OUTSTANDING MELGES 24 US WINTER CIRCUIT PLANNED

The legendary US Winter circuit gets underway this weekend with the Fall Flail at Annapolis. This is just the first of a great series of regatta offering outstanding winter sun sailing in the south eastern United States.

The US Atlantic Coast Championship in Jacksonville on October 20/21 is the last major US event before the Worlds and has attracted a big entry.

The 2001 Melges 24 World Championship, now rescheduled for 18-21 January in association with Terra Nova Trading / Yachting Key West Race Week, will be the biggest Melges 24 event ever held in the US. Already all the top US teams are committed to attending and with over 20 European teams shipping their boats or chartering it will be a truly outstanding event. Worlds specific information is being prepared right now and will be available from this web site by by the middle of October. Get more logistical and general information about Key West Race Week and the latest 2001 Melges 24 World Championship news.

Following Key West the circus moves on to the St Petersburg NOOD from 15-17 February. St Petersburg is a fantastic sailing venue on the Florida Gulf Coast with a big home Melges fleet just waiting to welcome visiting Melges 24 crews.
Most of the European Teams shipping for the Worlds plan to stay on for St Petersburg and with a record number of US teams scheduled to attend it will be a great regatta. It will also be part of the 2002 North American and World Ranking Scheme. Click here for general information about the St Petersburg YC. Information about notice of race, entry forms,
etc, will be available shortly.

Following the logistical problems experienced in 2001 the Acura SORC will not form part of the 2002 Ranking Series, however, for those who can't get enough of that Florida sunshine and want their South Beach fix the Acura SORC dates are 6-10 March.

The final icing on the winter circuit cake is the US North American Championship. This will officially be the premiere North American event in2002 (as technically the Key West Worlds are 2001 just to confuse us all!) Again a number of European boats will be taking part in this regatta as well as all the top US teams. The championship will be held in the beautiful and historic port of Annapolis from 3-7 April and further information is available from Liz Filter.

We'll bring you previews and further information about all these regattas when ever we can so watch this space and take advantage of the fantastic winter circuit being laid on by the US Class.