Big Conditions Predicted for Melges 32 US Nationals

Published on December 3rd, 2015

Ft. Lauderdale, FL (December 3, 2015) – Eleven teams will compete in the 2015 Melges 32 U.S. National Championship, hosted by the Lauderdale Yacht Club (LYC) and Bahia Mar Marina happens on December 4-6. Among the fleet are five international teams.

Initial forecasts are calling for big breeze and waves. “Ft. Lauderdale can have a little bit of everything,” commented longtime Melges 32 sailor Scott Nixon. “If a cold front comes through we can get a tricky Northwesterly, and if we get premium Lauderdale conditions we will see 15-25 out of the East. It is shaping up to be a great weekend of racing.”

For the first time in the Melges 32 Class, the Nationals will award a Corinthian winner. Piloting a class rule that defines a Corinthian team as all non-pro sailors with the exception of one “Industry Pro”, the goal is to provide an additional title for those that aim to compete with Corinthian sailors, while still racing for the overall title.

Two Corinthian entries are slated to participate in this inaugural event, Grant Hood’s Team Quest from Toronto, and the newly formed Team Hydra that includes a roster of young talented sailors from Macatawa Bay, Larchmont and Ft. Lauderdale Yacht Clubs. While the Corinthian fleet is expected to grow as the season progresses, the Nationals will be a great battle for the first Corinthian National Championship title.

FULL ENTRY LIST
1.) Jason Carroll/Cameron Appleton, ARGO
2.) Edward Tillinghast/Charlie Enright, Dark N’Stormy
3.) Dick DeVos/Jonathan McKee, Delta
4.) Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio/Branko Brcin, G-Spot
5.) Richard Goransson/Vasco Vascotto, Inga From Sweden
6.) Veit Hemmeter/Christian Schwoerer, La Pericolosa
7.) Morgan Kiss/Alex Post, Project Sail – Team Hydra
8.) Grant Hood/ Rossi Milev, Team Quest
9.) Chris Wientjes/Jack Scott, Stormvogel
10.) Andrea LaCorte/Jesper Radich, Vitamina Amerikana
11.) Ryan DeVos/Mark Mendelblatt, Volpe