2019 Melges 24 North American Championship Gets Serious
14.08.2019
August 14, 2019 - Traverse City, Michigan, USA - The International Melges 24 Class Association (IM24CA) is just hours away from the start of its North American Championship (NAC), and forty-two, super-tough Melges 24 teams are over-the-top excited about the highly-competitive, big-fleet racing action that lies ahead. Loaded to the gills with some of sailing's biggest industry sponsors and partners, the NAC is destined to be the finest Melges 24 regatta on the North American continent in 2019.
Melges 24 fleet in Grand Traverse, Michigan - photo © Grand Traverse Yacht Club
Shoreside, the Grand Traverse Yacht Club (GTYC) is fully prepped and already welcoming Melges 24 teams that anticipate a couple of days advance warm-up racing and boat tuning. Registration and measurement start on Wednesday, August 14. Practice racing happens Thursday followed by the first of several afternoon post-sailing debriefs with Quantum Sails' Scott Nixon. Championship racing officially gets underway on Friday, August 16, continues on Saturday, and concludes on Sunday, August 18.
U.S. Melges 24 National Ranking Series leader Kevin Welch aboard MiKEY with the famed Jeff Madrigali on the helm - photo © Bacardi Winter Series 2019
For many the stakes are high, and at the top of the food chain is U.S. Melges 24 National Ranking Series leader Kevin Welch aboard MiKEY with the famed Jeff Madrigali on the helm, and runner-up Travis Weisleder's Lucky Dog/Gill Race Team among the top contenders. With America's Cupper Mike Buckley as tactician, Weisleder will attempt to regain the overall National Ranking Series lead. Canada's Richard Reid racing Zingara and Wes Whitmyer's Slingshot are also top ten teams with a lot to gain, and much more to lose with only two more events past the NAC to complete the 2019 Series.
With America's Cupper Mike Buckley as a tactician on Travis Weisleder's
Lucky Dog/Gill Race Team, will attempt to regain the overall U.S. Melges 24 National Ranking Series lead - photo © Pierrick Contin
Canadian Richard Reid's Zingara, with Quantum Sails' expert Scott Nixon as a tactician onboard, is also top ten team with a lot to gain - photo © IM24CA/Zerogradinord
Great racing is in store for a fresh crop of all-amateur Melges 24 competitors. A perfect mix of mega-Midwest based teams and some of the very best from Canada are in attendance. Sixteen Melges 24s have qualified for the Corinthian division and among those are Hound Dog Regatta winner Mike Dow on Flying Toaster, Ugotta Regatta Champion Steve Pirie at the helm of Rumbunctious, Jeff Bodie's Esperanza, Scot Zimmerman's Bad Idea, George Haynie's Firewater, Robert Wigny and Kevin Brown on Notorious, Frasier McMillian's Sunnyvale/West Coast Sailing Team and Dan Berezin's Surprise.
Besides being the main organizer of the Melges 24 North American Championship, Scot Zimmerman on her Bad Idea will fight for the Corinthian title - photo @ CRW/ZGN
QUANTUM SAILS SUPER SERIES OPPORTUNITY - TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO BID FOR THE RIDE OF A LIFETIME
Through the generosity of Quantum Sails, the 2019 Melges 24 North American Championship is pleased to offer via an online auction, an opportunity to race aboard Quantum Racing in the 52 Super Series. Anyone can place a bid. Do it now at this link: https://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/auctionhome.action?auctionId=341694193
The auction ends Thursday, August 15 at 9 pm EST. Don't miss your chance to win big!
Through the generosity of Quantum Sails, the 2019 Melges 24 North American Championship is pleased to offer via an online auction, an opportunity to race aboard Quantum Racing in the 52 Super Series. Anyone can place a bid. Do it now at this link: https://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/auctionhome.action?auctionId=341694193
The auction ends Thursday, August 15 at 9 pm EST. Don't miss your chance to win big!
