Lucky Dog team - third straight Charleston Race Week win
May 2, 2022 - Charleston, SC, USA - By Bill Wagner - Consistent breeze that ranged from light to medium to heavy? Check. Close competition and exciting racing across the broad spectrum of classes? Check. High-quality race committee work? Check.
Factor in three days of beautiful, warm, sunny weather and the 2022 Charleston Race Week demonstrated why sailors come back year after year. Kevin McNeil, Farr 30 Seabiscuit skipper, was a newcomer to this iconic event and came away impressed. "I thought it was a great regatta. The race committee work was outstanding, everyone was very welcoming, and the weather couldn't be any more beautiful," said McNeil. "It truly was champagne sailing."
Skipper Travis Weisleder and his team on LUCKY DOG led from start to finish to earn a three-peat in the Melges 24 class. Mark Mendelblatt returned as tactician aboard Lucky Dog, which won 8 of 10 races, posting just 11 points - a whopping 23 less than runner-up, Corinthian team SUNNYVALE CAN415 of Fraser McMillan, taking top Corinthian trophy. John Bowden, who has been racing with Weisleder for more than a decade, trimmed the headsails.
"We did a good job of staying patient. That south to southwest breeze was super-shifty with lots of holes," Weisleder said. "Sometimes, you had to take your lumps and wait for the right opportunities."
Weisleder attended the College of Charleston and believes his experience racing on the harbor has paid dividends at Charleston Race Week, which he considers a "home regatta."
"We know how to sail the boat well in this venue, which is so unique. I think understanding the different tide changes and back eddies and recognizing what the current does to lay lines is critical."
Lucky Dog used the regatta as a tune-up for the Melges 24 Worlds, being held May 7-15 off Fort Lauderdale, Florida. "We feel pretty good about our boat speed and handling. We have a strong team and hopefully we can contend next week," Weisleder said.
Harry Melges IV racing Zenda Express, taking over the second position from Canada’s Fraser McMillan on Sunnyvale on Saturday, didn't compete on Sunday and lost his position to McMillan again completing the Melges 24 overall podium of the Charleston Race Week 2022.
- LUCKY DOG USA858 Travis Weisleder - 1-1-1-1-3-1-1-(5)-1-1 11pts
- SUNNYVALE CAN415 (COR) Fraser McMillan - 2-6-2-2-4-4-3-(8)-5-6 24pts
- ZENDA EXPRESS USA866 Harry Melges IV - 3-2-8-3-1-2-2-1-(18DNC)-18DNC 40pts
- GOLD DIGGER USA49 Jonathan Goldsberry - 6-4-4-4-(12)-8-10-4-4-3 47pts
- RAPSCALLLION USA446 William Morang - 4-5-6-11-7-6-6-(12)-3-2 50pts
- THE 300 USA839 Steve Boho - 7-3-3-10-6-(12)-7-66-4 52pts
- LONG SHOT USA777 John Poulson (10)-8-9-9-2-3-8-3-2-9 53pts
- EX-KAHN USA575 (COR) Brent McKenzie - 5-9-5-6-5-5-4-(10)-7-7 53pts
- SURPRISE CAN629 Dan Berezin - 8-(10)-10-5-9-7-5-2-8-8 62pts
- CRAZY TRAIN USA155 Brigette Croke 11-11-7-7-8-9-(12)-11-10-5 79pts
Travis Weisleder's Lucky Dog USA858 with John Bowden, Mark Mendelblatt and Hayden Goodrick - Charleston Race Week 2022
Travis Weisleder's Lucky Dog USA858 with John Bowden, Mark Mendelblatt and Hayden Goodrick - Charleston Race Week 2022
Fraser McMillan's Sunnyvale CAN415 with Aidan Koster, Alex Levkovskiy and Evan Carey - Charleston Race Week 2022
