewaukee, WI
U.S. National Championship • August 23-25, 2024 • Traverse City, MI
Irish National Championship • August 24-25 • Dublin, IRL
Annapolis Triple Crown Series
Introducing the Melges 15 Triple Crown Series in Annapolis! Three regattas over five weeks in the waters of Annapolis.
Introducing the Melges 15 Triple Crown Series in Annapolis! Join us for three regattas over five weeks in the waters of Annapolis.
Sailing World Series Regatta – May 3-5 (Coinciding with the Kentucky Derby)
SSA Spring Series – May 18-19 (Preakness Weekend)
Melges 15 East Coast Championship – June 7-9 (Belmont Stakes Weekend)
Event Highlights:
Competitive Racing: Test your skills against top sailors.
Convenient Location: All regattas take place in Annapolis.
Housing Available: Accommodations upon request.
Free Boat Storage: Complimentary storage between regattas.
Fundraiser for a Cause: Join us for a fundraiser during the Spring Series.
Grand Finale: Celebration at the East Coast Championship's final party, sponsored by Melges.
Don't miss this opportunity to be part of the Melges 15 Triple Crown Series in Annapolis!
EWE Spirit Fundraiser - https://secure.qgiv.com/event/ewespiritcup2024/ (join the Melges Fleet)
Contact information:
Fleet Captain – Sara Morgan Watters: saramorgan.watters@gmail.com
SSA and ECC Chairman – Lorie Stout: lorie@stoutgear.com
Sponsorship – Scott Steele: scott@steelesailing.com
Housing – Ashley Love: m.ashley.love2@gmail.com
Boat Storage – Ron Steele: ronsteele22@gmail.com