LIVE RACE TRACKING WITH TRAC TRAC
Live tracking of all NAC racing in Traverse City, Michigan at the North Americans will be available and viewable at this link: https://www.tractrac.com/event-page/event_20190815_MelgesNort/1648
Live tracking of all NAC racing in Traverse City, Michigan at the North Americans will be available and viewable at this link: https://www.tractrac.com/event-page/event_20190815_MelgesNort/1648
BE THE BEST SOCIAL BUTTERFLY YOU CAN BE
Be sure to follow, like and love the Melges 24 on all of its social media channels this weekend: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Tag your experience with @WorldofMelges24, @Melges24, @Melges24Canada and use #melges24, #2019nac.
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The Melges 24 North American Championship is supported by Hagerty Insurance, Quantum Sails, Boston Whaler, Mercedes-Benz, Melges Performance Sailboats, Costa, Baird Wealth Management, Irish Boat Shop, TruNorth Financial Group, Tito's Handmade Vodka, Bevanda Products, Sail22, Good & Ugly, Coral Reef Sailing Apparel (CRSA), Folgarelli's, The Center Plastic Surgery and Skin Care, Crew Facility Services, Snowden Commercial, West Bay Boatworks, Off Grid Food Co., Third Coast Insurance Agency, Ellibee Irrigation and Prestige Worldwide.
ABOUT THE MELGES 24
The Melges 24 is best known for its competitive disposition, yet fun and easy-to-sail personality. Since its inception, to this very day, it remains the leader in high-performance, one design sailing. Melges Performance Sailboats joined forces with Reichel/Pugh to deliver the ground-breaking Melges 24 in 1993. They pioneered the next frontier of competitive yacht racing by integrating high-tech materials and concepts used in the America's Cup into a sportboat that was fun, affordable, easy to rig, set-up and tow. Named Boat of the Year in 1994 by Sailing World Magazine, it raised the bar and set the standard in the performance keelboat category. For delivery and purchasing a new Melges 24, visit melges.com. For more information, please visit the official website of the International Melges 24 Class Association at melges24.com.
ABOUT THE U.S. MELGES 24 NATIONAL RANKING SERIES
Organized and managed by the U.S. Melges 24 Class Association (USM24CA), the National Ranking Series (USM24NRS) features a total of eight high-profile, world-class events happening in the U.S. and Canada. Specifically, the Series is designed to promote local, as well as international participation across all six districts that make up the U.S. Melges 24 Class and beyond. To learn more about the USM24NRS, visit the Official U.S. Melges 24 National Ranking Series Website for a full list of events, results and news. The USM24CA is a recognized National Class Authority of the International Melges 24 Class Association (IM24CA), melges24.com
Organized and managed by the U.S. Melges 24 Class Association (USM24CA), the National Ranking Series (USM24NRS) features a total of eight high-profile, world-class events happening in the U.S. and Canada. Specifically, the Series is designed to promote local, as well as international participation across all six districts that make up the U.S. Melges 24 Class and beyond. To learn more about the USM24NRS, visit the Official U.S. Melges 24 National Ranking Series Website for a full list of events, results and news. The USM24CA is a recognized National Class Authority of the International Melges 24 Class Association (IM24CA), melges24.com
ABOUT THE NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Organized and managed by the International Melges 24 Class Association (IM24CA), the North American Championship Series consists of three events - the U.S. Nationals, the NAC and the Canadian Nationals. To learn more about the North American Championship Series, visit the Official North American Championship Series Website.
Organized and managed by the International Melges 24 Class Association (IM24CA), the North American Championship Series consists of three events - the U.S. Nationals, the NAC and the Canadian Nationals. To learn more about the North American Championship Series, visit the Official North American Championship Series Website.
For media photos (web and/or high resolution) or class specific information about the Melges 24 at the 2019 Melges 24 North American Championship, please contact:
Joy Dunigan
2019 Melges 24 North American Championship Press Officer
U.S. Melges 24 Class Association, Communications Director
2019 Melges 24 North American Championship Press Officer
U.S. Melges 24 Class Association, Communications Director
Email: communications@usmelges24.com
Mobile: +1 (912) 398-5776
Skype: joysavannah
Skype: joysavannah
Piret Salmistu
2019 Melges 24 North American Championship Press Coordinator
International Melges 24 Class Association Administrator, Media Coordinator
International Melges 24 Class Association Administrator, Media Coordinator
Mobile: +372 507 7217
Email: piret@melges24.com
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